Have you ever heard the sound of the Portuguese guitar? I hadn’t until last night. Marco Miranda is a friend of my partner, and he invited us to his concert. It was an experience I will never forget.
The concert took place inside an old prison in the centre of Lagos. The space was a long room with the stage at the back; at the entrance was a little bar and sound mixer. Marco arrived with Carina, his wife, and a big smile. He immediately took a glass of red wine from the bar and went behind the stage to get ready.
Marco prepared for his performance: the stage, his guitar, the computer, the guitar mixer pedals, and the two backpacks containing all he required for that evening. Everything was ready: the room, the people, my heart. The show was about to begin.
Marco cued a guy on a mixer, and instantly, the room became darker. Silence. In that silence, I sensed something very important was about to begin. All eyes in the room were looking at Marco’s fingers, expecting him to start.
As Marco touched the strings, my whole body got covered in goosebumps while I felt tears welling inside me.
Behind Marco was a screen showing black and white images he had personally selected. Those images, mixed with the magical sounds, took me somewhere far away.
Marco was born in Lisbon in 1979, and he has been creating his musical identity since early childhood, always accompanied by the Portuguese guitar. He was taught by his grandfather, who initially would play with him. You can also detect the tradition of fado in his music.
Marco is not just a player, though. He is also a composer and producer. You can hear in his albums his experimentation with different sounds and genres. He mixes the classical Portuguese guitar with some electronic sounds and enchanting dynamics, which takes you to another place. His music seems deeply inspired by the natural environment of the Algarve, where he lives. In his rhythms, you can hear all the sounds of nature, like the rain, the wind, and the ocean.
The concert I attended was promoting his 13th album, which is a blend of tradition and innovation. The more I listened, the more I was taken away. I closed my eyes and that’s when the real magic happened. In one instant, it felt like I was flying over deserts and oceans. It felt like being transported somewhere else.
As well as a talented musician, Marco is a technological physics engineer working in biophysics. He has dedicated research into studying the effect of music and auditory stimuli on the human brain waves. This last part interests me as I do the same through the impact of meditation on the human brain.
It’s not easy to find magic, but with Marco, you can fly far away on his magic carpet of sounds. Enjoy!
Photos © Diogo Grilo grilointhepocket.pt
You can find more on Marco, his music, and his research on his website m-pex.com
Facebook: M-PeX
Spotify: M-Pex
