Born in 1971 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Gustavo Oliveira started to play classical guitar at 14. Soon he switched to electric guitar being influenced by rock guitarists from the '80s. A few years later, he got interested in improvisation, which became the focus of his music studies.
From 1991 to 1995, he studied harmony and improvisation with the renowned Brazilian teacher Sérgio Benevenuto. During that time, he carefully studied composers and improvisers like Tom Jobim, Gordon Goodwin, John Coltrane, Hermeto Paschoal, Mike Stern, Heitor T.P., Gary Willis, Jaco Pastorius, Nico Assumpção, and Arthur Maia.
In 1995, he moved to Los Angeles to continue his music studies at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. He graduated from MI in 1996 and during that time, he also took private lessons with important jazz players such as Mike Stern and Joe Diorio.
Being influenced by American and Brazilian music, he developed his unique “Fusion Brazil” style, which mixes Brazilian rhythms such as baião, samba and choro with jazz, blues, funk and rock.
Gustavo Oliveira released his first solo album in 2002, Fuzion Brazil.
In 2007 he released his second record, Funky Black Orpheus.
In 2008, his last solo album entitled Fuzion Brasil II, a new concept was released.
You can also hear Gustavo's guitar work as a sideman on the record Jealousy Lounge
by the bassist David Lockeretz.
Gustavo studied computer science, and in 2010 he decided to end his music career to pursue his other passion: sofware engineering.