Today we’d like to introduce you to Grecco Buratto
Hi Grecco, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve wanted to be in L.A. since I was twelve so my adolescence was about practicing guitar and daydreaming about going to music school in Hollywood. That was the extent of my plan…
I moved out here one year after finishing high school to attend Musician’s Institute. I was 18 going on 19 and couldn’t really get in most bars so life was playing guitar, listening to music, hanging out with friends from school and going to movies.
After finishing the 1-year program I was offered a scholarship for another year. By that time, I had fallen in love with the idea of being a studio musician or a sideman and was super focused on that. I had played a couple of “real” gigs and got asked to go play at a Baptist Church in South Central L.A. but had no car (shared rides – or cell phones – didn’t exist at the time and public transportation was a lot more limited) so I had to say no…
I was also in a band called Three and we had signed a production deal with a radio promoter and showcased for a few record companies but with no success.
My father comes to visit and I explain to him about the necessity of having a car in order to start working. We make a deal where he buys the car but I have to pay for all the expenses related to it. We purchase it from a neighbor who’s moving back to Brazil and I immediately set about making phone calls, asking for work. I get a job selling Christmas trees in a lot on Wilshire Blvd. From there, I go to working at an art gallery at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, assisting the groundskeeper – sweeping floors, moving pictures, hanging pictures, setting up the patio for openings…
At the same time, I being to play at Second Mount Baptist Church for 50 dollars a week. A couple months later I’m put on salary – 150 dollars a week – and that enables me to quit my job at the art gallery and become a full time musician. I start to gig around town playing in the Brazilian Music Scene. I’m on my way…
Around 1999, I set out the intention to participate in a session every week, be it paid or not a and in this process, I got to meet producer Dillon Gorman who was also starting out and couldn’t pay my rate at the time. We made a deal that he’d cover expenses and I’d go record whenever he had a few tracks ready. From one of these session/tracks came the introduction to a few other producers that led to my first big session with Boyz II Men. I’m also doing a lot of demos and independent records, playing in church and around town.
One gig leads the next and after a few years of focused work, doors start to open and better gigs start to come my way.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It took a lot of work, so one could say it wasn’t easy. There were challenges but there was also a lot of faith on things working out. A quality or mindset of being young – or not experienced – I believe.
I remember a fellow guitarist by the name of Bibi McGill who once told me that if I made myself available, the work would present itself. I really took that to heart. Soon after that talk, I quit my job at an art gallery in Santa Monica. Coincidentally, or not, work did begin to appear…
I think the anxiety of wanting things to happen was a challenge, the comparison with peers who seemed to have it together more than one did – mind you social media didn’t exist at the time, but you’d find out about so and so doing such and such gig and then the question of why wasn’t I called for that audition…
Not seeing my family for 6 years was definitely a challenge and there was one instance where I gave myself a 6 month deadline where if things had stayed the same, I’d go back. In the end, I felt I’d be so frustrated with myself for giving up “the dream” that I decided to stick it out a while longer and fortunately, things worked out.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m known primarily as a guitar player but I produce, compose and write songs. I’ve released two albums as an artist, Essas Coisas Todas (2014) and Sem Palavras (2023) and a book of poetry called Só Palavras (Ed. Versiprosa) in 2023.
As a musician, my ability to play a variety of different styles, convincingly, consistently and without an “accent” is what stands out. I like to say that I’m a good ensemble actor, in that I love to serve the song and the artistic vision of the artist/producer/ composer/MD. To make it sound like a record every time I get onstage.
But perhaps the quality that sets me apart and the reason I’ve had the opportunities I’ve had, is the grounding energy I bring to the table. The steadiness, consistency, discipline and love for form and execution.
I’m not one to look back and pat myself in the back for the things I’ve done but every once in a while, a moment of reflection and recollection brings forth a few keys moments.
Recording and touring with k.d.lang in 2008 and again in 2017, performing with Lionel Richie at the NOLA Jazz Fest in 2022 with no rehearsal or soundcheck, “subbing” for composer Gustavo Santaolalla with the L.A. Phil under Gustavo Dudamel playing the guitar parts of one of my favorite movies – Amores Perros – in 2017. Recording a Live DVD with Brazilian icon Roberto Carlos at Abbey Road Studios on my birthday in 2015. Performing with Shakira in my home state in Brazil in 2011 and also at Rock In Rio later that same year. Playing at the White House for President Obama’s last state dinner with Gwen Stefani in 2016. Producing the Latin Grammy nominated album Manuscrito for my good friend Claudia Brant in 2011. Getting a call from Maurice White to go record for Earth Wind & Fire. Touring in Asia with artists JJ Lin, Leehom Wang and Jeff Chang from 2011 til 2019. Producing my partner’s latest album, Sambalismo. Performing with new age artist Snatam Kaur at the Grammy’s and the subsequent tour in 2019.
What’s next?
I’m looking forward to exploring the next chapter in this journey. Playing and recording will still have a part in it for sure and I have a couple of albums I’ve written that I’d like to record. Another book is in the works. I’ll keep producing whenever I’m called to do so and I believe I can help the artists bring their artistic vision to life.
I’m part of a project called The Heart and The Matter and we’re releasing our first album on Spirit Voyage Records in September.
I’ve signed on to work on a project called Sing Asia as an Assistant Music Director and International Artist Liaison. The series of events will take place in Australia over the next 18 months.
Also, I’ve partnered with longtime friend Dilson Laguna from São Paulo based Artsy Club to expand their business in North America.
Contact Info:
- Website: www..greccoburatto.com
- Instagram: @greccoburatto
- Facebook: @greccoburattoofficial
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@greccoburatto
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/greccoburatto
Image Credits
Stephen Bradley
John Taylor
Gustavo Ruvalcaba
