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Saying good-bye to a great musician: Wander Taffo
by: Maila-Kaarina
05/20/2008
Pictures: www.myspace.com/wnadertaffo

On May 14th, 2008, Brazilian music lost one of its most important musicians; the guitarist from São Paulo Wander Taffo, an icon to the Brazilian Rock scene, recognized unanimously by all Brazilian good musicians as a real guitar hero.

He might not be well known by new generation musicians and this is why I decided to write this article. I would really appreciate if you read it with attention since I believe he´s got a work which is a worldwide example. Wander Taffo passed away in the morning at home, in São Paulo, victim of a stroke. He hadn´t had any record of heart disease before and no health problems at all. He was only 53 years old.

Taffo, considered by international magazines such as Guitar Player as one of the best guitarists of the world did much more than just playing. Only a few musicians in the world got to his level and did so much for the music scene with so much ideology and entrepreneurship.
He built one of the most important South American music schools and has spread a new methodology of teaching when he opened, in July of 1997, the IG&T (Institute of Guitar and Technology), a project he took so seriously that he stopped his music projects to dedicate himself full-time to it. The school gathers high technology with a “coexistence center” which is a debut project in South America. Only one year after its opening the school had already 1000 students and, from then on, Taffo decided to give opportunity to other instruments too.
 
Following the patterns from IG&T, in November of 1999 the Guitar Institute became EM&T (Music and Technology School), in the district of Jabaquara, in a 5-floor-building with 6 institutes: IG&T (guitar), IB&T (bass), IV&T (acoustic guitar), IC&T (singing), IP&T (percussion and drumming), IT&T (keyboards).

Wander Taffo began his career in 1973 and yet in the 70´s played with the most important Brazilian musicians. Taffo never stopped teaching guitar lessons though.

In 1986 he moved to Los Angeles and recorded his first solo album, debuted in 1989. With this homonymous album he was chosen by all specialized magazines as the best guitarist of Brazil.

Among all these, Taffo had participated on several social projects such as warm clothing and donations for homeless people since 1990. He never wanted to show his name on them though and whenever someone asked he said: “Tell them the school is taking care of it.” With this initiative he could attract several teachers, professors, students and fans to this social work.
  
 
In 1991 Wander Taffo started the band TAFFO and did concerts in New York (Limelight and Cat Club). The last one was transmitted by the American MTV in many countries. Taffo has been until now the only Brazilian band that, following the L.A. hard rock line, got successful in Brazil.

The guitarist was one the biggest Steve Morse´s fans and after a few years both of them became good friends. He admired Morse so much that made him a song called: “Codigo Morse”.

Taffo left wife and two children and I really hope he can become an eternal beautiful story. I also hope that someone with the same spirit as his would go on with his projects.

Let there be peace to his soul.
 
 
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