Hi, I’m Jacques! I was born on March 26, 1975, in São Lourenço, Minas Gerais. My musical journey began at age 10 when I picked up the acoustic guitar, learning from my father. A year later, I started lessons with a teacher known as “Bira,” and by age 12, I had formed my first rock band. (Spoiler: it wasn’t great!)  

 

Everything changed at 14 when I saw guitarist Victor Lobo perform classical music. I realized there was an entire world of music I was missing out on. Determined to learn, I started taking lessons from him, though my family couldn’t afford the fees. Victor’s generosity allowed me to continue, and I spent countless hours honing my classical guitar technique while drinking way too much coffee and listening to incredible LPs.  

 

At 17, I won a Classical Guitar Contest in São Paulo, organized by the renowned Henrique Pinto. He introduced me to Angela Muner, who transformed my playing by teaching me how to shape my sound with artificial nails (a lifesaver for my fragile ones).  

 

While exploring the life of classical guitarists in Brazil, I realized I wanted something more creative than teaching lessons. I ventured into arranging, recording, and producing, though I had no idea where to start. That’s when I met Marco Elizeo in Três Pontas. He liked my playing, and we started gigging together.  

 

One day, purely by chance, Marco left a Roland JV1000 at my house. That sequencer was a game-changer—it opened the door to music production. From there, I dove headfirst into album production, working with Cakewalk and a QuadraSynth Plus Piano back in 1995. Those were the "ancient times" compared to today’s music technology. I eventually saved enough to buy an EMU ESI-32 sampler and a collection of AKAI discs, one at a time, each purchase a small triumph.  

 

This marked the start of my passion for sampling technology. Over the years, I honed my skills in creating "mock-ups" and went on to collaborate with companies and individuals worldwide, including Peter Siedlaczek, Chris Hein, Yuval Shrem, Paul Thomson (Spitfire Audio), FXpansion (BFD), and many more.  

 

Later, I secured partnerships with two major London publishers, EMI Production Music and Cavendish Music. For around seven years, I wrote orchestral pieces, many of which were recorded in Budapest, Hungary—a dream come true.  

 

Today, I wear many hats: producer, arranger, composer, mixer, and audio consultant. My work spans songs, string arrangements, and beyond.  

 

There’s more to come—stay tuned!