Loss in national reggae: Tonho Gebara, guitarist of Natiruts, dies of a heart attack!

Tonho Gebara, guitarist for the reggae band Natiruts, died on February 29 after suffering a heart attack. He had been ill, but was showing signs of improvement when the news caught everyone by surprise. Kiko, the band's former guitarist, had even stepped in to cover for him while awaiting his friend's recovery. Tonho Gebara was best known as the current guitarist of Natiruts. Gebara was recommended by Kiko to take over the guitar slot because Kiko was pursuing a solo career. Having played guitar from an early age, Tonho was invited to join several other groups, each with a different style. He moved through rock and jazz, and in reggae played with the bands Medusas Dread, alongside his brother Tandi, and Tafari Roots. But Tonho's work was not limited to arrangements; he was also responsible for many of the lyrics of the groups he passed through, including "Bob Falou", one of Natiruts' best-known songs. He ventured into recording a solo album called "Impar", where he went further. "Impar" could even be called a patchwork quilt, given the guitarist's many influences, as his previous work shows. But rather than being an inconsistent effort, it demonstrates that the pieces were "well stitched together", ending up as a snapshot of the crossroads Brazilian MPB was navigating at the time. Tonho's lyrics dealt with everyday life, mainly addressing relationships, the challenges of transitioning from youth to adulthood, lost loves, friendship, loyalty and death. What stood out, however, was the format of the songs. According to Tonho, the original idea was to write songs using only odd time signatures — 7/8, 3/4 and so on — something rather unusual in Brazilian pop, but the concept gradually faded as other compositions in more common meters emerged as strong tracks. Even so, those versed in musical composition relished Gebara's "experiments". Natiruts and its fans lose not only an excellent professional, but above all a great friend and companion. The body will lie in state at Santa Casa de Botafogo, in Rio de Janeiro.

MORE INFORMATION

Sources: Release by Valdir Antonelli: (www.songweb.com.br) Kiko Peres on the Fórum Natiruts: (www.bandanatiruts.com.br)

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