André Hernandes

André “Zaza” Hernandes occupies a discreet but relevant position in the history of Brazilian metal. A guitarist with refined technical training, he was part of one of Angra's first formations in 1992, before the consolidation of the classical formation with Kiko Loureiro. His passage was brief, but it occurred during the period in which the band defined the language that would mark Angels Cry. Zaza also stood out as a teacher, having among his students musicians such as Rafael Bittencourt and Hugo Mariutti. His career gained greater prominence in Andre Matos' solo band, which he was part of between 2006 and 2015. He participated in the recordings of Time to Be Free, Mentalize and The Turn of the Lights, contributing to a phase that combined power metal, progressive rock and more personal arrangements. Without resorting to gratuitous exhibitionism, he built a guitar that was precise, melodic and adaptable to the different directions taken by Matos. In addition to working with Andre Matos, Hernandes released his own instrumental material and performed in projects such as Sunsarah, Radiofonics, Latin Lovers and Capella, in addition to recordings as a studio musician. His importance does not lie in an extensive discography under his own name, but in the influence he exerted as an instrumentalist and educator. Zaza belongs to that little-celebrated and absolutely necessary category: musicians who help construct entire scenes while the spotlight, as usual, looks elsewhere.