BIO
Brazilian guitarist, singer and songwriter Celso Salim presents a contemporary blues sound rooted in the past. His soulful music takes on many styles mixing deep blues with hints of soul, country, jazz and rock. He has 6 solo albums, won 3rd place at the 2019 International Blues Challenge and has 5 Independent Music Awards including one for best blues album. He toured with Larry McCray, performed with Magic Slim & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, opened for B.B. King, Deep Purple, Canned Heat, John Hammond, Joe Bonamassa, and most recently collaborated with guitarists Johnny Stachela (Allman Betts Band) and Artur Menezes. Celso moved to Los Angeles in 2014 becoming one of the busiest and most respected guitarists in Southern California.
Currently, Celso has a new album out with his project Celso Salim & Darryl Carriere ,
he also is on tour with Bull Y Los Bufalos and working on the first EP of rock and roll band Kozmic Lizards.
In Brazil, he has established a solid solo career releasing several albums since 2001 and was also known for his acoustic duo with bassist Rodrigo Mantovani, as well as his work with two top Brazilian blues acts: Ari Borger Quartet & Sergio Duarte Blues Band. Since Celso re-located to the US, besides winning 3rd place at the 2019 IBC, he also won the SoCal Blues Society Battle of the Bands twice (2015 & 2017) and was a 2018 IBC semi-finalist. Performing with his band and as a sideman Celso played all over California in major venues such as The Baked Potato, The Canyon Club, Catalina Jazz Club, Biscuits'n'blues, Coach House, Ojai Blues Fest 2023, Mammoth Village Fest and also shared the stage with heavy weight musicians such as Scott Page (Pink Floyd/Supertramp), Kenny Lee Lewis (Steve Miller Band), Josh Smith, Jimmy Z, Jason Ricci and Gov’t Mule’s Matt Abts & Jorgen Carlsson.
Celso's latest albums To The End Of Time (2014) & Mama’s Hometown (2018), received great reviews from major publications such as Blues Matters! (UK) and Blues Blast Magazine (USA) and also have been featured in radio shows all over the world.
EARLY TIMES - Celso Salim had his first contact with the instrument when he was six years old. At the age of 12 the talented young musician started to listen to his first Blues records, which changed his life forever. Since then, Celso knew what he wanted to be. For years he studied guitar hours each day, learning from old records by artists such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, BB King, and Johnny Winter. A little later he began listening to 60’s & 70’s artists like the Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. At age 17, Celso moved to the US for the first time and spent 3 years studying music at Musicians Institute, where he received the Outstanding Stylist Award and during this period he was also performing live with locals bands, including with The Green Lizards - band formed with Darryl Carriere