Stockton, CA
Saturday, April 19, 2025
Haggin Museum
José Neto, born in Brazil, is one of the guitar world’s best-kept secrets. Known to a discriminating international fan base and respected by legendary musicians and producers, Neto has flown under the radar in service to the music and, not to his own ego.
Shot in California, in the UK, and in Brazil, The Man Behind the White Guitar follows José Neto as he revisits the people and places that formed his musical career: Harry Belafonte, Steve Winwood and Brazilian greats Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Filo Machado. The project has been an international artistic collaboration to celebrate the values of humility, kindness and generosity, that Neto has carried throughout his musical career. Producer, Barbara McVeigh, a San Joaquin County resident, will also be in attendance.
Director: Richard Michael (UK 2019) 71 min. Program included with regular museum admission.
Mill Valley, CA
Friday, April 25, 2025
Throckmorton Theater
José Pires de Almeida Neto has a sophisticated fan base, those who understand the power of his music and the spirit it carries. He came to the United States in 1978 at the age of 24 without speaking much English and to follow his music passion.
Soon after his arrival in 1979, Neto auditioned for the legendary Harry Belafonte who then invited Neto to join his band. For thirty years Neto toured and performed with Belafonte and then became his music director as well for ten years.
José is a founding member of the band Fourth World with the legendary master percussionist Airto Moreira and Brazil’s Queen of Jazz Flora Purim who started José’s journey at Ronnie’s Scotts Jazz Club in 1990. Neto is still composing and recording with Airto Moreira today.
In 1995, Jim Capaldi, the great drummer and songwriter of Traffic, came to Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in London one the afternoon and jammed with José Neto and Airto Moreira. After Capaldi saw their band Fourth World perform that night, he brought master musician Steve Winwood the very next day to hear the band and Neto’s “apocalyptic sounds” as his music has been described in The London Times.
That introduction to Steve led them to a musical friendship with multiple jams with Neto’s own band, The Netoband. A few years later Winwood asked Neto to join him in an Organ Trio, Winwood’s new project (more Traffic style) and they recorded About Time.
Neto has been Winwood’s guitarist for the last 16 years and has collaborated with Winwood on several songs for the CDs About Time and Nine Lives.
Neto has been leading his own band The Netoband for over 25 years. Those members are Gary Brown, Frank Martin, Celso Alberti and Café. They’ve toured internationally and each member is a highly respected musician in his own right.
From left to right
FRANK MARTIN – keys
CELSO ALBERTI – drums
JOSÉ NETO – guitar
GARY BROWN – bass
London, UK
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Ronnie Scott’s
In addition to his band, Neto has been touring with Steve Winwood for 18 years, released solo albums, and featured in an award-winning documentary about his life, The Man Behind the White Guitar. He also co-founded jazz fusion band Fourth World with acclaimed percussionist Airto Moreira and vocalist Flora Purim.
Neto, originating from São Paulo, Brazil, began his guitar journey at a tender age, playing with bands and evading police at nightclubs until he reached legal age. He honed his classical guitar skills at the São Paulo Academy of Music. His career took a significant turn in 1978 when he moved to New York and became the guitar player and later, Musical Director, for the renowned Harry Belaponte. This bond lasted throughout Belafonte’s life. In addition, Neto has shared his talent with numerous world-class musicians including Eric Clapton, Herbie Mann, Jim Capaldi, Jorge Dalto, Paquito D’Rivera, Tania Maria, Carlos Santana and the Allman Brothers.
From left to right
FRANK MARTIN – keys
CELSO ALBERTI – drums
JOSÉ NETO – guitar
GARY BROWN – bass
José Neto and the Netoband at The Verdict
Brighton, UK
Friday, May 2, 2025
Neto, originating from São Paulo, Brazil, began his guitar journey at a tender age, playing with bands and evading police at nightclubs until he reached legal age. He honed his classical guitar skills at the São Paulo Academy of Music. His career took a significant turn in 1978 when he moved to New York and became the guitar player and later, Musical Director, for the renowned Harry Belaponte. This bond lasted throughout Belafonte’s life. In addition, Neto has shared his talent with numerous world-class musicians including Eric Clapton, Herbie Mann, Jim Capaldi, Jorge Dalto, Paquito D’Rivera, Tania Maria, Carlos Santana and the Allman Brothers.
In addition to his band, Neto has been touring with Steve Winwood for 18 years, released solo albums, and featured in an award-winning documentary about his life, The Man Behind the White Guitar. He also co-founded jazz fusion band Fourth World with acclaimed percussionist Airto Moreira and vocalist Flora Purim.
From left to right
FRANK MARTIN – keys
CELSO ALBERTI – drums
JOSÉ NETO – guitar
GARY BROWN – bass
List of tour dates here