Guinga (nee Althier Carlos de Souza Lemos Escobar), was born in Madureira (a neighborhood in the north side of Rio de Janeiro city) in 1950. He began composing at age 16, and later began classical guitar studies under Jodacil Damasceno for five years.

He worked professionally as a guitarist, accompanying artists such as Clara Nunes, Beth Carvalho, Alaíde Costa, João Nogueira and Cartola. He had many of his songs recorded by musicians like Elis Regina, Michel Legrand, Sergio Mendes, Leila Pinheiro, Chico Buarque, Clara Nunes, Ivan Lins and many others.

His compositions are partnerships with Paulo Cesar Pinheiro, Aldir Blanc, Chico Buarque, Nei Lopes, Sergio Natureza, Nelson Motta, Simone Guimarães, Francisco Bosco, and others.He has recorded a dozen CDs. Revered by critics, with increasing frequency has been considered “the largest and most important composer of Brazil today.”So tell him his peers. To cite only one, the wizard of sounds Hermeto Pascoal: “A guy like that only appears every hundred years.”

In 2002, Guinga biography was written by journalist Mario Marques (Guinga, Os mais belos acordes de subúrbio, Ed Gryphus). In 2003 he had launched his songbook (Music de Guinga, Ed Gryphus). His CD “Rasgando Seda” in partnership with Quinteto Villa-Lobos, released in 2012, was nominated for Latin Grammy as Best Instrumental CD of the Year.

His most recent work, “Roendopinho”, release through Acoustic Music Records, is collecting inumerous good reviews in specialized media.