Luiz Bonfá
Although overshadowed by the towering figure of Antonio Carlos Jobim and to a lesser extent by João Gilberto, Luiz Bonfá was right there at the birth of bossa nova as well. In fact, at least two of his songs, the haunting "Manha de Carnaval" and equally evocative "Samba de Orpheus" swept the world at least three years before Jobim's songs began to make a global impact, paving the way for the first Brazilian wave. In addition, Bonfá cultivated a delicate, precise classical guitar style, though more attuned to the traditional samba rhythm than the Gilberto/Jobim bossa nova lilt. Born near the bay of Guanabara in Rio -- his father was an Italian immigrant -- Bonfá took up the guitar at eleven and studied classical guitar with the Uruguayan master Isaias Savio. He began to work Rio's clubs as a singer with the Quitandinha Serenaders, and by 1946, he was appearing on Brazil's Radio Nacional. By 1957, Bonfa was beginning to split his time between New York City and Rio, touring the U.S. with singer Mary Martin, as well as writing and recording Brazilian film scores. The turning point in his career came in 1959 when film director Marcel Camus asked Bonfá to contribute some songs to his film version of the play Orfeo do Carnaval (to be renamed Black Orpheus on the screen). The director originally rejected "Manha de Carnaval" as the film's main theme, but after coming up with what he felt was an inferior second effort, Bonfá fought for his first tune and got his way, and "Manha de Carnaval" became a global pop/jazz/folk standard. In the late '50s and '60s, Bonfá began recording several albums for the American market on EMI Odeon (Capitol), Dot, Atlantic, Cook, Philips, Epic, and Verve, and he and his songs appeared prominently on the Jazz Samba Encore album with Jobim and Stan Getz. His songwriting skills were in demand in the most unpredictable places; for example, he wrote the schmaltzy "Almost in Love" for Elvis Presley (included in the forgettable 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little). Bonfá's profile in America virtually disappeared after the '60s, although he continued to tour and write, eventually cutting over 50 albums. But he resurfaced in U.S. CD shops after a 15-year gap in 1989 with Non-Stop to Brazil for Chesky, followed by the ravishing The Bonfá Magic in 1991 (released domestically on Milestone) and 1993's Moods on GSP. Also, the original soundtrack for Black Orpheus is available on a Verve CD, a firsthand snapshot of Bonfá and Jobim lighting the fuse for the world-wide Brazilian music explosion. On January 12, 2001, Luiz Bonfá died of cancer in Rio de Janeiro.
© Richard S. Ginell /TiVo
Similar artists
-
O Violão e o Samba
Latin America - Released by MNR Media on 1 Oct 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cajita De Musica (Music Box) [Lo-Fi Bossa Nova Classics]
Laurindo Almeida, Luiz Bonfá, Ed Lincoln, Jorge Henrique
Pop - Released by Sunny Side of the Street on 23 Jun 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Brazilian Guitar Classics
World - Released by Burning Fire on 13 Jan 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Batucada
Pop - Released by Sunny Side of the Street on 9 Jun 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Batucada
World - Released by Rhythm Is Gonna Get You on 6 May 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Luiz Bonfá's Brazilian Guitar (Remastered)
Bossa Nova - Released by RevOla on 24 Aug 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from Luiz Bonfa, Vol. 2
Pop - Released by White Christmas on 6 Dec 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Meu Querido Violão (Remastered)
Bossa Nova - Released by RevOla on 1 Jan 1959
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alta Versatilidade! (Remastered)
Bossa Nova - Released by RevOla on 1 Apr 2019
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Brazilian in New York
MPB - Released by Amor Indiano on 7 Apr 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Island of Trinidade
Pop - Released by Golden Fruits on 1 Jun 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Music of Brazil / The Guitar of Luiz Bonfá, Volume 1 / Recordings 1957 - 1958
Brazil - Released by Black Round Records on 26 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music around the World by Luiz Bonfa
Pop - Released by Sunny Side of the Street on 15 May 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nelly (Amor) - Luiz Bonfa
World - Released by ISIS on 13 Sep 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
In the Mood of Jazz
Jazz - Released by Jazz 2 Jazz Records on 28 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Calypso Minor
World - Released by Blackbroad Legends on 22 Apr 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sincopado Triste
World - Released by Purple Earthquake on 18 Apr 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -