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Laurindo AlmeidaFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaLaurindo AlmeidaLaurindo Almeida Gottlieb.jpgLaurindo Almeida, ca. 1947Background informationBorn September 2, 1917São Paulo, BrazilDied July 26, 1995 (aged 77)Van Nuys, CaliforniaUnited StatesGenres Classical, Jazz (bossa nova)Occupation(s) Guitarist, composerInstruments GuitarAssociated actsSalli TerriBud ShankStan KentonModern Jazz QuartetLaurindo Almeida (September 2, 1917 ± July 26, 1995) was a Brazilian virtuoso guitarist and composer who made many recordings of enduring impact in classical, jazz and Latin genres. He is widely credited, with fellow artist Bud Shank, for creating the fusion of Latin and jazz which came to be known as the ªJazz Samba.º Almeida was the first artist to receive Grammy Awards for both classical and jazz per

formances. His discography encompasses more than a hundred recordings over fivedecades.[1]

Contents [hide]1 Background2 Early Career in the United States3 Film and television4 Later career5 Honors and Awards6 Death7 Legacy8 Discography8.1 As leader

8.2 As sideman8.3 Concert Film9 References10 External links11 Further readingBackground[edit]Laurindo Jose de Araujo Almeida Nobrega Neto was born in the village of Prainha, Brazil near Santos in the state of São Paulo.[1]

Born into a musical family, Almeida was a self-taught guitarist. During his teenage years, Almeida moved to São Paulo, where he worked as a radio artist, staff arranger and nightclub performer.[2] At the age of 19, he worked his way to Europe playing guitar in a cruise ship orchestra. In Paris, he attended a performance

at the Hot Club by Stephane Grappelli and famed guitarist Django Reinhardt, whobecame a lifelong artistic inspiration.[3]

Returning to Brazil, Almeida continued composing and performing. He became known for playing both classical Spanish and popular guitar. He moved to the United States in 1947; a trip financed when one of his compositions, a song known as ªJohnny Peddlerº became a hit recorded by the Andrews Sisters. In Los Angeles, Almeidaimmediately went to work in film studio orchestras.[1]

Early Career in the United States[edit]

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Almeida was first introduced to the jazz public as a featured guitarist with the Stan Kenton band in the late 1940s during the height of its success. Accordingto author Michael Sparke, Almeida and his fellow Kenton bandmember drummer JackCostanzo ªendowed the music of Progressive Jazz with a persuasive Latin flavor, and the music is enriched by their presence.º[4] Famed Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo composed "Lament" specifically for Almeida's cool, quiet sound,[5] and Almeida's owncomposition ªAmazoniaº was also featured by the Kenton orchestra. Almeida stayed with Kenton until 1952.

Almeida's recording career enjoyed auspicious early success with the 1953 recordings now called Brazilliance No. 1 and No. 2 with fellow Kenton alumnus Bud Shank, bassist Harry Babasin, and drummer Roy Harte on the World Pacific label (originally entitled ªThe Laurindo Almeida Quartet featuring Bud Shankº).[6] Widely regarded as "landmark" recordings, Almeida and Shank's combination of Brazilian and jazzrhythms (which Almeida labeled "samba-jazz"-[3]) presaged the fusion of Latin and jazz, which is quite different in bossa nova, although jazz critic Leonard Feather credited Almeida and Shank as the creators of bossa nova sound.[1]

Other observers note that the beat, harmonic stamp, and economy of expression were different than the bossa nova, giving Almeida and Shank   s recording "...a different mood and sound...certainly valuable in its own right."[7]

Almeida's classical solo recording career on Capitol Records began in 1954 with The Guitar Music of Spain. Almeida made a series of highly successful classical re

cordings produced by Robert E. Myers.[5] Among Almeida's notable classical recordings is an album widely considered to be the first classical crossover album, the 1958 Grammy winner Duets with Spanish Guitar with mezzo soprano Salli Terri and flutist Martin Ruderman. In this recording, Almeida arranges standard classical and folk repertoire through the prism of several Latin musical forms, including the modenha, charo, maracatu and boi bumba.[7] The result, according to Hi-Fi and Music Review was "...a prize winner in my collection. Laurindo Almeida's guitar playing captures the keen poignancy and rhythmic élan of Brazilian music with superb assurance and taste...".[8] The recording was nominated for two Grammy Awards and won for Best Classical Engineering for Sherwood Hall III at the first Grammy Awards ceremony. In her recent memoir Simple Dreams, singer Linda Ronstadt discusses Duets With the Spanish Guitar and notes that her aunt, the renowned Spanish singer Luisa Espinel was a friend of vocalist Salli Terri: "Knowing I wanted

 to sing, Aunt Luisa had sent me a recording, Duets with the Spanish Guitar, which featured guitarist Laurindo Almeida dueting alternately with flautist MartinRuderman and soprano Salli Terri. It became one of my most cherished recordings."[9]

Of Almeida's five career Grammys, four were awarded in classical categories (listed below). His classical recording discography also includes the debut recordings of two major guitar works, Heitor Villa-Lobos    Guitar Concerto and Radamés Gnattali's Concerto de Copacabana.[10]