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Posts Tagged ‘World War Ii’

Laurindo Almeida, one of the most influential guitarists on the North American scene, was born on September 2, 1917, in São Paulo, Brazil. After a radio debut at the age of 15, he gave concerts in Brazil’s major cities. After crossing the Atlantic as a musician on the liner Cuyaba, he heard Django Reinhardt play in Paris, an experience that changed his whole attitude to music.

After World War II Almeida relocated to the United States and became an important member of the Stan Kenton orchestra. In the sixties he was one of the first to introduce the Brazilian bossa-nova sound. He led a quartet with saxophonist Bud Shank, and together they made a number of highly successful records for the Pacifica label. In addition, he recorded many classical guitar works, including the debut recording of Heitor Villa-Lobos’s guitar concerto. Later in his life, Almeida gave recitals with his wife, soprano Deltra Eamon. A musician of extraordinary versatility, he composed more than 200 works. His death in 1996 was a great loss to the guitar world.