Almeida Laurindo (1917-1995)
Brasil / USA / More info in Enciclopedia de la Guitarra
Composer guitarist, was born in São Paulo, naturalized American.
English
(Text extracted from “Contemporary Mood for Classical Guitar”, Robbins Music Corp., 1970)
Laurindo Almeida is the complete musician. One of the world’s several truly great concert guitarists, he is ever being compared to Segovia, whom he knows and respects. In the past year he has played dozens of concerts, performing the works of the masters. Yet recently he toured much of the World as featured soloist with the Modern Jazz Quartet. He brought Bossa Nova to the U.S. long before it was called that; he has scored many films, often composing, then playing his own music; and his famed recordings include everything from Bach to a beautiful solo album of Broadway favorites. Each of these things he has done superbly, for he is unique among guitarists, and is so acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.
Almeida was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 2, 1917. He received his earliest musical training from his mother, a concert pianist, who had chosen her own instrument for her son. His sister Maria was the guitar student, but it was Laurindo instead who mastered and fell in love with it. It soon became evident that when Laurindo played guitar, others loved it as much as he did, This led to concerts in his home city, then in Rio de Janeiro, where his fame began to spread. In 1936, the youthful Almeida signed as a musician aboard the Brazilian liner Cuyaba, playing, but also listening, learning and absorbing what much of Europe had to offer. Paris gave him his first real taste of jazz, for it was there that he first heard the legendary Django Reinhart with the Hot Club of France. When he returned to Brazil, Almeida settled in Rio, determined to devote his life to his instrument. He secured a job with Radio Mayrink Veiga and soon became a staff arranger. By 1944, Laurindo Almeida had become one of Brazil’s most famous musicians, admired, even then, by every kind of audience. That year he met Maria Ferreira, a native of Portugal, who had come to Brazil as a dancer. The two were married and, in 1947, moved to the United States. Coming to Hollywood, he worked for a while in films, and as a concert soloist with violinist Elizabeth Waldo. Then his interest in the things that were happening in American jazz led him to Stan Kenton and a new career. The Kenton orchestra, always famous for its innovations, gained quickly and handsomely by a kind of guitar music it had never heard before-a cool, quiet sound, spectacular in its brilliance. Famed Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo composed “Lament” to feature Laurindo, and the orchestra accompanied the new star in a concert at the Chicago Opera House before an audience of 20,000. Next it was Almeida’s own composition “Amazonia” that was featured at Carnegie Hall, and by year’s end, the new arrival had placed third in Down Beat Magazine’s annual jazz poll. Now, two decades later, the world’s jazz and popular guitarists are still influenced by the things he introduced in those Kenton years. In 1950, Laurindo Almeida left Kenton to play concerts, to record and to compose; he has now written more than 200 compositions. This was the beginning of yet another career, for through his early classical recordings for Capitol and Decca his fame as a concert artist began to spread, first in the U.S., then in other countries. Many of his concert tours brought new concert forms to people who cheered them then, and warmly remember them now-the beautiful duets with soprano Salli Terri, the Baroque music, his matchless interpretations for lute, the bossa nova he took to Australia and New Zealand along with the Bach and the Renaissance music. In 1966, he performed two American debut rccordings of works by two of Brazil’s greatest composers: Radames Gnatalli’s Concerto de Copacabana and the Villa-Lobos Guitar Concerto. Today the Almeidas make their home in Sherman Oaks, California. Theirs is a beautiful house with bold, Brazilian interiors, two French Poodles and a rich garden. Long citizens of the U.S., they still see much of the World, for concert demands come from everywhere.
But there is plenty of work for Laurindo Almeida close to home-the nearby Hollywood Bowl; the network television studios, where he may appear as a guest artist or writer-performer for a dramatic show. Here too are most of the major film studios, where Laurindo is composing and playing much of the time. And here also are other things he enjoys . . . a 28-piece collection of string instruments, which includes his valuable “working guitar”, made by Ramerez of Spain, and the mate to Segovia’s . . . the collection of fine wines (“but I like to travel, too”, he says. “Then I sample the wines wherever I go and bring home the ones I like best”) . . . and the pool where he swims each day of the year, as has been his custom since boyhood days, where the beaches at Ipanema and the Copacabana did not require a heater. Life is very busy for the Almeidas. Busy, but very good . . . as it should be for people who have the taste to live in such a rare aura of success with unaffected grate.
Laurindo Almeida is the complete musician. One of the world’s several truly great concert guitarists, he is ever being compared to Segovia, whom he knows and respects. In the past year he has played dozens of concerts, performing the works of the masters. Yet recently he toured much of the World as featured soloist with the Modern Jazz Quartet. He brought Bossa Nova to the U.S. long before it was called that; he has scored many films, often composing, then playing his own music; and his famed recordings include everything from Bach to a beautiful solo album of Broadway favorites. Each of these things he has done superbly, for he is unique among guitarists, and is so acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.
Almeida was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 2, 1917. He received his earliest musical training from his mother, a concert pianist, who had chosen her own instrument for her son. His sister Maria was the guitar student, but it was Laurindo instead who mastered and fell in love with it. It soon became evident that when Laurindo played guitar, others loved it as much as he did, This led to concerts in his home city, then in Rio de Janeiro, where his fame began to spread. In 1936, the youthful Almeida signed as a musician aboard the Brazilian liner Cuyaba, playing, but also listening, learning and absorbing what much of Europe had to offer. Paris gave him his first real taste of jazz, for it was there that he first heard the legendary Django Reinhart with the Hot Club of France. When he returned to Brazil, Almeida settled in Rio, determined to devote his life to his instrument. He secured a job with Radio Mayrink Veiga and soon became a staff arranger. By 1944, Laurindo Almeida had become one of Brazil’s most famous musicians, admired, even then, by every kind of audience. That year he met Maria Ferreira, a native of Portugal, who had come to Brazil as a dancer. The two were married and, in 1947, moved to the United States. Coming to Hollywood, he worked for a while in films, and as a concert soloist with violinist Elizabeth Waldo. Then his interest in the things that were happening in American jazz led him to Stan Kenton and a new career. The Kenton orchestra, always famous for its innovations, gained quickly and handsomely by a kind of guitar music it had never heard before-a cool, quiet sound, spectacular in its brilliance. Famed Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo composed “Lament” to feature Laurindo, and the orchestra accompanied the new star in a concert at the Chicago Opera House before an audience of 20,000. Next it was Almeida’s own composition “Amazonia” that was featured at Carnegie Hall, and by year’s end, the new arrival had placed third in Down Beat Magazine’s annual jazz poll. Now, two decades later, the world’s jazz and popular guitarists are still influenced by the things he introduced in those Kenton years. In 1950, Laurindo Almeida left Kenton to play concerts, to record and to compose; he has now written more than 200 compositions. This was the beginning of yet another career, for through his early classical recordings for Capitol and Decca his fame as a concert artist began to spread, first in the U.S., then in other countries. Many of his concert tours brought new concert forms to people who cheered them then, and warmly remember them now-the beautiful duets with soprano Salli Terri, the Baroque music, his matchless interpretations for lute, the bossa nova he took to Australia and New Zealand along with the Bach and the Renaissance music. In 1966, he performed two American debut rccordings of works by two of Brazil’s greatest composers: Radames Gnatalli’s Concerto de Copacabana and the Villa-Lobos Guitar Concerto. Today the Almeidas make their home in Sherman Oaks, California. Theirs is a beautiful house with bold, Brazilian interiors, two French Poodles and a rich garden. Long citizens of the U.S., they still see much of the World, for concert demands come from everywhere.
But there is plenty of work for Laurindo Almeida close to home-the nearby Hollywood Bowl; the network television studios, where he may appear as a guest artist or writer-performer for a dramatic show. Here too are most of the major film studios, where Laurindo is composing and playing much of the time. And here also are other things he enjoys . . . a 28-piece collection of string instruments, which includes his valuable “working guitar”, made by Ramerez of Spain, and the mate to Segovia’s . . . the collection of fine wines (“but I like to travel, too”, he says. “Then I sample the wines wherever I go and bring home the ones I like best”) . . . and the pool where he swims each day of the year, as has been his custom since boyhood days, where the beaches at Ipanema and the Copacabana did not require a heater. Life is very busy for the Almeidas. Busy, but very good . . . as it should be for people who have the taste to live in such a rare aura of success with unaffected grate.
Italiano
Laurindo José de Araujo Almeida Nobrega Neto (Santos, Brasile, 1917 – Sherrnan Oaks, California, 1995) è stato un artista che nella sua lunga e gratificante carriera ha spaziato tra generi musicali diversi, soprattuito latinoamericano, jazz e classico. Chitarrista autodidatta, inizia a collaborare giovanissimo con le stazioni radio di San Paolo e quindi di Rio de Janeiro. A diciannove anni intraprende un giro artistico in Europa durante il quale ha occasione di ascoltare Django Reinhardt, il cui stile lo impressiona fortemente. Dopo aver collaborato con alcuni tra i più noti musicisti brasiliani dell’epoca, sia in campo classico che leggero (Heitor Villa-Lobos, Radames Gnattali, la cantante Carmen Miranda e altri), nel ‘47 si trasferisce negli Stati Uniti dove entra a far parte dell’orchestra di Stan Kenton, nella quale rimarrà fino al ‘52 come solista, arrangiatore e compositore. Negli stessi anni forgia un proprio stile, introducendo la chitarra classica nel jazz (le sue registrazioni di quel periodo hanno fatto storia) e coltivando un genere da lui definito “samba jazz”. Almeida ha suonato in tutto il mondo, incidendo dischi anche con il celebre Modern Jazz Quartet. Ha partecipato alla realizzazione delle colonne sonore di circa ottocento film, scrivendo personalmente le musiche complete di almeno dieci lungometraggi. Ha vinto cinque Grammy Awards su sedici nominations. Omaggi e riconoscimenti alla sua carriera sono stati tributati dalla California State University di Northridge, dall’American String Teacher Association e da un cospicuo numero di altri Enti governativi, culturali e radiotelevisivi sia statunitensi che brasiliani. Ha inoltre avuto il privilegio di registrare i Four Songs di Stravinskij nella collana discografica curata personalmente dall’autore. Dopo la sua morte, la Library of Congress di Washington ha voluto che tutti i suoi manoscritti e documenti fossero trasferiti e conservati nei propri archivi. (Antonio Borrelli, Il Fronimo n.126, 2004)
Composizioni (285)
Antologie curate
- 6 CANÇÕES (trasc. Marco Pisoni)
- BOSSA GUITARRA (6 Pezzi)
- BRAZILIAN REFLECTIONS
- BROADWAY SOLO GUITAR (Eleven unique arrangements)
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell)
- CONTEMPORARY MOODS FOR CLASSICAL GUITAR (Twenty-two unique arrangements)
- GUITAR TUTOR (in 3 courses)
- GUITARIANA (18 Solos)
- GUITARIANA TWO (19 Solos)
- PRAISE EVERY MORNING
- THE COMPLETE LAURINDO ALMEIDA ANTHOLOGY OF LATIN AMERICAN GUITAR DUETS (ed. Ron Purcell)
- THE COMPLETE LAURINDO ALMEIDA ANTHOLOGY OF ORIGINAL GUITAR DUETS (ed. Ron Purcell)
- THE GUITAR WORKS OF LAURINDO ALMEIDA Volume 1
- THE GUITAR WORKS OF LAURINDO ALMEIDA Volume 2
- THE GUITAR WORKS OF LAURINDO ALMEIDA Volume 3 (Edited by Ron Purcell)
Presente in antologie
- AUTENTIC BRAZILIAN BOSSA NOVA GUITAR ARRANGEMENTS — DESTINO
- BOSSA & SAMBA N.2 (arr. E.Clermontet) — AMOR FLAMENGO
- BRAZILIAN REFLECTIONS — A CASINHA PEQUENINA
- BRAZILIAN REFLECTIONS — BIA-TÁ-TÁ
- BRAZILIAN REFLECTIONS — CHÔRO & BATUQUE
- BRAZILIAN REFLECTIONS — ENGENHO NOVO
- BRAZILIAN REFLECTIONS — TINDO-LÁ-LÁ
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — SAMBA ALONG WITH ME
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — CADENZA FROM FIRST CONCERTO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — INSOMNIA
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — SAMBA DOS ARPÊJOS
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — CHÔRO MELANCOLICO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — LAMENT IN TREMOLO FORM
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — SERENATA
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — CREPUSCOLO EM COPACABANA
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — MIMI
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — SPRING IN NEW YORK
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — DANZA GITANA
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — MORE FUN WITH THE SCALES
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — THAT LAZY THING
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — ESCADOO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — MUSIC BOX
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — THE FOX
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — ETUDE N.1 Op.5
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — MYSTIFIED
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — TREMOLO MELANCÓLICO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — ETUDE N.2 Op.10
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — OLD TIME RAG
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — TWO SPANISH FOLK SONGS: A DORMIR AHORA MESMO, A LA PUERTA DEL CIELO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — GAROTO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — PAGES FROM AN ALBUM
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — ALMEIDA A LA CARTE
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — GYPSY SUITE I
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — PRELUDIO Y TREMOLO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — AMOR FLAMENGO
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — GYPSY SUITE II
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — ROMANCE DE AMOR
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — AUTUMNAL PRELUDE
- COMPLETE ANTHOLOGY OF GUITAR SOLOS (ed. Ron Purcell) — HAVING FUN WITH THE SCALES
- GUITAR TUTOR (in 3 courses) — PRELUDIO Y TREMOLO, and others
- GUITAR TUTOR (in 3 courses) — AMOR FLAMENCO
- GUITAR TUTOR (in 3 courses) — CREPUSCOLO EM COPACABANA
- GUITAR TUTOR (in 3 courses) — INVENTION IN TWO PARTS
- PRAISE EVERY MORNING — 'JESUS, JESUS, REST YOUR HEAD'
- PRAISE EVERY MORNING — AMAZING GRACE
- PRAISE EVERY MORNING — MORNING HAS BROKEN
- PRAISE EVERY MORNING — NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I'VE SEEN
- PRAISE EVERY MORNING — WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD ?
- THE BRAZILIAN GUITAR (An Anthology of Brazilian Popular Music) (transcribed and edited by Brian Hodel) — BRAZILLIANCE
- THE BRAZILIAN GUITAR (An Anthology of Brazilian Popular Music) (transcribed and edited by Brian Hodel) — ESCADOO