Laurindo Almeida | ms

Considered the biggest interpreter of Noel Rosa, Aracy de Almeida (Aug 19, 1914 - Jun 20, 1988) started singing in churches in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro until being taken to the radio intermediary Custódio Mesquita in 1933. Soon she made radio fame as interpreter of the sambas of Philips, Mayrink Veiga, Ipanema and Tupi, and made history with fabulous interpretations of "Palpite Infeliz" (N. Rosa), "Tenha Pena de Mim" (C. Sousa/ Babaú), "Fez Bobagem (Brave Assis),"Camisa Amarela" (Ary Barroso) and "Feitiço da Vila" (N. Rosa/ Vadico). She was, next to Carmen Miranda, the biggest singer of sambas of...

Laurindo Almeida (September 2, 1917, São Paulo, Brazil–July 26, 1995, Van Nuys, California) was a Brazilian classical guitarist. Prior to being invited to the United States in 1947 by Stan Kenton, Laurindo Almeida played guitar in Rio de Janeiro where he was known for his classical Spanish guitar playing. He joined Kenton's band during the height of its success in the 1940s, then was employed as a studio musician. In 1953 he recorded, with Bud Shank, two albums called Brazilliance for the World Pacific label. He also recorded with Baden Powell, Stan Getz and Herbie Mann, among others, and recorded...

Francisco António de Almeida (c. 1702–1755) was a Portuguese composer and organist. From 1722 to 1726 he was a royal scholar in Rome. In 1724, Pier Leone Ghezzi drew his caricature, describing him as "a young but excellent composer of concertos and church music who sang with extreme taste". He returned to Portugal in 1726, where he became organist of the Royal and Patriarchal Chapel. In 1728, the first of his serenatas, Il trionfo della virtù, was performed in Lisbon at the palace of Cardinal João da Mota e Silva. His comic opera, La pazienza di Socrate, was performed at...

Musical dresses, circular doors, chirping toy birds, sonic hallucinations: in Kirsty Almeida we’ve the return, at last, of the enigmatic true eccentric. Her music (like her life) is magical, the kind of radiant soul-revue sophistication that’s been gone so long it suddenly feels brand new; crystalline vocals untouched by meddling sheen, live instrumentation tinkling across your synapses, the glowing warmth of classic song-writing pulsing like amber jewels. Her debut album, ‘Pure Blue Green”’ is a timeless spectrum of soul, folk, blues and sumptuously intricate voodoo pop beamed through the prism of her gifted seven-piece band. Signed to the legendary Decca...