Let's take a moment for this man who brought us so much wonderful music.
Gen
http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/americas/01/12/brazil.obit.bonfa.ap/index.html
Luis Bonfa, guitarist who helped found Bossa Nova, dies at 78
January 12, 2001
Web posted at: 1:15 PM EST (1815 GMT)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- Luis Floriano Bonfa, the master guitarist
and composer who helped found Bossa Nova, died of cancer early Friday,
doctors said. He was 78.
Born in Rio de Janeiro on October 17, 1922, Bonfa began composing in the
1940s and launched his career as a solo artist in 1952.
Better known abroad than in his home country, Bonfa became internationally
famous for his contributions to the soundtrack of the Marcel Camus' 1959
classic film "Black Orpheus."
The film introduced an international audience to Bossa Nova -- a
more-sophisticated and less percussive samba style -- and made Bonfa and
fellow composer Antonio Carlos Jobim stars.
"Bonfa plays the guitar like no other, in a very personal, charismatic
style. His guitar is a little orchestra," the late composer Jobim once said
of his colleague.
His reputation grew further when he was a featured performer at the Bossa
Nova festival at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1962. He moved to the United
States shortly afterward, returning to Brazil only in 1973.
Widely admired for his guitar work, Bonfa was perhaps even more famous for
his more than 500 compositions, including "Manha de Carnaval" and "Samba de
Orpheu."
Placido Domingo, Julio Iglesias, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley were among
the artists who recorded songs written by Bonfa.
He also performed with Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, George Benson
and Stan Getz.
In recent years, his productivity slowed somewhat. His last major label
release, "The Bonfa Magic," was record in 1991. In 1997, he recorded an
album "Almost in Love," together with the Brazilian singer Ithamara Koorax,
that was only available over the Internet.
Bonfa will be buried later Friday. It was not immediately clear whether
Bonfa left any survivors.
Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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