born Jan. 25, 1927, Rio de Janeiro, Braz.
died Dec. 8, 1994, New York, N.Y., U.S.
Brazilian songwriter and composer.
He performed on guitar and piano in Rio de Janeiro clubs before becoming music director of Odeon Records. In 1959 he and Luís Bonfá composed the score for the film Black Orpheus , and his worldwide success soon followed. He transformed samba music into bossa nova ("new wrinkle" or "new wave"), a fusion of understated samba pulse (quiet percussion, unamplified guitars playing subtly complex rhythms), gentle singing, and the melodic and sophisticated harmonies of cool jazz; the style found a long-lasting niche in popular music. He collaborated with Frank Sinatra , Stan Getz , and Astrud Gilberto, and he also composed classical works and film scores. His more than 400 songs include "One-Note Samba," "Meditation," and "The Girl from Ipanema."