R.I.P.: Paulo Moura

(born on July 15, 1932 in São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil;
died on July 12, 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil)

Besides having worked as clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger and/or conductor with several acts of different styles - from Radamés Gnatalli to Maysa, from Martinho da Vila to João Donato, from Sergio Mendes' Bossa Rio Sextet to Milton Nascimento, from Rosinha de Valença to Gaudencio Thiago de Mello's Amazon band -, Paulo Moura developed a great career as a leader.

Among his best solo albums are the ones for Oswaldo Cadaxo's Equipe label in the late 60s/early 70s - "Paulo Moura e Quarteto", "Fibra" and "Mensagem", the latter released in the USA on Ray Charles' Tangerine label -, the long-forgotten "Escolha e Dance com Paulo Moura" (a pre-bossa gem recorded in 1958 and released the following year by the Sinter label, now part of the Universal Music Group but never reissued on CD, including songs by João Donato, arrangements by Gaya, Astor, Guio de Morais, Vadico, Nestor Campos and Moura himself), and his all-time masterpiece "Confusão Urbana, Suburbana e Rural" (RCA, 1976), featuring Rosinha de Valença, Toninho Horta, Papão and Wagner Tiso's brilliant scores. The duo sessions with Raphael Rabello and Clara Sverner are also noteworthy.

One of the best and most important musicians in the history of Brazilian music. Period.
For more info and detailed bio, please check:
http://www.dicionariompb.com.br/paulo-moura
www.paulomoura.com