Early Life and Career
Walter Wanderley was born in Recife, Brazil, on May 12, 1932. He started playing piano at the age of six, and soon developed a passion for music. He was influenced by jazz, samba, choro, and other Brazilian rhythms, and learned to play by ear and improvise. He moved to SÃo Paulo in 1950, where he joined several bands and performed in nightclubs, radio stations, and TV shows. He also began composing his own songs and arranging for other artists.
In 1959, he recorded his first album, Festa dancante, which featured his original compositions and arrangements of popular songs. He also collaborated with some of the leading names of the emerging bossa nova movement, such as JoÃo Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz BonfÃ, Carlos Lyra, and Vinicius de Moraes. He developed a unique style of playing the Hammond organ, using fast runs, syncopated rhythms, and rich harmonies. He became known as the "king of the Hammond" and the "boss of the bossa nova".
International Success
In 1966, Wanderley moved to the United States, where he signed a contract with Verve Records. He recorded several albums with producer Creed Taylor, who gave him artistic freedom and access to top-notch musicians and studios. His first album for Verve was Rain Forest, which included his famous rendition of Marcos Valle's "Summer Samba", which reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 3 on the Easy Listening chart. The album sold over one million copies and earned him a gold record.
Wanderley also recorded albums with Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer who had a hit with "The Girl from Ipanema" in 1964. Their collaboration resulted in two albums: A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness (1966) and Beach Samba (1967). Both albums featured Wanderley's organ playing and Gilberto's vocals on bossa nova classics and original songs. They also performed together on TV shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Hollywood Palace.
Wanderley continued to record albums for Verve until 1971, when he switched to A&M Records. He also recorded for other labels such as Philips, CTI, GNP Crescendo, and Tower. He experimented with different styles and genres, such as pop, rock, jazz fusion, funk, soul, and disco. He also toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Latin America. He was admired by many musicians and celebrities, such as Herb Alpert, Sergio Mendes, Lalo Schifrin, Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Sammy Davis Jr.
Later Years and Death
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Wanderley's popularity declined due to changes in musical tastes and trends. He also faced personal problems such as divorce, alcoholism, depression, and financial difficulties. He moved back to Brazil in 1984, where he tried to revive his career. He recorded his last album in 1985, called Perpetual Motion Love. He also performed at some festivals and concerts.
On September 4th 1986 Walter Wanderley died of cancer at the age of 54 in San Francisco. He was buried in Recife. His death was mourned by his fans and fellow musicians around the world. His music was rediscovered by new generations of listeners in the 1990s and 2000s, thanks to reissues of his albums, compilations, samples, remixes, and tributes. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of Brazilian music and bossa nova.
References
[1] Walter Wanderley - Boss of the Bossa Nova Album Reviews, Songs & More AllMusic
[2] The Boss Of Bossa Nova - Album by Walter Wanderley Spotify
[3] The Fantastic Walter Wanderley - Boss Of The Bossa Nova
[4] The Fantastic Walter Wanderley - Boss Of The Bossa Nova
[5] Walter Wanderley : The "Bossa Nova" Forgotten - Google Books
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