João César Neves

One of the most personal of the Brazilian drummers, Wilson das Neves has also been celebrated as a composer since 1997, having received the Sharp prize for his album O Som Sagrado de Wilson das Neves. Wilson das Neves took the drums at 14, initiated by Bituca, who, later, took him to the Flor do Ritmo school in the Carioca suburb Méier. At 21 das Neves debuted as a drummer at the Orquestra de Permínio Gonçalves. From 1957 to 1958 he backed up the pianist Carolina Cardoso de Meneses, and in 1958 he joined the Ubirajara Silva group. In 1959 he recorded for the first time as a session man. In that period he was a member of several groups like Steve Bernard's, the Orquestra de Astor Silva, the Conjunto de Ed Lincoln, the Orquestra da TV Globo do Rio de Janeiro and the Orquestra da TV Excelsior de São Paulo. In the decade of 1960 he became a busy session man and sideman, having worked for Copinha, Elza Soares, Elis Regina…

One of the most personal of the Brazilian drummers, Wilson das Neves has also been celebrated as a composer since 1997, having received the Sharp prize for his album O Som Sagrado de Wilson das Neves. Wilson das Neves took the drums at 14, initiated by Bituca, who, later, took him to the Flor do Ritmo school in the Carioca suburb Méier. At 21 das Neves debuted as a drummer at the Orquestra de Permínio Gonçalves. From 1957 to 1958 he backed up the pianist Carolina Cardoso de Meneses, and in 1958 he joined the Ubirajara Silva group. In 1959 he recorded for the first time as a session man. In that period he was a member of several groups like Steve Bernard's, the Orquestra de Astor Silva, the Conjunto de Ed Lincoln, the Orquestra da TV Globo do Rio de Janeiro and the Orquestra da TV Excelsior de São Paulo. In the decade of 1960 he became a busy session man and sideman, having worked for Copinha, Elza Soares, Elis Regina…

One of the most personal of the Brazilian drummers, Wilson das Neves has also been celebrated as a composer since 1997, having received the Sharp prize for his album O Som Sagrado de Wilson das Neves. Wilson das Neves took the drums at 14, initiated by Bituca, who, later, took him to the Flor do Ritmo school in the Carioca suburb Méier. At 21 das Neves debuted as a drummer at the Orquestra de Permínio Gonçalves. From 1957 to 1958 he backed up the pianist Carolina Cardoso de Meneses, and in 1958 he joined the Ubirajara Silva group. In 1959 he recorded for the first time as a session man. In that period he was a member of several groups like Steve Bernard's, the Orquestra de Astor Silva, the Conjunto de Ed Lincoln, the Orquestra da TV Globo do Rio de Janeiro and the Orquestra da TV Excelsior de São Paulo. In the decade of 1960 he became a busy session man and sideman, having worked for Copinha, Elza Soares, Elis Regina…

Bossa Nova translated as the "new beat" or "the new style", grew out of Rio De Janeiro in 1958. The instigators were a handful of artists with a desire to break from tradition, developing the samba rhythms with the influence of cool American jazz to find a music with such a warm soul and natural rhythm that no-one can help but tap and sway to its beat. Bossa Nova is palm trees swaying, it is like melting sugar in hot coffee, it is the setting sun and warm sand underfoot. It is the sound and beat of Brazil, it is one of the world's coolest musical styles and it remains to this day one of the world's great musical treasures.

Emílio Santiago, an excellent interpreter of sambas and other swinging musics, finally found his way to a massive popularity as a romantic singer: the Aquarelas Brasileiras project, coordinated by Roberto Menescal at Som Livre, brought Santiago seven LPs, national and international projection, and the sum of four million copies sold, along with six platinum records, seven gold ones, and the Sharp prize.