Walter Wanderley (born Walter Jose Wanderley Mendonça, May 12, 1932 – September 4, 1986) was a Brazilian organist and pianist, best known for his lounge and

bossa nova Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...

music and for his instrumental version of the song '' Summer Samba'' which became a worldwide hit.

Biography

Wanderley was born in Recife, Brazil. Already famous in his native country by the late 1950s, he became an internationally renowned star in the mid-1960s through his collaboration with the singer Astrud Gilberto. He recorded six albums on the Verve label between 1966 and 1968. Three of those albums, '' Rain Forest'', ''Cheganca'' and Astrud Gilberto's ''

A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness ''A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness'' is an album by Astrud Gilberto and Walter Wanderley, recorded in September 1966.1998 CD liner notes It was released by Verve Records at the height of the Bossa Nova craze in the United States, and featured ...

'', were with a trio consisting of Wanderley, Claudio Slon (drums) and

Jose Marino Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin *Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galilean ...

(bass) and were produced in the United States by Creed Taylor, who initially brought the trio to the U.S. to record at the persuasion of

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his bir ...

. Wanderley's U.S. recording of '' Summer Samba'' reached No. 26 on the ''Billboard'' charts in the summer of 1966. Another album recorded during that period was ''

Popcorn Popcorn (also called popped corn, popcorns or pop-corn) is a variety of corn kernel which expands and puffs up when heated; the same names also refer to the foodstuff produced by the expansion. A popcorn kernel's strong hull contains the se ...

'', in collaboration with the Brazilian singer-guitarist Luiz Henrique Rosa. Around that same period Wanderley also established

the Carnival ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in En ...

with Bob Matthews, João Palma, José Soares, and Janis Hansen; all former members of Sérgio Mendes' Brasil '66. After the trio disbanded (though they were briefly reunited in 1971 for "The Return of the Original" on Canyon Records), Wanderley himself continued to record albums on Verve, A&M/CTI, and GNP Crescendo. During that time, he also made numerous personal appearances, including a concert tour of Mexico. Wanderley was known for his distinctive staccato stuttering style and mastery of the

Hammond B-3 The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

organ and on later recordings and during live concerts an L Series Hammond. His later career was blighted by alcoholism and he died in relative obscurity of cancer in 1986 in

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for "Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

, aged 54. He was married to , one of the most popular singers in Brazil. He is the grandfather of Brazilian actor and singer Rickkie.

Discography

Albums

* 1959: ''Festa Dançante'' (RGE) * 1960: ''Eu, Você e Walter Wanderley'' (Odeon MOFB-3085) * 196?: ''Feito Sob Medida'' (Odeon MOFB-3109) * 1961: ''Sucessos Dançantes Em Ritmo de Romance'' (Odeon MOFB-3155) * 1961: ''O Sucesso é Samba'' (Odeon MOFB-3204) * 1962: ''Samba é Samba'' (Odeon MOFB-3248) * 1962: ''O Samba é Mais Samba'' (Odeon MOFB-3285) * 1962: ''E O Bolero'' (Odeon MOFB-3289) * 1963: ''Samba No Esquema'' (Odeon MOFB-3358) * 1963: ''Walter Wanderley’s Brazilian Organ'' (Capitol ST-1856) * 1964: ''Entre Nós'' (Philips P 632.197 L) * 1964: ''Órgão Sax Sexy'' (Philips P 632.721 L) * 1964: ''O Toque Inconfundivel'' (Philips P 632.726 L) * 1965: ''Quarteto Bossamba'' (Som Maior) * 1965: ''O Autêntico Walter Wanderley'' (Philips P 632.757 L) * 1965: ''Samba So'' (Fermata) * 1966: ''Sucessos + Boleros'' (Philips P.632.894 L) * 1966: '' Rain Forest'' (Verve V6-8658) * 1966: ''

A Certain Smile, a Certain Sadness ''A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness'' is an album by Astrud Gilberto and Walter Wanderley, recorded in September 1966.1998 CD liner notes It was released by Verve Records at the height of the Bossa Nova craze in the United States, and featured ...

'' (with Astrud Gilberto, Verve V6-8673) * 1966: '' Chegança'' (Verve V6-8676) * 1967: ''Brazilian Blend'' (Philips PHM 600–227) * 1967: ''Organ-ized'' (Philips – PHM 200–233) * 1967: ''

Batucada Batucada is a substyle of samba and refers to a percussive style, usually performed by an ensemble, known as a bateria. Batucada is characterized by its repetitive style and fast pace. As is Samba, the Batucada is a Brazilian musical expression wi ...

'' (Verve V6-8706) * 1967: ''

'' (Verve V6-8734) * 1967: ''Murmúrio'' (Tower ST 5058) * 1967: ''Kee-Ka-Roo'' (Verve V6-8739) * 1968: '' When It Was Done'' (A&M Records, CTI Records SP-3018) * 1969: '' Moondreams'' (A&M Records, CTI Records SP-3022) * 1971: ''The Return of the Original'' (Beverly #SULP 19004) * 1980: ''Brazil's Greatest Hits! (GNP Crescendo) * 1981: ''Perpetual Motion Love'' (GNP Crescendo #GNPD 2142)

Singles

*"Summer Samba (So Nice)" US No. 26, 1966 *"On the South Side of Chicago" (1967) Did Not Chart

References

External links

The Walter Wanderley Pictorial Discography

AOL biography page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanderley, Walter Brazilian jazz organists Brazilian jazz pianists Brazilian jazz composers Bossa nova organists Lounge music organists Bossa nova pianists Lounge music pianists Brazilian people of Dutch descent Capitol Records artists Verve Records artists 1932 births 1986 deaths Deaths from cancer in California 20th-century pianists 20th-century organists 20th-century jazz composers CTI Records artists