Bossa Três

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

Bossa 3, Conjunto Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Bossa Tres V

Years Active

1961–2000

Genres

bossa nova, jazz, MPB

Instruments

piano, bass, drums

Biography

Formed in 1961, Bossa Três is recognized as the first instrumental ensemble dedicated to the bossa nova genre. The original lineup featured Luís Carlos Vinhas on piano, Tião Neto on bass, and Edison Machado on drums. They gained early prominence performing in the vibrant nightclub scene of Beco das Garrafas in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, often accompanying dancers like Lennie Dale, Joe Benett, and Martha Botelho.

Their international debut came with an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States, which led to them recording three albums in New York for the Audio Fidelity label in 1962 and 1963. After this period, Vinhas returned to Brazil and reformed the trio with different musicians, continuing to record and perform extensively throughout Latin America. This later iteration of Bossa Três also collaborated with notable artists such as Pery Ribeiro and Leny Andrade, notably under the project name Gemini V.

Throughout their career, Bossa Três was instrumental in shaping the sound of bossa nova, blending it with jazz influences. The group experienced further reunions and collaborations, including a notable album with singer Wanda Sá in 2000, solidifying their legacy as pioneers of Brazilian instrumental music.

Discography

• Bossa Nova (1962)
• Os Bossa Três & Jo Basile (1963)
• Lennie Dale com os Bossatrês – Um Show de Bossa... (1963)
• The Bossa Três (1963)
• Bossatrês em Forma! (1965)
• Pery Ribeiro - Leny Andrade - Bossa Três – Gemini V (1965)
• Sonny Simmons, Clifford Jordan, Prince Lasha, The Bossa Tres – Jazz Tempo, Latin Accents! (1965)
• Gemini V (Ao Vivo) (1965)
• Pery Ribeiro + Bossa 3 – Encontro (1966)
• Bossa Tres, Leny Andrade, Pery Ribeiro – Gemini V En Mexico (1966)
• Os Reis do Rítmo (1966)
• Pery Ribeiro + Bossa Três / Agnaldo Timóteo (1966)
• Wanda Sá With Bossa Três (2000)
• Wanda Sá & Bossa Três (2001)