Luiz Carlos Vinhas

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

Luís Carlos Parga Rodrigues Vinhas

Years Active

1957–2001

Genres

bossa nova, jazz, MPB, samba jazz

Instruments

piano

Biography

Luiz Carlos Vinhas was a Brazilian pianist and composer, and one of the exponents of bossa nova. Born in Rio de Janeiro on May 19, 1940, Vinhas showed musical talent early on, learning to play the piano at age four and studying classical piano until he was eight. His professional career began at 17, entertaining at events and soon getting involved with the emergence of bossa nova in Rio de Janeiro. He was one of the founders of Bossa Três, one of the first instrumental ensembles of the genre, alongside Tião Neto and Edison Machado. With the group, he toured the United States in 1962, performing on the Ed Sullivan Show and recording three LPs.

Throughout his career, Vinhas participated in recordings and shows with several renowned Brazilian music artists, such as Elis Regina, Maria Bethânia, Jorge Ben Jor, Quarteto em Cy, Maysa, Tom Jobim, João Gilberto, and Vinicius de Moraes. He also accompanied renowned international artists, such as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and George Benson, during their visits to Brazil. In 1966, he formed Gemini V with Leny Andrade and Pery Ribeiro, with whom he successfully performed for seasons in Mexico. His first solo album, "O som psicodélico de Luiz Carlos Vinhas", was released in 1968, exploring experiments that blended jazz, bossa nova, tropicália, and psychedelic rock.

Luiz Carlos Vinhas passed away on August 22, 2001, at the age of 61, in Rio de Janeiro, due to complications following plastic surgery. He left an important legacy for Brazilian instrumental music, with a discography that includes solo albums and participation in numerous records by other artists. His work is remembered for its sophistication, its connection to the roots of bossa nova, and its contribution to the sonic expansion of MPB.

Discography

• Novas Estruturas (1964)
• O Som Psicodélico de L. C. V. (1968)
• No Flag (1970)
• As Melhores da Musica Popular Brasileira (1977)
• Da Vinci Bar Baila com Vinhas (1982)
• O Piano Mágico De (1985)
• Piano na Mangueira (1999)
• Wanda Sá With Bossa Três (2000)
• Vinhas e Bossa Nova (Ao Vivo) (2017)
• Um Piano com Bossa (Ao Vivo) (2018)
• Vinhas e Bossa Nova