Pedrinho Mattar

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Also known as

Pedro Mattar

Years Active

1953–2007

Genres

MPB, bossa nova, samba-jazz, jazz, música instrumental

Instruments

piano

Biography

Pedrinho Mattar was a virtuoso Brazilian pianist who transitioned masterfully between classical scholarship and popular music. Born in São Paulo to a large family of Lebanese immigrants, he began his musical studies early at Magdalena Tagliaferro's renowned school. Although he consolidated his foundation in classical piano, Mattar was drawn to São Paulo's nightlife, going so far as to play secretly from his father in nightclubs alongside figures who would become legends, such as João Gilberto, in the ensemble Os Anjos do Inferno.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Pedrinho became a sought-after accompanist, touring internationally with Leny Eversong and Agostinho dos Santos. He was a central figure at the João Sebastião Bar, one of the main strongholds of Bossa Nova and Samba-jazz in São Paulo, where he rubbed shoulders with names like Elis Regina, Chico Buarque, and Maysa. His versatility led him to musically produce Bibi Ferreira's show and to establish lasting partnerships with Claudette Soares, cementing himself as one of the country's most elegant pianists.

In his maturity, Mattar became a symbol of sophistication at the Gallery nightclub and achieved great popularity as the host of the program "Pianíssimo" on Rede Vida. He became famously known for the episode in which, to save his piano from a condemned building on Paulista Avenue, he had a wall knocked down and the instrument lowered by pulleys, stopping the capital's traffic. The musician passed away in 2007, leaving a legacy that unites refined technique with Brazilian popular taste, influencing generations of musicians, including his nephews Derico and Paulo Mattar, as well as actor Maurício Mattar.

Discography

• Rapsódia (1966)
• Um Show de Pedrinho Mattar (1971)
• Especial (1978)
• Especial Vol.2 (1979)
• Especial Vol.3 (1980)
• Brasileirinho (1981)
• Especial Vol.4 (1981)
• Especial Vol.5 (1982)
• Pianíssimo (1983)
• Super Especial (1984)
• Piano Star (1987)
• Luzes da Ribalta (1988)
• Pianomania (1989)
• A Arte Do Piano Popular (1990)
• A Arte Do Piano Popular Volume 1 (1992)
• Um Piano Brasileiro (1992)
• Solos (1994)
• Meu Piano Favorito (2004)
• Um Toque Especial (2005)
• Álbum de Músicas (2005)
• World Music: Piano, Vol.1 (2013)