Manfredo Fest: Google honors Brazilian jazz pianist on his 86th Birthday

Happy birthday Manfredo Fest!

Google doodle celebrates 86th Birthday of Manfredo Fest the blind jazz pianist and bandleader who helped create the Brazilian bossa nova movement. He is also a keyboardist from Brazil.

Manfredo Fest was born in Brazil to parents who immigrated from Germany in the 1920s. His father was a concert pianist from Germany who taught at University in Porto Alegre. He began studying classical music at age five with his father, the chairman of the music department at the University of Porto Alegre.

In 1961, Fest graduated in piano from the University of Rio Grande do Sul. One year later, he started his musical career playing in bars, clubs and pubs. In 1963, he recorded his first LP, called Bossa nova, nova bossa. In this album, he counted with Humberto Clayber (bass), Antonio Pinheiro (drums) and Hector Costita (saxophone and flute).

Manfredo Fest learned to read music in Braille and play the piano, keyboards and saxophone. He developed a strong interest in jazz during college, graduating with a degree in music from the University of Rio Grande do Sul. He got married with the composer Lili Fest and they had a son named Phil

Manfredo Fest spent his early musical career playing in bars and clubs around São Paulo and took part in Brazil’s emergent bossa nova movement, a style of music where samba is fused with jazz. In 1963, Fest composed and recorded his first album, Bossa Nova, Nova Bossa. A few years later, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and toured the United States as an arranger and keyboard player with fellow countryman Sergio Mendes’ Brazil ’66 band.

His American debut album Manifestations was released in 1978. He was relatively obscure, but worked with noteworthy groups including Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Fest was a semi-regular at Fandango's on Siesta Key, near Sarasota, Florida.

Fest released 19 albums over the course of his career, experimenting with combinations of both Brazilian and American styles. Fest’s music—including the 1976 jazz funk gem, Brazilian Dorian Dream—are still performed by jazz musicians and groups around the world.

Manfredo Fest’s music

1961: Classicos Dos Boleros

1963: Bossa nova, nova bossa

1963: Evolução

1965: Manfredo Fest Trio

1965: Some people

1966: Alma brasileira

1969: Bossa Rio

1970: Alegria

1972: Bossa rock blues

1976: Brazilian Dorian dream

1978: Manifestations

1987: Braziliana (DMP)

1989: Jungle Cat (DMP)

1992: Manfredo Fest and friends

1994: Oferenda

1995: Começar de novo (To begin again)

1996: Fascinating rhythm

1997: Amazonas

1998: Just Jobim (DMP) [SACD]

Source: Google doodles

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