Bulletin: Bossa Nova pioneer João Donato dies
Pianist, accordionist, arranger, singer and composer João Donato died in the early hours of this Monday (17th) in Rio de Janeiro. The information was confirmed by the musician’s family.
“Today the sky of composers dawned happier: João Donato went there to play his beautiful melodies,” he announced on his social networks. “Now his joy and his chords will last forever throughout the universe.”
The wake will take place this Tuesday (18) in the Stadttheater, the time has yet to be confirmed. The body will be cremated at the Memorial do Carmo.
1 of 4 João Donato — Photo: Cristina Granato João Donato — Photo: Cristina Granato
João Donato looks back on a 74year career as a musician, characterized by creativity and the mixture of different music genres.
The multiinstrumentalist died as a result of a series of health problems. He recently had pneumonia and was hospitalized with pneumonia at Casa de Saúde São José. He was intubated the week before last.
Career shaped by innovation
João Donato de Oliveira Neto was born in 1934 in Rio Branco, Acre.
Innovation was evident early on. As a child he played music with bamboo flutes and pots. He was then given an eightbass accordion and later a larger instrument.
[In1945hemovedwithhisfamilytoRiodeJaneirothecitywherehestudiedstartedperformingatschoolpartiesInoneofthemhemettheNamoradosdaLuagroupandbecamefriendsLúcioAlvesNanaiandChicão[1945zogermitseinerFamilienachRiodeJaneiroInderStadtindererstudiertebeganneraufSchulpartysaufzutretenIneinemvonihnenlernteerdieGruppeNamoradosdaLuakennenundfreundetesichmitLúcioAlvesNanaiundChicãoan
Four years later he was already jamming at Dick Farney’s house and at the Sinatra Farney fan club to which he belonged.
He began his professional career in 1949 as a member of the Altamiro Carrilho and Seu regional group. Two years later he began to study the piano.
2 of 4 The pianist from Acre, João Donato — Photo: Cristina Granato The pianist from Acre, João Donato — Photo: Cristina Granato
In 1953 he formed his own group Donato e Seu Conjunto and was part of the group Os Namorados. The following year he founded the Trio Donato.
In 1956 he moved to São Paulo, where he worked as a pianist in the group Os Copacabanas and in the Luís Cesar Orchestra and recorded his first LP: “Chá Dançante”, produced by Tom Jobim.
In 1958 he returned to Rio de Janeiro and began to devote himself to the piano. In 1959 he traveled to Mexico with Nanai and Elizeth Cardoso. He then moved to the United States, where he lived for three years. In that country he performed with Carl Tjader, Johnny Martinez, Tito Puente and Mongo Santa Maria. Donato also toured Europe with João Gilberto. In 1962 he returned to Brazil and married the American actress Patricia del Sasser.
In 1963 he returned to the USA, where he lived for another ten years.
3 of 4 João Donato Photo: Aylton Lelis Joaquim / Ad João Donato Photo: Aylton Lelis Joaquim / Ad
João Donato has performed with artists such as Astrud Gilberto, Dorival Caymmi, Tom Jobim, Eumir Deodato, Stan Kenton, Nelson Riddle, Herbie Mann and Wes Montgomery. His songs “Amazonas”, recorded by Chris Montez, and “A rã” and “Caranguejo”, both recorded by Sérgio Mendes, were successful with North American audiences.
As an arranger, the CDs “O homem de Aquarius” by Tom Jobim and “Minha saudade” by Lisa Ono as well as records by Fagner, Gal Costa and Martinho da Vila stand out among his works.
4 of 4 João Donato — Photo: Clever Barbosa/Disclosure João Donato — Photo: Clever Barbosa/Disclosure
In 2000 he received the Shell Music Award for his body of work and took part in the Free Jazz Festival (RJ) where he received great acclaim from both audiences and critics.
In 2003 he won the APCA Award (Paulista Association of Art Critics).
In 2004 he was awarded the Tim Prize for the album “Emílio Santiago Finds João Donato”.