A Brazilian singer-songwriter who helped shape bossa nova's early sound, then kept writing.
For a sense of his range, listen to 'Folha Seca' and then something like 'O Grande Eu Sou.' They're different sides of the same writer.
Pires was there in the early 1950s, working with João Gilberto and Luiz Bonfá when they were blending samba and jazz into something new. He co-wrote 'Folha Seca' with Bonfá in 1956, a song that became a hit despite some criticism of its lyrics about a crumbling relationship. You can hear his hand in songs like 'Lança a rede' and 'Uma Família de Cristão' too.
He started in Rio de Janeiro in the early 1950s, helping develop what would become known as bossa nova. Later he recorded his own material, releasing albums like 'Chega de Saudade' in 1959 and 'Tempo e Vida' in 1980.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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