O Cantor de Jazz was a Brazilian band that formed in Rio de Janeiro during the 1930s. The group included Almirante, Noel Rosa, and Heitor Villa-Lobos, who shared an interest in blending Brazilian music with jazz. They started out playing in cabarets and small clubs, gradually building a following for their particular approach.
In 1932, they recorded their version of "My Mammy," an American standard that became their best-known song. That recording helped them reach a wider audience, both in Brazil and abroad. They toured Brazil and Europe, and at times performed alongside artists like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.
Beyond "My Mammy," they released other recordings such as "Brasil" in 1935, "Rio de Janeiro" in 1937, "Bahia" in 1939, and "Samba da Benção" in 1941. Their work mixed Brazilian rhythms with jazz harmonies, and while some purists criticized their use of an American genre, the band kept to their own direction.
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