Manfredo Fest

Manfredo Fest
Birth name	Manfredo Irmin Fest
Born	May 13, 1936(1936-05-13) Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Died	October 8, 1999(1999-10-08) (aged 63) Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Genres	bossa nova, jazz, blues
Occupations	musician, composer
Instruments	piano, organ, saxophone
Years active	1962–97

Manfredo Irmin Fest (May 13, 1936 - October 8, 1999) was a legally blind bossa nova and jazz pianist and keyboardist from Brazil. He was also a famous bandleader. He was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and he died at 63 years old in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. He was husband of the composer Lili Fest and father of the guitarist Phil Fest.

Biography

Manfredo Fest was of German descent: his father was a concert pianist from Germany who taught at University in Porto Alegre. Although he was blind, Fest learned to read music in Braille. His initial musical training had been classical, but at 17 years old, he became interested in the jazz works of George Shearing and Bill Evans. At college he gained steady work playing bossa nova in São Paulo.

In 1961, Fest graduated in piano from the University of Rio Grande do Sul. He also learned to play keyboards and saxophone. 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).

In the 1970s he traveled to the United States where he worked with Sérgio Mendes. His American debut album Jungle Cat was released in 1978. He was relatively obscure, but worked with noteworthy groups including Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

In 1999, Fest died after a period in coma. Only his wife, Lili Fest, was with him at that moment.

Discography

• 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 Recordings
• 1989: Jungle Cat - DMP Recordings
• 1992: Manfredo Fest and friends
• 1994: Oferenda
• 1995: Começar de novo (To begin again)
• 1996: Fascinating rhythm
• 1997: Amazonas
• 1998: Just Jobim - DMP Recordings [SACD]

External links

• Jazz House on Manfredo Fest
• Music Match guide

Persondata
Name	Fest, Manfredo
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 13, 1936
Place of birth
Date of death	October 8, 1999
Place of death