Bola Sete

Bola Sete (born Djalma de Andrade; July 16, 1923 – February 14, 1987) was a Brazilian guitarist known for playing jazz with Vince Guaraldi and Dizzy Gillespie.

Biography

Early life Born Djalma de Andrade in Rio de Janeiro, Sete was the only son of a family with seven children.

Sete's family were poor and often struggled with finding food. Every member of the family played a musical instrument and would often play together. Sete first began playing music when he found a Cavaquinho in his home. With the help of his Uncle, he taught himself to play and eventually got his own instrument. For Christmas in 1932, he was gifted his first guitar.

After a two year retirement, Sete returned to music in 1971. He often played a 13-stringed instrument he devised himself called the "lutar". The instrument was based on a Brazilian folk instrument, the alaude, which has ten strings grouped in five sets of double strings. The lutar had six sets of double strings and a single string.

In the 1970s, Sete became friends with guitarist John Fahey, who had been an admirer.

Death During the 1980s, Sete suffered from lung cancer, which he attempted to improve with yoga and meditation. On February 14, 1987, he died at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, California of complications caused by pneumonia and cancer.

The compositions he recorded shortly before his death were compiled and released as Windspell in 2008.

Discography As leader Aqui está o Bola Sete (Parlophone and Cornbread, 1957) Bola Sete e 4 trombones (Odeon, 1958) Travessuras do Bola Sete (Odeon, 1958) Ritmolândia (Odeon, 1958) Carnival in Rio (Puchito, 1958) Bola Sete em Hi-Fi (1958) É a Bola da Vez (Odeon, 1959) O Extraordinario Bola Sete (Odeon, 1962) Bossa Nova (Fantasy, 1962) Tour de Force (Fantasy, 1963) The Incomparable Bola Sete (1965) The Solo Guitar of Bola Sete (Fantasy, 1965) Autentico! (Fantasy, 1966) Bola Sete at the Monterey Jazz Festival (Verve, 1967) Workin' on a Groovy Thing (Paramount, 1970) Shebaba (Fantasy, 1971) Goin' to Rio (Columbia, 1973) Ocean (Takoma, 1975) Jungle Suite (Dancing Cat, 1985) Live at Grace Cathedral (Samba Moon, 2003) The Kitchen Tapes (2014) Samba in Seattle : Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 (Tompkins Square, 2021)

With Vince Guaraldi Vince Guaraldi, Bola Sete and Friends (Fantasy, 1963) From All Sides (Fantasy, 1964) Live at El Matador (Fantasy, 1966) Jazz Casual: Paul Winter/Bola Sete and Vince Guaraldi (Koch, 2001) The Navy Swings (V.A.G. Publishing, 2010)

As sideman Dizzy Gillespie, New Wave (Philips, 1963)