Bossa Tres

Formed in 1961 by pianist Luís Carlos Vinhas, bassist Tião Neto, and drummer Edison Machado, the Bossa Três emerged as the inaugural instrumental ensemble devoted to bossa nova. The trio crossed to the United States to support dancers Lennie Dale, Martha Botelho, and Joe Benett for an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Remaining stateside, they cut three albums in New York that Audio Fidelity issued in 1962, one of them providing accompaniment for Jo Basile. The group kept playing jazz nightclubs until it disbanded. Vinhas returned solo to Brazil, reassembled the trio with new musicians, and kept the project active through recordings and performances across Latin America. Further sessions paired the Bossa Três with Pery Ribeiro in 1966 and with Wanda Sá in 2000.