Tamba Trio

In the 1960s, no bossa nova ensemble surpassed Tamba Trio in skill, as they refined a light and propulsive take on vocal-infused bossa pop that left a deep imprint across Brazil and far beyond. The lineup featured pianist Luizinho Eça alongside bassist Bebeto, born Adalberto Castilho, and drummer Helcio Milito; together they handled an unusually broad instrumental palette while delivering tight three-part harmonies, a combination rare among bossa acts that typically emphasized either singing or playing alone. The name derived from a drum favored by Milito, and the group came together in the early part of the decade, riding the broader surge of bossa nova interest through the remaining years of the 1960s. Their 1962 self-titled debut yielded the Brazilian success “O Barquinho.” The following year the trio cut an especially buoyant reading of Jorge Ben’s “Mas Que Nada” for the Avanço LP, which became their signature recording and later soundtracked a Nike television spot during the 1998 World Cup. They kept releasing material into the late 1960s and supplied the instrumental support for Edu Lobo’s first album in 1967. Eça and Bebeto relaunched the project in 1968 as Tamba 4, adding bassist Dorio Ferreira and drummer Ohana. Although the two Creed Taylor-produced albums issued on CTI/A&M—We and the Sea and Samba Blim—rank among the strongest statements of their career, neither achieved strong sales. Eça has also issued several solo recordings.