12 Facts About Moacir Santos

Moacir Santos was a Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist and music educator.

Moacir Santos's music was highly respected by musicians in Brazil and the United States, despite never achieving wider recognition.

Moacir Santos was born in Flores do Pajeu, Pernambuco in 1926.

Moacir Santos's mother died when he was two years old, and as his father had already left the family, he was taken in by another family.

Moacir Santos grew up in poverty but his adoptive family assisted him with attending school and music lessons.

Moacir Santos eventually ran away from home, becoming an itinerant musician moving around Pernambuco looking for employment and even, for a time, working in a travelling circus.

In 1965, Moacir Santos released the album Coisas on the Forma record label.

Moacir Santos continued to give music lessons from his home, through which he met Horace Silver.

Moacir Santos recorded three albums for Blue Note in the 1970s.

Moacir Santos did not receive the wider acclaim he sought and continued to write and teach music in Southern California.

In 2006, Moacir Santos died due to complications from an earlier stroke at an assisted living facility in Pasadena, California.

Shortly before dying, Moacir Santos was awarded the Shell Music and Premio Tim awards.