Gato Barbieri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gato Barbieri
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Barbieri in 1970
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leandro Barbieri |
| Born | November 28, 1932 Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina |
| Died | April 2, 2016 (aged 83) New York City, US |
| Genres | Jazz, avant-garde jazz, free jazz, Latin jazz, smooth jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader |
| Instruments | Tenor saxophone |
| Years active | 1961–2016 |
| Labels | Impulse!, A&M, Flying Dutchman, United Artists, ESP-Disk, Durium, Columbia |
Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (born November 28, 1932 – died April 2, 2016) was a famous jazz musician from Argentina. He played the saxophone, especially the tenor saxophone. He became well-known in the 1960s during a time called the free jazz movement. Later, in the 1970s, he was famous for his Latin jazz music. His nickname, Gato, means "cat" in Spanish.
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About Gato Barbieri's Life
Gato Barbieri came from a family of musicians. He started playing music after hearing a song called "Now's the Time" by Charlie Parker. First, he played the clarinet. Then, he switched to the alto saxophone. In the late 1950s, he performed with an Argentine pianist named Lalo Schifrin.
In the early 1960s, Gato was playing music in Rome. He worked with a trumpet player named Don Cherry. At this time, he was inspired by other jazz musicians like John Coltrane. He also liked free jazz saxophonists such as Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders. This helped him create his own special sound, which was warm and a bit rough.
By the late 1960s, Gato started mixing South American music into his jazz. He worked on big music projects with other artists. These included Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra and Carla Bley's Escalator Over The Hill.
His Famous Movie Music
In 1972, Gato Barbieri wrote the music for a movie called Last Tango in Paris. This music was very popular. It even won him a Grammy Award, which is a big honor in music. Because of this success, he got a record deal with Impulse! Records.
In the mid-1970s, he recorded music for A&M Records. His style changed a bit, moving towards soul-jazz and jazz-pop. His album Caliente! (1976) had his most famous song. It was his version of "Europa" by Carlos Santana. Both Caliente! and his next album, Ruby Ruby (1977), were produced by Herb Alpert.
Gato continued to make music and perform in the 1980s. He also wrote music for movies like Firepower (1979) and Strangers Kiss (1983).
Taking a Break and Returning
Sadly, Gato's first wife, Michelle, passed away. This made him step away from music for a while. He returned to recording and performing in the late 1990s. He wrote new music for films like Manhattan by Numbers (1991) and Seven Servants (1996). His album Qué Pasa (1997) moved towards a style called smooth jazz.
Gato Barbieri was even the inspiration for a character. The character Zoot in the Muppet band Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem was based on him.
Gato Barbieri died on April 2, 2016, in New York City. He was 83 years old and passed away from pneumonia.
Gato Barbieri's Family Life
Gato Barbieri married his first wife, Michelle, in 1960. She was also his manager and helped him with his music. Michelle fought cancer for 10 years. During that time, Gato stopped making music and touring to take care of her. She passed away in 1995.
After her death, Gato started playing music again. He met his second wife, Laura. They had a son named Christian in 1998.
His Music Recordings
Gato Barbieri recorded many albums throughout his career. Some of his notable albums include The Third World, Fenix, and Last Tango in Paris (the movie soundtrack). He also released albums like Caliente! and Ruby Ruby, which featured his popular Latin jazz sound. His later work, like Qué Pasa, explored the smooth jazz style.
See also
In Spanish: Gato Barbieri para niños
