JAZZIZ Discovery… Antonio Adolfo was just 17 when he started working with bossa nova pioneer Carlos Lyra in 1963. Adolfo had been making a name for himself as a pianist working the clubs of Beco das Garrafas (Bottles Alley) in Copacabana Beach when he came to the attention of Lyra, already an established figure in the burgeoning bossa nova field. Lyra hired Adolfo and his trio as backing musicians for Pobre Menina Rica (Poor Rich Girl), a play for which he and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes had written songs. The engagement was an important milestone for the pianist, who continued to work with Lyra as a valued sideman, producer and arranger, and with whom he maintained a friendship until Lyra passed away in December 2023.

Fortunately, Adolfo was able to pay tribute to his friend and mentor while he was still living, with his 2023 release Bossa 65: Celebrating Carlos Lyra and Roberto Menescal (AAM Music) — Menescal, too, was a significant figure in Adolfo’s life, one with whom he’d tour and record. The album begins with the bossa ballad “Coisa Mais Linda” (The Most Beautiful Thing), a winsome track penned by Lyra and De Moraes and featuring Adolfo’s sparkling piano and wordless vocals, an easy-going rhythm and sterling contributions from trombonist Rafael Rocha and guitarist Lula Galvão.