Bernardo Sassetti

biography Bernardo da Costa Sassetti Pais, known as Bernardo Sassetti, was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 24, 1970. Bernardo was a Portuguese jazz composer and pianist. Sassetti began his classical piano studies at the age of nine with teacher Maria Fernanda Costa and, later, with teacher António Menéres Barbosa, having also attended the Academia dos Amadores de Música. In 1987, he began his professional career, in concerts and local clubs, with the Carlos Martins quartet and the Moreiras Jazztet. Since then, he has performed all over the world alongside musicians such as: Art Farmer, Kenny Wheeler, Freddie Hubbard, Paquito D´Rivera, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Eddie Henderson, Charles McPherson, Steve Nelson, Chano Domínguez, Guy Barker, Mário Laginha, Pedro Burmester, Maria João Pires, João Paulo Esteves da Silva, Alexandre Frazão, Carlos Barretto, Demian Cabaud, Carlos Bica, Laurent Filipe, JeanFrançois Lezé, Bernardo Moreira, José Salgueiro, Marco Miralta, Guillermo McGill, Perico Sambeat, Pedro Moreira, João Moreira, Nelson Cascais, Adja Zupancic, André Fernandes, Drumming Percussion Group, among others. As a composer, the compositions “Ecos de África” (1994), “Sons do Brasil” (1994), “Mundos” (1995), “Entropé” (for piano and orchestra) (2001), “4 Movimentos Soltos” (for piano, vibraphone, marimba and orchestra) (2003), “Fragments (of Cinematic Illusion)” (2004/2005), “Concerto Dinático” stand out. (2005), “Suite para Dom Roberto” (2007), and many other pieces for small formations. His first album as a leader, “Salsetti” (Groove/Movieplay), was recorded in April 1994, with the participation of Paquito D’Rivera, followed by “Mundos” (Emarcy/Polygram), in January 1996. In 2002, he recorded “Nocturno” (Clean Feed), the first album by the Bernardo Sassetti Trio, with Carlos Barretto and Alexandre Frazão, distinguished with the Carlos Paredes Prize. Bernardo Sassetti passed away on May 10, 2012.