César Camargo Mariano

Pianist, arranger, composer, and producer Cesar Camargo Mariano is one of Brazil's most celebrated and sought-after musicians. In the early '60s, just as the bossa nova was taking its baby steps toward enchanting the world, a teenage Cesar became famous for his ability to swing and for his now-legendary left hand.

His ensembles of that era, notably Sambalanço Trio and Som Tres, are regarded as high points in Brazilian jazz; so is his 1981 album Samambaia, one of his thirty-plus instrumental albums.