Born in 1937 in Rio de Janeiro among the sounds of Choro, Samba, and later Bossa Nova, Reginaldo Bessa showed a natural ability for music early in life. He began playing guitar at age 12 and soon was playing in bands at the dances in his neighborhood, quickly becoming a local favorite. He attributes much of his early musical influence to bossa nova legend João Gilberto.In the early 1960s Bessa moved to Buenos Aires and recorded his first album, Amor en Bossa Nova (1963) which became one of the first Bossa Nova records to be recorded outside of Brazil. The album went on to become one of his most popular works. Bessa later returned to Brazil where he continued to record for Fermata, Continental and Codil records and in 1978 Bessa was invited to record for Mac du Son, a newly formed vanity label based in the Free Trade Zone of Manaus. What resulted was Passageiro Do Vento, a sophisticated blend of soulful songwriting, laidback bossa nova melodies and funky samba grooves. Bessa attributes much of the overall sound to the close bond and understanding he and the other musicians formed after years of playing together. Mac du Son shuttered after releasing Bessa's second album and Passageiro Do Vento was lost to time until resurfacing in recent years among record collectors and DJs. Songs like "Três Raças Triste"and "Cadê Yayá" have become deep cut favorites and manage to find their way into DJ sets and mixes worldwide.
