1943

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Leny Andrade began studying the piano at the age of six. Later on, she sang on radio shows for amateur performers and won a scholarship to study at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music. At 15, Leny debuted as a professional singer as crooner of Permínio Gonçalves' Orchestra. Subsequently, she performed at the nightclubs Bacará (with Sergio Mendes trio) and Bottle's Bar. In 1965 she caught the public’s attention with the show "Gemini V", performing with Pery Ribeiro and Bossa Três at the nightclub Porão 73, and released the live recording of that show. After a successful tour round Argentina, Leny moved to Mexico, where she lived for 5 years. In the 70's, she made albums that mixed samba with avant-garde music, like "Alvoroço" (73) and "Leny Andrade" (75). In 1979, through Columbia, Leny recorded the LP "Registro", returning to samba-jazz, a music style that Leny has always mastered.

Performing with renowned artists like Dick Farney, Luiz Eça, Wagner Tiso, Eumir Deodato, Francis Hime, Gilson Peranzzetta and João Donato, Leny Andrade established herself as the best Brazilian jazz singer, due to her outstanding ability to improvise. In the 80's and 90's, she divided her time between Brazil and the U.S., where she made several samba-jazz records, including classics like "Luz Neon", for Eldorado. Leny also paid tribute to samba composers like Cartola and Nelson Cavaquinho. Some of her discs include the songs by composers like Cesar Camargo Mariano ("Nós"), Cristóvão Bastos ("Letra & Música/Tom Jobim) and Romero Lubambo ("Coisa Fina"). Leny also recorded a CD of American standards shaped as bossa nova ("Embraceable You").