Ivan Lins

Life

Ivan Lins was born in Rio de Janeiro. He spent several years in Boston, Massachusetts, while his father, a naval engineer, continued his graduate studies at M.I.T., studied at the Military College in Rio. He later received a degree in industrial chemical engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He considered a career in volleyball before discovering his considerable musical talent. Ivan Lins currently resides in Rio de Janeiro.

Work

Ivan Lins has released albums regularly and penned several standards, such as "Love Dance", "Comecar de Novo" (Starting Over) (the English lyric version is titled "The Island", with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman), and "Velas Icadas", which have made their way north into the American jazz lexicon. "You Moved Me to This", a duet with Brenda Russell from the same album as "Love Dance", saw modest success on American radio. He recorded in English for Reprise/Warner Bros. Records in the early 1990s.

In the mid-eighties, Lins recorded a jazz fusion album with Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour titled Harlequin, which was a critical and commercial success. Lins also composed the soundtrack for the Brazilian film Dois Corregos.

Lins' longtime composing partner is Vitor Martins. Their songs typically feature lush harmony with a distinctive jazz sensibility. One signature voicing he often employs in his own performances is the delayed addition of a ♯11 to a sus13 chord, or the delayed addition of a ♭9 to a sus13 chord.

Ivan Lins appeared as guest performer on the albums Dois Mundos (1998) and Recorded in Rio (2003) of the Dutch artist Josee Koning. He also appeared on the album Call Me Irresponsible (2007) of the artist Michael Buble and with singer/songwriter Paula Cole on her 2007 CD, Courage, singing a duet with her on the song "Hard to be Soft". Ivan Lins appeared as guest performer on the album Surrender (2007) of the American artist Jane Monheit, which includes his composition "Rio de Maio".

Jazz reporter and music critic David Adler reported Lins's October 2000 Carnegie Hall concert performance and tribute to him. The event corresponded with the tribute album titled A Love Affair, released by Telarc Records. Headline performers from diverse genres participated in celebrating the man and his music on the recording and in the world-class performance hall, a noteworthy accomplishment in the history of any musician.

Lins maintains an active touring schedule, including a 2003 appearance at the Blue Note in New York City. In May, 2008, he returned to New York, performing with Rosa Passos at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Ivan Lins is a political artist and musical icon in his country.

Awards

In 2005, he won two Latin Grammy Awards; Album of the Year and Best MPB (Musica popular brasileira) Album for Cantando Historias. He became the first Brazilian artist and Portuguese-language artist to win the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year. No other Brazilian artist or Portuguese-language artist has won the award since then.

Ivan Lins was nominated for three Latin Grammy Awards in 2009 for his latest album, Regencia: Vince Mendoza performed with the Metropole Orchestra. He was nominated for Record of the Year (Arlequim Desconhecido) and Album of the Year. He won the award for Best MPB (Musica popular brasileira) Album.

In 2015, he was nominated for the 16th Latin Grammy Awards in the Best MPB Album category for his album America Brasil.

Discography