Moacir Santos was a Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator born in Brazil in 1926. Santos worked for Rádio Nacional in Rio de Janeiro as a composer and music director. Their students included Nara Leão, Baden Powell, and Roberto Menescal. Santos' recording Coisas (1965) fused Afro-Brazilian rhythms with big-band jazz. In 1967, Santos moved to the United States to work in the film industry. Their recording Maestro (1972) received a Grammy nomination. Santos' reputation was revived in 2004 with the release of the album Ouro Negro, which featured reinterpretations of his compositions by artists including Milton Nascimento and Gilberto Gil. Subsequent recordings include Choros & Alegria (2005). Santos died in 2006.
