Dead Combo was a Portuguese instrumental music duo formed in 2003 by guitarist Tó Trips and double bassist Pedro Gonçalves, who met in Lisbon, Portugal, after a Howe Gelb concert. Following an invitation from radio host Henrique Amaro, they contributed a track to a tribute album for Carlos Paredes. Their debut studio album, Vol. I, was released in 2004, followed by Vol. II – Quando a Alma não é Pequena in 2006, combining fado, Latin, blues, and cinematic influences. Radio presenter Charlie Gillett named Vol. I on his list of best world albums of 2005 and included the track “Rumbero” on his compilation album Sound of the World. Their subsequent studio albums included Lisboa Mulata in 2011 and A Bunch of Meninos in 2014, the latter reaching Number 1 on the Portuguese albums chart. The duo featured on Anthony Bourdain's television show No Reservations in 2012, performed at the Cannes Film Festival and New York's SummerStage in Central Park, and released their final studio album, Odeon Hotel, in 2018. In 2019, they announced their disbandment following a final tour, "Fim", which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Gonçalves' health before being cancelled on November 2, 2021. The group officially ended when Gonçalves died of cancer in Lisbon on December 4, 2021, at age 51.
