Mario Zan

Accordionist Mario Giovanni Zandomeneghi, better known by his stage name Mario Zan, was born on October 9, 1920, in the small town of Roncade in the Treviso province, Italy. A few months after his birth, his family relocated to Santa Adélia in the interior of São Paulo. Encouraged by his cousin, fellow accordionist Hilário Fossalussa, Mario Zan picked up the instrument at the age of 13 and quickly became a virtuoso, receiving praise from artists like Luís Gonzaga. Some of his most famous compositions include "Quadrilha Completa," "Balão Bonito," "Noites de Junho," and "Pula a Fogueira," all of which were specially written for São Paulo's festas juninas, Brazil's version of the European Midsummer festivities. In 1954, Mario Zan and J. A. Alves wrote the commemorative hymn for São Paulo's 400th anniversary. Four years later, the Palmeira co-write "Nova Flor (Os Homens Não Devem Chorar)" was turned into a hit by the sertanejo act Duo Irmãs Celeste and was later recorded in English, Spanish, and German. Mario Zan continued performing up until his death from a cardiac arrest on November 9, 2006.