Bebu Silvetti
Encyclopedia
Juan Fernando Silvetti Adorno (27 March 1944 — 5 July 2003), professionally known as Bebu Silvetti or simply Silvetti, was an Argentine
pianist
, composer
, conductor
, arranger
and record producer
. Popularly known for the 1977 instrumental
disco
hit "Spring Rain", Silvetti was also a successful, Grammy-winning producer for a wide variety of Latin and international music performers.
, located in the province
of Buenos Aires
, approximately 17 kilometers from the capital city of Buenos Aires
.
He started his piano
education at the age of six. During his teenage years he formed his own jazz
quartet
and a few other musical groups. At 21, Silvetti left Argentina to go to Spain where he stayed a few years working as a pianist at some of the most popular jazz clubs of the time. In the early 1970s he moved to Mexico and started arranging and composing. Upon his return to Spain some years later, he recorded
his first album
, which contained his hit offering, "Spring Rain." Other albums followed. Silvetti returned to Mexico in the late 1970s, where he continued arranging, composing and producing mostly for other artists
. After a stint working in Los Angeles
, California
, he eventually settled in Miami, Florida
, where he produced, arranged, and composed for a wide variety of Latin and international artists. Father of the actress Anna Silvetti
.
During his career, Silvetti worked with performers such as Plácido Domingo
, Luis Miguel, Paul Anka
, Engelbert Humperdinck
, Vicki Carr, Ana Cristina
Roberto Carlos (singer), Rocío Dúrcal
, Rocío Jurado
, Jerry Rivera
, Tamara, Los Kjarkas
, Paul Anka
, Daniela Romo
, Armando Manzanero
, José Luis Perales
, Daniel Barenboim
, Nazareno Andorno, Juan Gabriel
, Maggie Carles, Los Nocheros
, Marco Antonio Solís
, Ricardo Montaner
, Paloma San Basilio
, Raúl di Blasio
and Selena
.
Silvetti achieved many successes and accolades throughout his long and prolific career. In 2003, Silvetti was the recipient of the Latin Grammy Award
for Producer of the Year
for his work on "Hasta Que Vuelvas" by Luis Miguel
, "Quién Da un Peso Por Mis Sueños" by Armando Manzanero
featuring Alex Lora
and the albums Rocío Dúrcal ... En Concierto Inolvidable by Rocío Dúrcal
and Suma by Ricardo Montaner
. In 2002, he received the Billboard
Producer of the Year Award. In 2001, he topped Billboard's year-end "Hot Latin Tracks Producer Chart."
Bebu Silvetti died at his home in Coral Gables, Florida
, at the age of 59 from respiratory failure
caused by complications from lung cancer
treatment. At the time of his death, he reportedly had composed more than 600 songs, over 200 TV and radio commercials, and a number of film and TV soundtracks.
13 DistorteD. The song name was changed to "Spring Rain (Lluvia de Primavera)" to signify the remix.
"Spring Rain" is sampled throughout the title track of Negativland
's album Helter Stupid
.
Denki Groove
's song "Shangri-La (Y.Sunahara 2009 Remodel)", the ending theme of the 2009 anime series Kūchū Buranko
, is based around looped samples of "Spring Rain". Silvetti is credited as a co-writer of the song.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. Popularly known for the 1977 instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
hit "Spring Rain", Silvetti was also a successful, Grammy-winning producer for a wide variety of Latin and international music performers.
Biography
Silvetti was born in the city of Quilmes, ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, located in the province
Provinces of Argentina
Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, approximately 17 kilometers from the capital city of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
He started his piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
education at the age of six. During his teenage years he formed his own jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
and a few other musical groups. At 21, Silvetti left Argentina to go to Spain where he stayed a few years working as a pianist at some of the most popular jazz clubs of the time. In the early 1970s he moved to Mexico and started arranging and composing. Upon his return to Spain some years later, he recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
his first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, which contained his hit offering, "Spring Rain." Other albums followed. Silvetti returned to Mexico in the late 1970s, where he continued arranging, composing and producing mostly for other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. After a stint working in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, he eventually settled in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, where he produced, arranged, and composed for a wide variety of Latin and international artists. Father of the actress Anna Silvetti
Anna Silvetti
Analía Silvetti Riera is a Spanish-Mexican actress. Daughter of the notable musician Bebu Silvetti. Famous by notable roles in Mexican Telenovelas of the 1980s and 1990s and in Latin Telenovelas of Miami in the 2000s.- Telenovelas :...
.
During his career, Silvetti worked with performers such as Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, Luis Miguel, Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
, Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)
Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
, Vicki Carr, Ana Cristina
Ana Cristina
Ana Cristina Álvarez Ana Cristina, is an Cuban American singer-songwriterAna was born in Miami, Florida, United States and is of Cuban descent and of Spanish and French ancestry. Ana Cristina showed exceptional talent at a very young age...
Roberto Carlos (singer), Rocío Dúrcal
Rocío Dúrcal
Rocío Dúrcal , born as María de los Ángeles de Las Heras Ortíz, was a Spanish singer and actress, known artistically as Rocío Durcal. Spanish is the best selling solo albums with more than 80 million to date...
, Rocío Jurado
Rocío Jurado
María del Rocío Trinidad Mohedano Jurado , was a Spanish singer and actress. She was born in Chipiona, Cádiz, Spain and was nicknamed "La más grande" . Jurado was once married to boxer Pedro Carrasco, with whom she had a daughter, Rocío Carrasco...
, Jerry Rivera
Jerry Rivera
-Albums:* Empezando a Vivir Sony Music* Abriendo Puertas * Cuenta Conmigo * Cara de Niño...
, Tamara, Los Kjarkas
Los Kjarkas
Los Kjarkas is a Bolivian band from the Capinota Province in the department of Cochabamba, one of the most popular Andean pop bands in the country's history...
, Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
, Daniela Romo
Daniela Romo
Daniela Romo is a Mexican singer, actress and TV host. Daniela Romo was born Teresita Presmanes Corona in Mexico City to Teresa Corona. Her parents never married, and Daniela and her sister Patricia were raised by their grandmother...
, Armando Manzanero
Armando Manzanero
Armando Manzanero Canché is a Mexican musician and composer of Maya descent, widely considered the premier Mexican romantic composer of the postwar era and one of the most successful composers of Latin America....
, José Luis Perales
José Luis Perales
José Luis Perales is a Spanish singer-songwriter and composer who is very popular in Spain and Latin America. He has performed some of his extensive work at Carnegie Hall, New York.-Biography:...
, Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim, KBE is an Argentinian-Israeli pianist and conductor. He has served as music director of several major symphonic and operatic orchestras and made numerous recordings....
, Nazareno Andorno, Juan Gabriel
Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez , better known by his stage name Juan Gabriel , is a Mexican singer and songwriter who is one of the most famous living representatives of the Mexican ranchera, ballad, mariachi, and pop music....
, Maggie Carles, Los Nocheros
Los Nocheros
Los Nocheros is a pop/folk music group from Salta, Argentina. Composed of Mario Teruel, Rubén Ehizaguirre, Kike Teruel and Álvaro Teruel , their 1994 debut album was titled Con El Alma. Los Nocheros gained fame during appearances at the National Folklore Festival in Cosquín, Córdoba...
, Marco Antonio Solís
Marco Antonio Solís
Marco Antonio Solís is a Mexican musician, composer, and record producer. Throughout his career, he has sold over 80 million records and written over 300 songs, arguably making him one of the most successful singer-songwriters in Latin America.-Early life and career:Marco Antonio Solís started his...
, Ricardo Montaner
Ricardo Montaner
Ricardo Montaner is an Argentine-Venezuelan singer and songwriter. Starting his career in the early 80s, he has already released more than 15 albums with numerous successful singles and has sold over 22 million record worldwide.-Early years:Montaner was born as Héctor Eduardo Reglero Montaner, in...
, Paloma San Basilio
Paloma San Basilio
Paloma San Basilio is a Spanish singer. Although she was born in Madrid, at the age of 6 months the family moved to Sevilla , where she was raised till the age of 8...
, Raúl di Blasio
Raúl di Blasio
Raúl di Blasio is an Argentine latin jazz and easy listening pianist.- Life :Born in Zapala, Argentina, Raúl Di Blasio showed a great interest in piano at the age of six. After his parents' recommendations that he should study music, he began to pursue piano as a career.Di Blasio practiced piano...
and Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
.
Silvetti achieved many successes and accolades throughout his long and prolific career. In 2003, Silvetti was the recipient of the Latin Grammy Award
Latin Grammy Awards of 2003
The 4th Annual Latin Grammys were held in Miami at the American Airlines Arena on Wednesday, September 3, 2003. It was the first time the telecast was held outside of Los Angeles. Juanes was the night's biggest winner winning a record five awards including Album of the Year. He tied his own record...
for Producer of the Year
Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year
The Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence and creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists, in the United States and internationally...
for his work on "Hasta Que Vuelvas" by Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Mexican singer. He is widely known only by the name Luis Miguel and is often referred to as "El Sol de México"...
, "Quién Da un Peso Por Mis Sueños" by Armando Manzanero
Armando Manzanero
Armando Manzanero Canché is a Mexican musician and composer of Maya descent, widely considered the premier Mexican romantic composer of the postwar era and one of the most successful composers of Latin America....
featuring Alex Lora
Alex Lora
José Alejandro Lora Serna , better known by his stage name Alex Lora, is a Mexican musician and composer. He has been the frontman of the Spanish rock band El Tri for over 40 years...
and the albums Rocío Dúrcal ... En Concierto Inolvidable by Rocío Dúrcal
Rocío Dúrcal
Rocío Dúrcal , born as María de los Ángeles de Las Heras Ortíz, was a Spanish singer and actress, known artistically as Rocío Durcal. Spanish is the best selling solo albums with more than 80 million to date...
and Suma by Ricardo Montaner
Ricardo Montaner
Ricardo Montaner is an Argentine-Venezuelan singer and songwriter. Starting his career in the early 80s, he has already released more than 15 albums with numerous successful singles and has sold over 22 million record worldwide.-Early years:Montaner was born as Héctor Eduardo Reglero Montaner, in...
. In 2002, he received the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Producer of the Year Award. In 2001, he topped Billboard's year-end "Hot Latin Tracks Producer Chart."
Bebu Silvetti died at his home in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, at the age of 59 from respiratory failure
Respiratory failure
The term respiratory failure, in medicine, is used to describe inadequate gas exchange by the respiratory system, with the result that arterial oxygen and/or carbon dioxide levels cannot be maintained within their normal ranges. A drop in blood oxygenation is known as hypoxemia; a rise in arterial...
caused by complications from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
treatment. At the time of his death, he reportedly had composed more than 600 songs, over 200 TV and radio commercials, and a number of film and TV soundtracks.
Musical legacy
His hit track "Spring Rain" was remixed by DJ YOSHITAKA for the Japanese music game beatmania IIDXBeatmania IIDX
is a series of rhythm video games and the sequel to Beatmania that was first introduced by Konami in Japan on February 26, 1999. IIDX has since spawned over 19 arcade releases and over 13 console releases on the Sony PlayStation 2...
13 DistorteD. The song name was changed to "Spring Rain (Lluvia de Primavera)" to signify the remix.
"Spring Rain" is sampled throughout the title track of Negativland
Negativland
Negativland is an experimental music and sound collage band which originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1970s. They took their name from a Neu! song, while their record label is named after another Neu! song...
's album Helter Stupid
Helter Stupid
Helter Stupid is Negativland's second album on SST Records, released in 1989. It was Negativland's first attempt at a concept album.-Structure:...
.
Denki Groove
Denki Groove
is a Japanese technopop group influenced by YMO and Kraftwerk, founded in 1989. It is a part of Sony Music Japan's Ki/oon Records sublabel. Current members are Fumitoshi Ishino and Masanori Taki...
's song "Shangri-La (Y.Sunahara 2009 Remodel)", the ending theme of the 2009 anime series Kūchū Buranko
Kūchū Buranko
is a fictional psychiatrist in a series of short stories by Japanese writer Hideo Okuda, originally published primarily in the literary magazine All Yomimono from August 2000 to January 2006 and later collected in three tankōbon: , and...
, is based around looped samples of "Spring Rain". Silvetti is credited as a co-writer of the song.
Discography
- World without Words (as Silvetti) (1976)
- The Sensuous Sound of Silvetti: Spring Rain (as Silvetti) (1977)
- Concert from the Stars (as Silvetti) (1978)
- I Love You (as Silvetti) (1980)
- Lluvia de primavera (as Bebu Silvetti) (1994)
- Íntimos (Armando Manzanero and Bebu Silvetti) (2003)
- Boleros eternos (Carlos Greco and Bebu Silvetti) (2006)