Bernardo Sassetti

Bernardo da Costa Sassetti Pais (24 June 1970 – 10 May 2012  ) was a Portuguese jazz pianist and film composer.

Sassetti was born in Lisbon. He was a great-grandson of Sidónio Pais, President of the First Republic. He initially played guitar, then began studying piano and music theory at age nine. He became interested in jazz after hearing Bill Evans. By the late 1980s, he was backing visiting musicians and teaching jazz piano in Lisbon (and, later, taught throughout other lusophonic areas). During the 1990s, he worked in London, where he recorded three albums with Guy Barker's group. Anthony Minghella invited them to appear as the Napoli Jazz Sextet in The Talented Mr. Ripley.

His 2006 album Unreal: Sidewalk Cartoon received a four-star rating (of a possible four) in The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed.), and was selected for The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1000 Best Albums.

In addition to his jazz work, Sassetti has composed numerous film scores.

Bernardo Sassetti was married to actress Beatriz Batarda, with whom he had two daughters.

He died on 10 May 2012, after falling off a cliff in Guincho  Cascais (Portugal), where he was reportedly shooting pictures for his next book.

Discography

 * Ao vivo no Guimarães jazz; Dundumbanza; Tibiri tabara; Impressões and Olhar; Passagem; What love is; Ecos de África; Sons do Brasil; Mundos; Fragments (Of Cinematic Illusion); Entropé; 4 Movimentos Soltos
 * Nocturno, Bernardo Sassetti Trio, 2002, Clean Feed
 * Indigo, Piano solo, 2002, Clean Feed
 * Ascent, Trio2, with bass, drums, vibes and cello, 2005
 * Unreal: Sidewalk Cartoon, 2006, Clean Feed
 * Motion, Bernardo Sassetti Trio, 2010
 * Carlos do Carmo / Bernardo Sassetti, 2010

Filmography

 * Second Life (2009) Composer (filming)
 * Os Grandes Portugueses (2007) (TV) .... Himself
 * Antes de Amanhã (2007) Composer
 * 98 Octanas (2006) Composer
 * Alice (2005) Composer
 * A Costa dos Murmúrios (2004) Composer
 * O Milagre segundo Salomé (2004) Composer
 * Maria E as Outras (2004) Composer
 * Quaresma (2003) Composer
 * Aniversário (2000) (TV) Composer
 * Facas e Anjos (2000) (TV) Composer
 * O Segredo (2000) Composer
 * As Terças da Bailarina Gorda (2000) Composer
 * Maria do Mar (1930) (2000) Composer
 * The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) – Pianist (Napoli Jazz Sextet)
 * Mundo VIP (2 episodes, Show nº 12 and Show nº 197, 1996-2000) – Himself