Ed Lincoln
A bassist at bossa nova's birth and a Hammond organ pioneer who shaped the space-age sound of Brazilian jazz.
1932–2012 (age 80)·Brazilian musician, composer and arranger·Birthday: May 31·The Silent Generation
Biography
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Ed Lincoln emerged from the city's vibrant nightclub scene in the 1950s, his fingers finding the groove first on the double bass. He was there in the smoke-filled rooms when João Gilberto's new, syncopated guitar style met Antônio Carlos Jobim's harmonies, providing the foundational pulse for what became known as bossa nova. Never one to stand still, Lincoln soon embraced the electric organ, particularly the Hammond B-3, and with it forged a new path. He fused the cool sophistication of jazz with Brazilian rhythms and a dash of futuristic pop, creating instrumental albums that became the soundtrack for a modernizing, optimistic Brazil. His work as a composer, arranger, and bandleader left an indelible mark on the nation's musical identity, connecting its rich acoustic traditions to the electronic age.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ed was born in 1932, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ed Was Born
The biggest hits of 1932
#1 Movie
Grand Hotel
Best Picture
Grand Hotel
Ed's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1932Born
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1937Started school
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1945Became a teenager
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Could drive
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1950Could vote
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Turned 21
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1962Turned 30
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 40
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 50
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 60
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 70
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 80
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Played bass on seminal early bossa nova recordings, helping define the genre's rhythmic foundation.
- Pioneered the use of the Hammond organ in Brazilian music, creating a distinctive jazz and pop sound.
- Released a series of influential instrumental albums in the 1960s that blended jazz, samba, and space-age pop.
- Worked as a prolific arranger and musical director for major Brazilian recording artists and television programs.
Did You Know?
His 1966 album 'Ed Lincoln Trio' is considered a classic of Brazilian instrumental music.
He was a self-taught musician who began his career playing in Rio's famous Copacabana nightclubs.
Beyond music, he was also a trained chemical engineer.
His son, Lincoln Olivetti, became a highly influential record producer in Brazilian pop music.
“The bass is the foundation; it has to swing for the whole house to stand.”
