Duarte Manuel Sarmento de Mendonça, born in 1931, initiated in Jazz in 1944, with 13 years of age, through the “Big Band Era” like Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Harry James, Count Basie, later Duke Ellington – then “Boogie Woogie” with Pete Johnson/Albert Ammons and Meade “Lux” Lewis.
Shortly after this period, around 47/48, he had the chance to listen to the first George Shearing Trio - Decca Recordings - released in London, first contact with what will be known as “Re Bop”, later “Be Bop”.
A couple of years later, still in the 40’s, early 50’s, he was exposed to Charlie Parker first 78 rpm Dial Records, and realized that this was his musical line within the Jazz music.
Shortly after, he was acquaited with Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Art Blakey, Clifford Brown and so many “Be-Bop” Jazz giants that become part of history, few of them still alive.