Luís Jardim

Luís Jardim
Background information
Born
Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim

(1950-07-04)4 July 1950
Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Died4 July 2025(2025-07-04) (aged 75)
Cadaval, Lisbon District, Portugal
OccupationPercussionist
Instruments
  • Drums
  • percussion
  • bass guitar
  • guitar
Years active1976–2025

Luís Alberto Figueira Gonçalves Jardim (4 July 1950 – 4 July 2025) was a Portuguese percussionist and multi-instrumentalist. He was best known for his work with producer Trevor Horn.

Early life

Jardim was born in Funchal, the capital city of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, in 1950. His cousin was Alberto João Jardim, the long-serving was the President of the Regional Government of Madeira.

During the 1960s, he was a member of a rock band called Demónios Negros ('Black Demons'). He moved to England the following decade in order to study business administration.

Musical work

Jardim worked prolifically as a session musician in London during the 1980s and 90s – mostly playing percussion, bass, drums and occasionally keyboards.

His career included music composition, production, arrangements, and studio work. He took part in the UK selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest 1981, fronting the group 'Headache' in the A Song for Europe contest broadcast on BBC1. The song, "Not Without Your Ticket (Don't Go)", placed seventh of the eight entries.

Beginning with ABC's debut studio album The Lexicon of Love in 1981/1982, Jardim worked extensively on projects with Trevor Horn, including with Seal and on Grace Jones' Slave to the Rhythm (1985), including playing bass guitar on the title track. He produced Everything Could Be So Perfect, the debut studio album by Anne Pigalle for Horn's ZTT label. He went on "tournées" with Tina Turner, George Michael, and Rod Stewart. Jardim played drums, percussion, bass guitar, and guitars. He played live at the 2004 Produced by Trevor Horn show and with the Producers in 2006/2007.

He worked with Prefab Sprout, Madness (on Keep Moving and Mad Not Mad), Asia (on Astra and Arena and Aura), Claire Martin (Take My Heart), Yes, Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, They Might Be Giants, Mike Batt, David Bowie, Cher, Grace Jones, Björk, Mezzoforte, Bee Gees, Duran Duran, Robbie Williams, Elvis Costello, Gareth Gates, Tom Jones, Alejandro Sanz, Nina Hagen, João Pedro Pais, Eros Ramazzotti, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Johnny Hallyday, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Sir Elton John, George Michael, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan, Katie Melua, Modern Romance, Jeff Beck, Fish, Tina Turner, Roddy Frame, Billy Idol, Coldplay, David Gilmour, Tears for Fears, the The, Steve Hogarth and Marillion.

Work on Portuguese television

Jardim appeared on the Portuguese version of Pop Idol. He was then a judge on Uma Canção Para Ti (A Song for You), a talent show for young people (between 8 and 15 years old) for two seasons. He was a judge on A Tua Cara Não Me é Estranha, a show where eight Portuguese celebrities in the field of acting and music mime a randomly selected musician every week.

Personal life

He was married to vocalist Linda Allen, known for her work with Buggles on their biggest hit "Video Killed the Radio Star", until her death in 2015.

Death

Jardim died on 4 July 2025, on his 75th birthday, in Cadaval.

Collaborations

With Asia

  • Arena (Bullet Proof, 1996)
  • Aura (Recognition, 2001)

With Blue Zone

With Ray Charles

With Beverley Craven

With Bryan Ferry

With Frankie Goes to Hollywood

With Clive Griffin

  • Step by Step (Mercury, 1989)
  • Clive Griffin (Epic, 1993)

With Nina Hagen

With Holly Johnson

With Annie Lennox

With Seal

  • Seal (ZTT, 1991)
  • Seal (ZTT, 1994)
  • Seal IV (Warner Bros., 2003)
  • 7 (Warner Bros., 2015)

With Wet Wet Wet

With Robbie Williams

With others

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Redação (4 July 2025). "Morreu Luís Jardim no dia em que fazia 75 anos". Jornal de Notícias (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  2. ↑ Strong, Martin Charles; Peel, John (25 October 2004). The great rock discography. Canongate U.S. p. 1338. ISBN 978-1-84195-615-2. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  3. ↑ Jagger, Mick; Loewenstein, Dora; Watts, Charlie; Philip Dodd (2003). According to the Rolling Stones. Chronicle Books. p. 352. ISBN 978-0-8118-4060-6. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  4. ↑ Strong, Martin Charles (2006). The essential rock discography. Open City Books. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-84195-860-6. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  5. ↑ Strong, Martin Charles; Peel, John (25 October 2004). The great rock discography. Canongate U.S. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-84195-615-2. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  6. ↑ Perone, James E. (November 1998). Elvis Costello: a bio-bibliography. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-313-30399-9. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  7. ↑ Miles, Barry; Mabbett, Andy (1994). Pink Floyd – The Visual Documentary. London: Omnibus. ISBN 0711941092.
  8. ↑ Jarvis, Dr Pam (3 August 2021). "History hid the video star?". Yorkshirebylines.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Morreu Luís Jardim, o músico e produtor madeirense". Sicnotícias.pt. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2026.