(September 6, 1961 – April 21, 2025)
This was just forwarded to me. Another of our SkaterCross brethren has passed.
Mauro Monteiro handmade our decks in the mid 1970’s which were sold at Kennedy Surfshop in Tarzana, CA.
He, and his brother Marcus, was part of a large skateboard group that glued the San Fernando Valley skaters together. We came from every corner and would gather regularly at their parents home a stones throw from Van Nuys High school. They introduced me to Latin Jazz, Samba & Bossa Nova which is some of the greatest music to come out of South America to this day.
Their stepfather was Oscar Castro Neves, guitarist for Sergio Mendes & Brazil ‘77.
There was always music and love at their home as well as a large pots of black beans and rice that their Dinda always had on the stove. Visiting musicians from every genre would come to parties and inevitably end up in Oscar’s music studio, laughing and playing into tomorrow. It was the mid 1970’s and everything was hunky dory.
Mauro always showed a natural talent for music and wordsmithing that took him deeply into poetry, his passion for many years.
He performed all over southern California sharing his works of passion and life. Godspeed Mo!~ Brad Bowman
Thanks for that Brad.
I just learned about this when I sent him a text about a week ago that had to do with music he and I used to love and hear at the Baked Potato back in the day. I still can’t believe it. Mo and I remained brothers on so many levels ever since we met in the 70s. I only recently learned that the reason his family came to the US was because they were concerned about a coup that broke out in Brazil.
I fondly remember those early days as well (including Dinda’s beans and rice!). The energy around his family’s place was formidable. Visiting musicians would stay over and jam, sometimes all night long. He introduced me to Jobim back stage at the Hollywood Bowl as well as so many other incredible talents from the music and skate worlds. Mo’s love and appreciation for art, skating, and surfing are deeply engrained in my heart and soul.
A powerful piece of our community has left the stage. My bandmates and I are working on a song in honor of Brother Mo. It’s obviously a samba, which he and his family served as ambassadors for.
I hope you are all well. Please hug your family and friends at every opportunity. Let them know how much you love them.
Here’s to you Mo,
Mark “ernie”