Bezerra da Silva
Encyclopedia
José Bezerra da Silva (b. Feb. 23, 1927, Recife
, Pernambuco
, Brazil
- d. Jan 17, 2005, Rio de Janeiro
) was a Brazil
ian samba
musician of the partido alto
style.
as a child and sang coco
in Recife. He moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1942, and in 1950, Rádio Clube do Brasil hired him as a session musician
. In 1960 he became a member of the Orquestra Copacabana Discos of Sao Paulo
, and in the 1970s and 1980s he performed with the Orquestra da TV Globo. He recorded his first singles in 1969, and went on to release 30 albums over the course of his career, charting many hits in his native country. His music often deals with political and social issues, touching on gang violence, the drug trade
, and the law.
Bezerra became known for recording sambas from unfamed and marginalized composers, which were often people living in difficulties and dealing with criminal environments, who wrote with sharp irony. The label sambandido (samba + bandit) was sometimes used to refer to his work, and he strongly disliked the word. One of his greatest hits, which was rerecorded several times by various artists, is Malandragem Dá Um Tempo, whose chorus is I'm going to roll, but I won't light it now, an allusion to the efforts marijuana users make in order to avoid the law.
In 2001, he converted to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
. He died of a heart attack in 2005 at the age of 77.
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
- d. Jan 17, 2005, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
) was a Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
musician of the partido alto
Partido alto
Partido Alto refers to a type of samba with a number of particularities. In the world of samba subgenres and in samba reunions, partido alto songs can represent a time for improvisation and disputes, besides a stronger singalong opportunity for the participants.Partido Alto is also the name of a...
style.
Biography
Bezerra da Silva played zabumbaZabumba
A zabumba is a type of bass drum used in Brazilian music. The player wears the drum while standing up and uses both hands while playing.The zabumba generally ranges in diameter from 16 to 22 inches, and is 5 to 8 inches tall. The shell is made of wood and may utilize either skin or plastic drum...
as a child and sang coco
Coco (music)
Coco is an African-influenced musical rhythm that originated in northern Brazil. "Coco" may also refer to the style of dance performed to the music, a kind of stomping....
in Recife. He moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1942, and in 1950, Rádio Clube do Brasil hired him as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
. In 1960 he became a member of the Orquestra Copacabana Discos of Sao Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, and in the 1970s and 1980s he performed with the Orquestra da TV Globo. He recorded his first singles in 1969, and went on to release 30 albums over the course of his career, charting many hits in his native country. His music often deals with political and social issues, touching on gang violence, the drug trade
Drug trade
Drug trade may refer to:* Illegal drug trade, the manufacture and sale of illicit psychoactive substances* Pharmaceutical industry, the manufacture and sale of medical treatment chemicals...
, and the law.
Bezerra became known for recording sambas from unfamed and marginalized composers, which were often people living in difficulties and dealing with criminal environments, who wrote with sharp irony. The label sambandido (samba + bandit) was sometimes used to refer to his work, and he strongly disliked the word. One of his greatest hits, which was rerecorded several times by various artists, is Malandragem Dá Um Tempo, whose chorus is I'm going to roll, but I won't light it now, an allusion to the efforts marijuana users make in order to avoid the law.
In 2001, he converted to the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a Pentecostal Christian organisation established in Brazil on July 9, 1977, with a presence in many countries...
. He died of a heart attack in 2005 at the age of 77.
Discography
- O Rei Do Côco (1976)
- Partido Alto Nota 10 Bezerra e Genaro (1977)
- Partido Alto Nota 10 Vol.2 - Bezerra e Seus Convidados (1979)
- Partido Alto Nota 10 Vol.3 - Bezerra e Rey Jordão (1980)
- Partido Muito Alto (1980)
- Samba Partido e Outras Comidas (1981)
- Bezerra e um Punhado de Bambas(1982)
- Produto do Morro (1983)
- É Esse Aí Que É o Homem (1984)
- Malandro Rife (1985)
- Alô Malandragem, Maloca o Flagrante (1986)
- Justiça Social (1987)
- Violência Gera Violência (1988)
- Se Não Fosse o Samba (1989)
- Eu não sou Santo (1990)
- Partideiro da Pesada (1991)
- Presidente Caô Caô(1992)
- Cocada Boa (1993)
- Bezerra, Moreira e Dicro - Os 3 Malandros In Concert (1995)
- Contra O VERDADEIRO Canalha (Bambas Do Samba) (1995)
- Meu Samba É Duro na Queda (1996)
- Eu Tô de Pé (1998)
- Provando e Comprovando sua Versatilidade (1998)
- Bezerra da Silva: Ao Vivo (1999)
- Malandro é Malandro e Mané é Mané (2000)
- A Gíria é Cultura do Povo (2002)
- Caminho de Luz (2003)
- Pega Eu (2003)
- Meu Bom Juiz (2003)
- O Partido Alto do Samba (2004)
- Série Maxximum - Bezerra da Silva (2005)
- O Samba Malandro de Bezerra da Silva (2005)