Aracy de Almeida

Aracy de Almeida

Source: Lira Paulistana

Born a Carioca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 19 August 1914, Aracy de Almeida was an actress and samba vocalist, samba being the folk and popular music of Brazil, elemental to Carnival, before evolving into the popular genre known today as MPB (Música Popular Brasileira). Almeida's father was chief of trains at Brazil Central, her mother a housewife. She is thought to have begun her professional career in 1933 singing 'Bom-dia, Meu Amor' for Rádio Educadora do Brasil, which is how she met Noel Rosa (1910-37), instrumental as an early mentor who would supply her with compositions.

De Almeida released her first titles on 10" 78 rpm shellac in January of 1934 for Columbia with Pixinguinha and his Orchestra: 'In the Midst Folia' (Carnival march) and 'Wrong Strike' (samba). 'Laughing Child' (samba) and 'My Longing for Santa' (Carnival march) followed later in December.

'Golpe Errado'   ('Wrong Hit')

Aracy de Almeida's second-known recording

Com Pixinguinha e sua Orquestra

C Nov 1933 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 1014   Columbia 22259

Composition: Jaci

'Riso de Crianca'   ('Laughing Child')

Aracy de Almeida com Pixinguinha e sua Orquestra

C Oct 1934 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 1053   Columbia Columbia 8107

Composition: Noel Rosa

'Triste Cuíca'   ('Sad Cuíca')

Aracy de Almeida com Pixinguinha e sua Orquestra

10 April 1935 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 79866   Victor 33927

Composition: Noel Rosa

'Palpite Infeliz'   ('Unhappy Guess')

Aracy de Almeida com Pixinguinha e sua Orquestra

17 Dec 1935 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 80050   Victor 34007

Composition: Noel Rosa

'Oltimo Desejo'   ('Last Wish')

Aracy de Almeida com Os Boêmios da Cidade (The Bohemians of the City)

1 July 1937 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 80511   Victor 34296

Composition: Noel Rosa

'Século do Progresso'   ('Century of Progress')

Aracy de Almeida com Os Boêmios da Cidade (The Bohemians of the City)

28 July 1937 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 80555   Victor 34296

Composition: Noel Rosa

De Almeida continued working with Rosa until his death on 4 May 1937, but she would continue with his sambas on radio and disc through the forties, a champion of his work amidst her repertoire. De Almeida also appeared in the first of several films in the forties. She is thought to have been performing at the Vogue nightclub in Rio de Janeiro when she recorded her first LP for release in 1950 by the Continental label, titled, 'Noel Rosa', in his honor. It was about the time of that release that de Almeida moved to Sao Paulo for the next twelve years. Her next album in 1954 was also in Rosa's honor, though basically a reissue of her pseudonymous prior with a couple tracks added.

'Camisa Amarela'   ('Yellow Shirt')

Aracy de Almeida

31 March 1939 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 033047   Victor 34445

Composition: Ary Barroso

'Eu Não Sou Daqui'   ('I Am Not from Here')

Aracy de Almeida

3 April 1941 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 052170   Victor 34757

Composition: Ataulfo Alves / Wilson Batista

'Não Me Diga Adeus'   ('Do Not Tell Me Goodbye')

Aracy de Almeida

24 Oct 1947 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 052170   Victor 34757

Composition: João Correia da Silva / Luiz Soberano / Paquito

'Nasci Para Bailar'   ('I Was Born to Dance')

Aracy de Almeida com Fats Elpídio e seu Ritmo

19 July 1948 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 8390   Odeon 12.876

Composition: Joel de Almeida / Tasiro / Fernando Lobo

'Três Apitos'   ('Three Whistles')

Aracy de Almeida com Vero (Radamés Gnattali) e sua Orquestra

27 March 1951 in Rio de Janeiro   Matrix 2594   Continental 16.392

Composition: Noel Rosa

De Almeida put her own name in big letters below Rosa's on her 1955 issue of 'Cançoes de Noel Rosa com Aracy De Almeida' ("cancoes" equals "songs"). In 1958 she released her album, 'O Samba Em Pessôa'. She completed the fifties with the issue of a couple 45 rpm extended plays in 1959, the first featuring the sambas, 'See You There!', 'Santo Forte', 'I Tried' and 'Domingo'; the second containing Rosa sambas: 'Where Is the Honesty?', 'Sigh', 'You ARE a Colossus' and 'In the Baile de Lis'.

'Fita Amarela'   ('Yellow Ribbon')

Aracy de Almeida com Vero (Radamés Gnattali) e sua Orquestra

1955 from the LP 'Canções De Noel Rosa Com Aracy De Almeida' on Continental LPP-10

Composition: Noel Rosa

De Almeida began working in television in the sixties as she divided her concert career between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In 1971 she issued another album of Rosa compositions, 'Noel Rosa Na Voz de Araci De Almeida'.

'Samba Pede Passagem' ('Samba Asks Passage')   Album

Aracy de Almeida

Dec 1965 at the Teatro de Arena do Grupo Opinião in Rio de Janeiro

See Polydor LPNG 4.121

'Não Me Diga Adeus' ('Do Not Tell Me Goodbye')

Aracy de Almeida

1975   Television

Composition: João Correia da Silva / Luiz Soberano / Paquito