Monarco

About Monarco

Monarco was a member of the traditional Velha Guarda da Portela, a group comprising venerable composers of the Portela samba school. His sambas were recorded with success by Martinho da Vila ("Tudo Menos Amor" with Walter Rosa), Paulinho da Viola ("Passado de Glória" and "O Lenço"), Roberto Ribeiro ("Proposta Amorosa"), Beth Carvalho ("Fim de Sofrimento"), João Nogueira, Maria Creuza, Zeca Pagodinho (whose first hit was "Coração em Desalinho"), and Clara Nunes ("Rancho da Primavera"), among others. His work was featured on 1999's Tudo Azul, produced by Marisa Monte with the Velha Guarda da Portela, Paulinho da Viola, and Zeca Pagodinho. He was a childhood friend of Paulo da Portela's and a regular at the rodas de samba; he wrote his first sambas during that period. In 1950, he became a member of Portela's ala dos compositores (composers' section) and also became the school's diretor de harmonia (one of the most important functions in the samba school, the diretor coordinates the entrance of the different sections in the parade). His first recorded composition was "Vida de Rainha" (with Alvaiade) in 1975. His first solo album as an interpreter was released in 1976 (Monarco, Continental). He released Monarco, A Voz do Samba in Japan in 1991. His albums were also released in Europe and the U.S. A Voz do Samba earned Monarco the Sharp prize as Best Samba Singer. Monarco died on December 11, 2021 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; he was 88 years old. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi