Biography
During Brazil's Golden Era of song, the Anjos do Inferno stood unmatched among vocal and instrumental ensembles for their command of rhythm, humor, and bossa throughout a two-decade international run. Oto Alves Borges assembled the sextet in 1934, enlisting himself as crooner alongside Antônio Barbosa on pandeiro, Moacir Bittencourt on violão, Felipe Brasil on violão, José Barbosa on violão tenor, and Milton Campos handling the nasal trumpet, an instrument to which he became the first Brazilian specialist. The ensemble debuted on Rádio Cajuti and Cruzeiro do Sul and cut its initial Columbia sides, Kid Pepe's "Morena Complicada" together with "Amei Demais" by Kid Pepe and Siqueira Filho, yet registered little notice. After a 1936 U.S. tour, Leo Vilar took artistic direction while Oto Borges confined himself to his Banco do Brasil duties; the refreshed lineup soon secured a residency at the Cassino Icaraí that brought its first real acclaim. Still in 1936 the group recorded Kid Pepe's "Maria Foi à Fonte," and that same year joined the permanent roster of Rádio Mayrink Veiga, remaining until 1938. That year Leo Vilar dismissed Antônio and José Barbosa, installing Alberto Paes on pandeiro and Aluísio Ferreira on violão tenor, then replaced Milton Campos with Harry Vasco de Almeida on nasal trumpet. In this configuration the Anjos opened at Rádio Tupi, where they stayed until 1946, appeared at the Cassino da Urca, and cut their first Columbia release of the new phase, Almanir Grego's march "Tim Tim por Tim Tim" backed with Alberto Paes and Domício Augusto's samba "Dura Lex sed Lex." Their breakthrough arrived with the samba-canção "Bahia, oi, Bahia" by Vicente Paiva and Augusto Mequita. The ensuing popularity earned them an exclusive Columbia contract, after which they amassed consecutive successes: the rumba "Barraco Abandonado" by Afonso Scola and Hermínio Viana, Antônio Almeida's samba-jongo "Me Ensina a Sambar," Milton Bittencourt's samba "Baiana Boa," Pandiá Pires and Roberto Martins's "Quem Dirá?," Antônio Almeida and Secundino Silva's "Helena! Helena!," Wilson Batista and Roberto Martins's march "Cowboy do Amor," Valdemar Silva and Raul Marques's "Todo Mundo Dança," Bide and Marçal's "Me Deixa Viver," João de Barro and Alberto Ribeiro's "Quebra Tudo," Cristóvão de Alencar and Frazão's "Três Marias," Assis Valente's "Já que Está Deixa Ficar," and, their largest seller, Dorival Caymmi's "Você já Foi à Bahia?." Further personnel shifts occurred in 1942 when Hélio Verri assumed the pandeiro from Alberto Paes, Roberto "Paciência" Medeiros replaced Moacir Bittencourt, and Walther Pinheiro took Felipe Brasil's chair; Renato Batista briefly substituted for Walther Pinheiro before the latter's return temporarily expanded the group to seven. Walther Pinheiro appears on the Dorival Caymmi sambas "Vatapá" and "Rosa Morena." The following year the Anjos moved to Columbia and scored with "Acontece que eu sou Baiano" and "Vestido de Bolero." In 1944 RCA Victor signed them, retaining the ensemble until 1952 and issuing Marino Pinto and Mário Rossi's "Que Gostinho Bom," Geraldo Pereira's "Bolinha de Papel," Mário Lago's "Diz que Sim, Diz que Não," and Frazão and Roberto Martins's "Cordão dos Puxa-sacos," among numerous other releases. They also appeared in the 1944 film Abacaxi Azul. A 1946 tour of Argentina and Mexico featured José Soares (Russinho) in Hélio Verri's stead. In February 1947 the group opened a six-week booking at Mexico City's premier Latin venue, El Pateo, yet remained four years. While in Mexico during 1948, Harry Vasco de Almeida, Aluísio Ferreira, Walther Pinheiro, and Russinho emigrated to the United States and joined Bando da Lua; Leo Vilar recruited Nanai on violão, Miltinho on pandeiro, and Chicão on violão tenor and tantã from Os Namorados and the Quitandinha Serenaders. The reconstituted lineup toured the U.S., shared bills in Los Angeles with Carmen Miranda, and maintained a two-year radio program devoted to Brazilian topics. In Mexico the Anjos appeared in eleven films, eight of them starring Ninón Sevilla. After a 1951 tour of Chile and Argentina the musicians returned to Brazil for the anniversary celebration of Recife's Rádio Jornal do Comércio, resumed their Rádio Tupi slot, performed a season at the Monte Carlo nightclub, and played Rádio Excelsior plus the Oasis nightclub in São Paulo. A 1953 engagement followed at Rio's Rádio Nacional. Escalating airfares eventually curtailed touring, compelling Leo Vilar to disband the act. For Max Nunes, J. Maia, and José Mauro's 1959 production De Cabral a JK, Vilar reassembled an Anjos do Inferno unit in which he sang and played percussion with Gaúcho on violão, Paulo César on tantã, and Miguel Ângelo on pandeiro; the quartet also acted in the play during its six-month run and issued several modest sides for Copacabana. In 1967 Walter Pinheiro, Aluísio Ferreira, Roberto Medeiros, Harry Vasco de Almeida, and Russinho reunited for Monday performances at Rio's Arena Clube de Arte, recounting anecdotes and revisiting earlier repertoire.
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