Antonio Adolfo

Antônio Adolfo composed material that found its way onto recordings by Nara Leão, Marisa Gata Mansa, Ângela Rô Rô, Dóris Monteiro, O Grupo, Wilson Simonal, Geraldo Vespar, Leci Brandão, Emílio Santiago, Beth Carvalho, and Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66, among others. Through the establishment of the pioneering independent imprint Artezanal he also played a documented part in opening pathways for non-mainstream releases. His interpretations of long-neglected belle époque figures such as Chiquinha Gonzaga and João Pernambuco stand among the notable efforts to restore those legacies. In his capacity as arranger he supplied charts for Leci Brandão, Ângela Rô Rô, Elizeth Cardoso, Emílio Santiago, Fátima Guedes, Marcos Valle, Mongol, Nara Leão, O Grupo, Ruy Maurity, Sueli Costa, Vinícius Cantuária, Rita Lee, and Zezé Motta.

Born to Yolanda Maurity, violinist in the Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro orchestra and a music instructor, Adolfo commenced formal training at an early age. Violin lessons with Paulina D'Ambrozzio began when he turned seven; piano study under Ayrton Vallim started at fifteen. In 1963 he entered the ensemble Samba Cinco, which appeared regularly at Rio’s Beco das Garrafas on 52nd Street. The following year Carlos Lyra and Vinícius de Moraes enlisted him for the Teatro de Bolso production of Pobre Menina Rica, after which he formed the group 3-D and remained with it through 1968, issuing four LPs. During that period he met Tibério Gaspar, resulting in the co-written pieces “Juliana,” “Sá Marina,” “Teletema,” and “BR-3.” “Caminhada” reached the finals of the II FIC in 1967. Wilson Simonal’s 1968 recording of “Sá Marina” proved successful, while “Visão” was programmed at the III FIC that same year. In 1969 Adolfo accompanied Elis Regina on her European tour; upon returning he scored several telenovelas and entered the IV FIC with “Juliana,” performed by his group A Brazuca, which placed second. With A Brazuca he toured Brazil and Peru and cut two albums for Odeon. In 1970 “Teletema,” interpreted by Evinha, finished second at an Athens festival and later succeeded commercially in Brazil, while “BR-3” won the national round of the V FIC in Toni Tornado’s reading.

Adolfo relocated to the United States in 1971 under contract to Jerry Shayne Music, Inc., returned to Brazil in 1972 to begin writing independently, and released the Philips album Antônio Adolfo. That year he also studied with David Baker at Indiana University. He served in Elis Regina’s backing band for two additional European tours and, during an interval, received instruction from Nadia Boulanger; earlier he had worked with Guerra Peixe and Esther Scliar. Back in Brazil he concentrated on piano, arranging, and production, yet his most consequential contribution remained the promotion of independent routes for non-commercial work. In 1977 he inaugurated Artezanal with the all-original Feito em Casa. Encontro Musical, issued the same year, again featured originals plus the sole co-composition “Sá Marina” with Tibério and included guest appearances by Joyce and Erasmo Carlos. Viralata (1979) consisted chiefly of originals, while Continuidade enlisted Viva Voz, Emílio Santiago, Hyldon, and Maurício Einhorn. Nationwide performances supporting these releases featured Tião Neto, Vítor Assis Brasil, Carmélia Alves, Oswaldinho do Acordeom, Alaíde Costa, Sidney Miller, Walter Queiroz, and Danilo Caymmi.

Funarte issued his 1984 tribute to João Pernambuco, recorded with Nó em Pingo D’água. The following year he saluted Chiquinha Gonzaga on Viva Chiquinha Gonzaga, assisted by Nilson Chaves and Vital Lima. Os Pianeiros honors belle époque keyboard composers. In 1985 he joined the inaugural popular-music and jazz teaching initiative at Centro Calouste Gulbenkian alongside Pascoal Meirelles, Hélio Delmiro, Ary Piassarollo, and Paulo Russo. Recognizing the demand, he founded Centro Musical Antônio Adolfo and later conducted workshops in the United States and Europe. He issued instructional publications both domestically and internationally, among them the video Secrets of Brazilian Music and the book-and-CD set Brazilian Music Workshops, plus six additional volumes from Lumiar. The 1993 album Cristalino yielded the instrumental “Cristalina,” which earned the Prêmio Sharp in 1996. Chiquinha com Jazz, released on Artezanal in 1997, received the same award, as did the album Antônio Adolfo.