Biography
The Bando da Lua earned recognition as Brazil’s earliest vocal ensemble to refine harmonic singing and achieve recognition outside the country. Between 1931 and 1940 the group issued 38 albums containing 74 songs and numerous successes, among them “Tristeza,” “A Hora é Boa,” “Mangueira,” “Menina que Pinta o Sete,” “Que é que Maria Tem?,” “Cansado de Sambar,” “Saudades do Meu Barracão,” “Bola Preta,” “Pegando Fogo,” “Samba da Minha Terra,” “Abandona o Preconceito,” and “Menina das Lojas,” plus “Deixa o Passado.” The musicians supplied accompaniment for Carmen Miranda throughout her first eight motion pictures and every American engagement, and they also supported Bing Crosby on selected recordings.
Seven middle-class friends organized the vocal-instrumental outfit in 1931. Carnival neighborhood contests had showcased various blocos, and the prize-winning Bloco do Bimbo supplied the starting point for what became the Bando da Lua. Its original roster comprised Aluísio de Oliveira on violão and lead vocal, Hélio Jordão Pereira on violão, Vadeco (Osvaldo de Morais Éboli) on pandeiro, Ivo Astolfi on tenor guitar and banjo, brothers Afonso Osório on percussion and flute and Armando Osório on violão, and Stênio Osório on cavaquinho. Through conductor J. Tomás the musicians auditioned unsuccessfully for Parlophon; later Josué de Barros, discoverer of Carmen Miranda, arranged their Brunswick debut with the Maércio de Azevedo–Oldemar Gomes Pereira (Mazinho) compositions “Que Tal a Vida?” and “Tá de Mona.”
Accounts credit Nelson Gomes Pereira with supplying the name Bando da Lua. In 1933 the ensemble moved to Odeon and scored its first hit with the Maércio–Mazinho march “Opa Opa”; the same initial Odeon release included the samba “É tua Sina.” Regular appearances on the Programa Casé at Rádio Nacional followed. Two further Odeon albums preceded a 1934 switch to Victor, whose first release yielded the Mazinho–Aluísio march “A Hora é Boa.” Separate Argentine engagements with Miranda took the group to that country, where they also performed jointly on occasion. Armando Osório departed after the return, reducing membership to six.
In 1935 the sextet appeared in the Wallace Downey–João de Barro–Alberto Ribeiro film Alô, alô Brasil, performing the march “Deixa a lua Sossegada” by João de Barro and Alberto Ribeiro together with “Estudantes” by Wallace Downey. Before year’s end they again visited Argentina and remained for two seasons. A 1937 stay of four months included broadcasts on El Mundo in Buenos Aires and Carve in Montevideo plus multiple theater dates. The following year brought further appearances in Argentina and Chile, where President Arturo Alessandri received them at the Palace; the itinerary extended into Peru and Colombia before illness forced Stênio Osório’s withdrawal.
During 1936 the group backed composer-folklorist Waldemar Henrique and his sister, singer Mara, in the former’s “Cena Dramática dos Congos,” a folkloric suite created for Radio Tupi’s first-anniversary broadcast; the prime-time presentation proved so popular that it was repeated. After returning to Brazil in 1938 the musicians performed with Miranda at the Cassino da Urca. American impresario Lee Schubert approached her there and offered a U.S. season; she accepted on condition that the Bando da Lua accompany her. Their initial New York engagement in the revue Streets of Paris met with strong approval. That same year Ivo Astolfi returned to Brazil to marry and was succeeded by violonista Garoto (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha), who received separate billing. Garoto took part in Miranda’s Decca sessions and the film Down Argentine Way; the group also cut its own Decca sides and supplied rhythm support for other artists under the name Bando Carioca.
All members, including Miranda, returned to Brazil in 1940. Garoto remained behind, and singer-violonista Nestor Amaral took his place. With their role now defined chiefly as Miranda’s backing unit rather than an independent act, the musicians accompanied her back to the United States. Hélio Jordão departed in 1942 and Vadeco followed in 1944. In 1948 Aluísio reconstituted the ensemble with alumni of the vocal-instrumental group Anjos do Inferno: Lulu (Aluísio Antunes Ferreira) on violão, Harry Vasco de Almeida on trumpet and percussion, and Russinho (José Ferreira Soares) on pandeiro. One of several albums made by this lineup was named Record of the Month for 1950 by Metronome Magazine. The Bando da Lua disbanded permanently upon Miranda’s death in 1955.
Seven middle-class friends organized the vocal-instrumental outfit in 1931. Carnival neighborhood contests had showcased various blocos, and the prize-winning Bloco do Bimbo supplied the starting point for what became the Bando da Lua. Its original roster comprised Aluísio de Oliveira on violão and lead vocal, Hélio Jordão Pereira on violão, Vadeco (Osvaldo de Morais Éboli) on pandeiro, Ivo Astolfi on tenor guitar and banjo, brothers Afonso Osório on percussion and flute and Armando Osório on violão, and Stênio Osório on cavaquinho. Through conductor J. Tomás the musicians auditioned unsuccessfully for Parlophon; later Josué de Barros, discoverer of Carmen Miranda, arranged their Brunswick debut with the Maércio de Azevedo–Oldemar Gomes Pereira (Mazinho) compositions “Que Tal a Vida?” and “Tá de Mona.”
Accounts credit Nelson Gomes Pereira with supplying the name Bando da Lua. In 1933 the ensemble moved to Odeon and scored its first hit with the Maércio–Mazinho march “Opa Opa”; the same initial Odeon release included the samba “É tua Sina.” Regular appearances on the Programa Casé at Rádio Nacional followed. Two further Odeon albums preceded a 1934 switch to Victor, whose first release yielded the Mazinho–Aluísio march “A Hora é Boa.” Separate Argentine engagements with Miranda took the group to that country, where they also performed jointly on occasion. Armando Osório departed after the return, reducing membership to six.
In 1935 the sextet appeared in the Wallace Downey–João de Barro–Alberto Ribeiro film Alô, alô Brasil, performing the march “Deixa a lua Sossegada” by João de Barro and Alberto Ribeiro together with “Estudantes” by Wallace Downey. Before year’s end they again visited Argentina and remained for two seasons. A 1937 stay of four months included broadcasts on El Mundo in Buenos Aires and Carve in Montevideo plus multiple theater dates. The following year brought further appearances in Argentina and Chile, where President Arturo Alessandri received them at the Palace; the itinerary extended into Peru and Colombia before illness forced Stênio Osório’s withdrawal.
During 1936 the group backed composer-folklorist Waldemar Henrique and his sister, singer Mara, in the former’s “Cena Dramática dos Congos,” a folkloric suite created for Radio Tupi’s first-anniversary broadcast; the prime-time presentation proved so popular that it was repeated. After returning to Brazil in 1938 the musicians performed with Miranda at the Cassino da Urca. American impresario Lee Schubert approached her there and offered a U.S. season; she accepted on condition that the Bando da Lua accompany her. Their initial New York engagement in the revue Streets of Paris met with strong approval. That same year Ivo Astolfi returned to Brazil to marry and was succeeded by violonista Garoto (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha), who received separate billing. Garoto took part in Miranda’s Decca sessions and the film Down Argentine Way; the group also cut its own Decca sides and supplied rhythm support for other artists under the name Bando Carioca.
All members, including Miranda, returned to Brazil in 1940. Garoto remained behind, and singer-violonista Nestor Amaral took his place. With their role now defined chiefly as Miranda’s backing unit rather than an independent act, the musicians accompanied her back to the United States. Hélio Jordão departed in 1942 and Vadeco followed in 1944. In 1948 Aluísio reconstituted the ensemble with alumni of the vocal-instrumental group Anjos do Inferno: Lulu (Aluísio Antunes Ferreira) on violão, Harry Vasco de Almeida on trumpet and percussion, and Russinho (José Ferreira Soares) on pandeiro. One of several albums made by this lineup was named Record of the Month for 1950 by Metronome Magazine. The Bando da Lua disbanded permanently upon Miranda’s death in 1955.
Albums
