Biography
Edil Pacheco has long composed and performed in steadfast service to Bahia’s richest musical heritage. He has authored more than 250 songs, a substantial number of which were interpreted by Wilson Simonal, Luís Vieira, João Nogueira (“De Amor é Bom,” “Se Segura Segurança”), Gilberto Gil (“Ojuabá”), Gal Costa (“Estamos Aí”), Alcione (“Araketu,” “Luandê,” “Lua Menina”), Fafá de Belém (“Siriê”), Clara Nunes (“Ijexá”), Margareth Menezes, Luís Caldas, Lazzo, Agepê (“Ilê Aiyê,” “Forró em Cachoeira”), Baby do Brasil, Ederaldo Gentil, Beth Carvalho (“Encanto do Gantois”), Moraes Moreira, Elza Soares, the Trio Elétrico Dodô e Osmar, and Virgínia Rodrigues, among others. His principal creative allies have been Batatinha, Cid Seixas, Ederaldo Gentil, Paulo César Pinheiro, Moraes Moreira, Capinam, and Luís Melodia.
Born into modest circumstances, he passed his early years in a rural town and first took up the violão during adolescence. At eighteen he relocated to Salvador, attending classes at night while holding daytime positions at a bakery, then a bank, and later a transportation firm. In 1963 he encountered Moraes Moreira, Luis Galvão, Ederaldo Gentil, Celeste, Cid Seixas, and the singer-composer Oscar da Penha, known as Batatinha, who became a key advocate and persuaded him to pursue music professionally. Two years afterward he served as accompanist for the production Eu Sou, Tu és, Nós Somos: Gente, which featured a pair of his compositions.
Journalist Fernando Vita offered guidance in 1969, leading Eliana Pittman to record “Fim de Tarde,” written with Luiz Galvão (later of Os Novos Baianos), and “Passatempo,” written with Batatinha and Cid Seixas; the latter piece drew censorship from the military regime. Jair Rodrigues achieved nationwide recognition in 1970 with “Alô Madrugada,” co-written with Ederaldo Gentil. While taking part in the weekly Improviso presentations at Teatro Vila Velha, Pacheco received a commission to supply music for the play A Morte de Quincas Berro D’Água; the resulting album contained five of his pieces and marked his debut as a vocalist.
In July 1975 he joined Batatinha and Ederaldo Gentil to inaugurate the show O Samba Nasceu na Bahia, which enjoyed regional acclaim. His debut solo album, Pedras Afiadas, appeared in 1977, followed by Estamos Aí in 1984. Four years later he issued Afros e Afoxés da Bahia on Polygram, every track written in partnership with Paulo César Pinheiro as a tribute to Bahia’s blocos afro and afoxés, earning multiple awards. During 1985 Clara Nunes scored a hit with “Ijexá,” João Nogueira with “De Amor é Bom,” Alcione with “Siriê” and “Lua Menina,” and Luís Caldas with “Dengo.”
As a producer he oversaw the release of Ederaldo Gentil -- Pérolas Finas, a homage to the distinguished Bahian samba composer that gathered performances by Gilberto Gil, Beth Carvalho, Jair Rodrigues, Luís Melodia, Jussara Silveira, Elza Soares, Paulinho Boca de Cantor, and additional artists. Dom de passarinho came out in 1996. In July 2000 he staged the revived show O Samba Nasceu na Bahia alongside the solo album O samba me pegou, which surveyed Bahian samba from the samba de roda of the recôncavo to the samba arrasta-povo. He also collaborated with Paulinho Boca de Cantor on the double-CD set 100 Anos de Música Baiana -- Do Lundu ao Axé, a research endeavor tracing Bahian music from nineteenth-century singer Xisto Bahia through Carlinhos Brown’s Timbalada via leading interpreters.
Born into modest circumstances, he passed his early years in a rural town and first took up the violão during adolescence. At eighteen he relocated to Salvador, attending classes at night while holding daytime positions at a bakery, then a bank, and later a transportation firm. In 1963 he encountered Moraes Moreira, Luis Galvão, Ederaldo Gentil, Celeste, Cid Seixas, and the singer-composer Oscar da Penha, known as Batatinha, who became a key advocate and persuaded him to pursue music professionally. Two years afterward he served as accompanist for the production Eu Sou, Tu és, Nós Somos: Gente, which featured a pair of his compositions.
Journalist Fernando Vita offered guidance in 1969, leading Eliana Pittman to record “Fim de Tarde,” written with Luiz Galvão (later of Os Novos Baianos), and “Passatempo,” written with Batatinha and Cid Seixas; the latter piece drew censorship from the military regime. Jair Rodrigues achieved nationwide recognition in 1970 with “Alô Madrugada,” co-written with Ederaldo Gentil. While taking part in the weekly Improviso presentations at Teatro Vila Velha, Pacheco received a commission to supply music for the play A Morte de Quincas Berro D’Água; the resulting album contained five of his pieces and marked his debut as a vocalist.
In July 1975 he joined Batatinha and Ederaldo Gentil to inaugurate the show O Samba Nasceu na Bahia, which enjoyed regional acclaim. His debut solo album, Pedras Afiadas, appeared in 1977, followed by Estamos Aí in 1984. Four years later he issued Afros e Afoxés da Bahia on Polygram, every track written in partnership with Paulo César Pinheiro as a tribute to Bahia’s blocos afro and afoxés, earning multiple awards. During 1985 Clara Nunes scored a hit with “Ijexá,” João Nogueira with “De Amor é Bom,” Alcione with “Siriê” and “Lua Menina,” and Luís Caldas with “Dengo.”
As a producer he oversaw the release of Ederaldo Gentil -- Pérolas Finas, a homage to the distinguished Bahian samba composer that gathered performances by Gilberto Gil, Beth Carvalho, Jair Rodrigues, Luís Melodia, Jussara Silveira, Elza Soares, Paulinho Boca de Cantor, and additional artists. Dom de passarinho came out in 1996. In July 2000 he staged the revived show O Samba Nasceu na Bahia alongside the solo album O samba me pegou, which surveyed Bahian samba from the samba de roda of the recôncavo to the samba arrasta-povo. He also collaborated with Paulinho Boca de Cantor on the double-CD set 100 Anos de Música Baiana -- Do Lundu ao Axé, a research endeavor tracing Bahian music from nineteenth-century singer Xisto Bahia through Carlinhos Brown’s Timbalada via leading interpreters.
Albums