Moacyr Luz

Moacyr Luz stands among the foremost talents among emerging samba composers. Artists ranging from Maria Bethânia and Emílio Santiago to Nana Caymmi, Leila Pinheiro, and Elba Ramalho have committed his pieces to disc, along with additional interpreters. In tandem with Aldir Blanc he earned the Sharp prize for Best Song of the Year with “Coração do Agreste,” cut by Fafá de Belém and adopted as the theme for the TV Globo telenovela Tieta. The year 1979 saw him join Lana Bittencourt on the recording “Eu Me Descubro.” His first sustained collaboration with Aldir Blanc began in 1984 through “A Tua Sombra,” which appeared on the debut solo album Moacyr Luz. Gilberto Gil’s version of “Mico Preto” served as a telenovela theme, while “Anjo da Velha Guarda,” “A Cereja e o Vermute,” and the aforementioned “Coração Agreste” further marked the pair’s output. A decade of their joint achievements was marked by the release of the CD Vitória da Ilusão. At the 1996 FAMPOP festival in Avaré, SP, Luz took first place with “O Tocador é Bom.” He also figured in Rede Globo’s Festival da Música Brasileira 2000, where “Eu Só Quero Beber Água” reached the finals.