Born into a family headed by a trombonist from the military police band, Moreira da Silva began performing serestas as a youngster long before any professional engagement. His debut recordings appeared in 1931 on Odeon with the two Amor-composed pontos de macumba “Ererê” and “Rei da Umbanda.” A subsequent Odeon release preceded his move to Columbia, where he cut the 1933 Carnival successes “Arrasta a Sandália” (Aurélio Gomes/Baiaco) and “É Batucada” (Caninha/Visconde de Bicuíba). The latter number captured the inaugural official Rio de Janeiro Carnival song competition that same year. Duque then brought him to the Cassino Atlântico stage. Another 1935 success, “Implorar Só a Deus” (Kid Pepe/Germano Augusto/J.S. Gaspar), cemented his standing as a distinctive interpreter. Radio exposure followed: Programa Casé on Rádio Philips in 1936 and, the next year, a contract from César Ladeira at Rádio Mayrink Veiga. Also in 1937, his reading of “Quatro Linhas” (Tancredo Silva) marked a turning point when he first slipped slang and comic asides between phrases—the technique known as breque. He refined this approach into a signature device, stretching some breaks to a minute or longer and occasionally turning them into spoken exchanges. That same year “Jogo Proibido” (Tancredo Silva/Davi Silva/Ribeiro Cunha) repeated the formula to equal acclaim. In 1939 he traveled to Porto and Lisbon, appearing in the Portuguese film A Varanda Dos Rouxinóis while also cutting the RCA Victor hit “Amigo Urso” (Henrique Gonçalves). Additional successes led to his 1950 appointment at Rádio Tupi. Aluísio de Oliveira summoned him in 1958 to record the LP O Último Malandro, after which further albums followed. Miguel Gustavo supplied custom sambas-de-breque that cast Kid Morengueira—another of his nicknames—as the central figure; “O Rei do Gatilho” (1962) proved the most popular. Chico Buarque invited him to sing on the 1979 Ópera do Malandro LP. The 1980 Projeto Pixinguinha carried him across Brazil, and Unidos de Manguinhos saluted him with the enredo “Moreira da Silva, 90 Anos de Um Malandro.” In 1995 he mounted a run of Projeto Seis e Meia concerts; his ninety-fourth birthday was marked by further appearances at the Ritmo nightclub alongside numerous guest artists. That year also saw the publication of the biography Moreira da Silva, O Último Dos Malandros by Alexandre Augusto Teixeira Gonçalves (Editora Record). He maintained an active performing schedule until his death in 2000.
