Rosinha De Valença

Rosinha de Valença reached the height of her career throughout the 1960s while appearing regularly at Rio’s Bottle’s nightclub, then a central hub for bossa nova. During those years she earned praise from Baden Powell, Maria Bethânia, Aloysio de Oliveira—who offered her the chance to cut her debut album—Sérgio Mendes, with whom she and his group Brasil 65 completed an eight-month U.S. tour, Sivuca, Martinho da Vila, and additional leading figures. A heart attack that produced lasting brain damage compelled her to retire from performing in 1992. She had relocated from her native city to Rio de Janeiro in 1963 and worked the local club circuit until she met de Oliveira, proprietor of the Elenco label at the time. Accepting his invitation, she issued her first recording, Apresentando Rosinha de Valença, which was followed by an acclaimed eight-month engagement at Bottle’s, located in Beco das Garrafas. The visibility gained from that run brought numerous offers to appear on television and radio programs and ultimately placed her on the bill of the landmark presentation O Fino da Bossa—the city of São Paulo’s inaugural bossa nova concert—at the Paramount Theater. Later that same year she embarked on the eight-month American tour alongside Sérgio Mendes and Brasil 65, contributing to two live albums captured during the trip: Brasil ’65—Wanda de Sah Featuring the Sergio Mendes Trio and In Person at El Matador—Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’65. In late 1965 she traveled through Europe, appearing in twenty-four countries under sponsorship from the Brazilian diplomatic service. Beginning in 1968 she undertook an extended international itinerary that took her across multiple nations in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East before she returned to Brazil in 1971. Following further overseas engagements she assembled a Brazilian ensemble that included João Donato, Miúcha, Ivone Lara, and Copinha. In addition to the nine albums she released domestically, Valença also documented her work on recordings made in Europe and the United States.