An urban middle-class musician by background, Tavinho Moura developed a strong attraction to caipira culture and devoted himself to its music. Researching and reinterpreting folk traditions led him to create works such as Cálix Bento and Peixinhos do Mar—the second written with Fernando Brant and both later recorded by Milton Nascimento—while he also undertook a methodical exploration of viola technique. That focus produced a polished solo instrumental voice, heard clearly on Caboclo D'Água and Diadorado. Beyond his own releases, his compositions reached the Orquestra de Viola Caipira on Modas e Violas do Vale do Paraíba and O Rio da Minha Terra as well as Renato Teixeira, Boca Livre, Sérgio Reis, Beto Guedes, Pena Branca e Xavantinho, Almir Sater, Simone, Zizi Possi, and 14 Bis. Appearances at festivals in Minas Gerais brought him into contact with Clube da Esquina figures including Milton Nascimento, Beto Guedes, Lô Borges, and Toninho Horta. His first LP, Como Vai Minha Aldeia, came out in 1978. He has additionally earned recognition for his award-winning scores for cinema and television.
