Vital Farias

Vital Farias composes by merging refined techniques with the regional traditions of his northeastern roots. Badi Assad, Fagner, Alceu Valença, Elba Ramalho, Zé Ramalho, and Geraldo Azevedo have all committed his pieces to disc. After completing classical studies that culminated in a classical-guitar degree from João Pessoa, PB, he relocated in 1975 to Rio de Janeiro, RJ, where he joined the pit band for Chico Buarque’s stage work Gota D’Água. Ari Toledo and Livardo Alves introduced his debut recorded song, “Ê Mãe.” Subsequent covers that gained traction include Marília Barbosa’s 1976 rendition of “Caso Você Case,” featured in the TV Globo telenovela Saramandaia; Fábio Jr.’s 1993 take on “Ai, Que Saudade D’Ocê,” placed in the soap Renascer; Netinho’s 1996 version of the same tune; Fagner’s 1996 recording of “Canção Em Dois Tempos”; and the collective performance of “Veja, Margarida” by Alceu Valença, Elba Ramalho, Zé Ramalho, and Geraldo Azevedo during the live presentation O Grande Encontro. His self-titled debut album appeared on Polygram in 1978. Four years later he joined Geraldo Azevedo, Xangai, and Elomar for the stage production Cantoria, which yielded the live documents Cantoria and Cantoria 2.