Neguinho Da Beija-Flor (born Luis Antonio Feliciano Marcondes) is a popular samba singer and composer who has been part of the Beija-Flor samba escola since 1975, and took over as the school's puxador (the lead singer during Carnaval) beginning in 1976. His music crosses over between rootsy samba and samba-pop to more mainstream pop material... Here's a quick look at his career.
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Vida No Peito" (Top Tape, 1980) (LP)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "E Melhor Sorrir" (Top Tape, 1982) (LP)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Meu Mundo Novo" (Top Tape, 1983)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Oficio De Puxador" (CBS, 1985)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "A Voz Da Massa" (CBS, 1986)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Meu Sorriso" (CBS, 1987)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Festejo" (CBS, 1988)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Carente De Afeto" (CBS, 1989)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Felicidade" (CBS, 1990)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Poetas De Calcada" (Columbia Records, 1991)
A later album by one of the principal singers of the Beija-Flor samba school. Although there are a few tunes that are on the florid side, this is a nice, sweet set of modern pagode samba, with all the trappings of the classic '70s sound intact -- the gentle, swishing cavaquinho riffs, the keening vocal chorus urging listeners along, the sad-yet-pretty melodies. There are a couple of ballad tracks that dip into slower material, but nothing so drippy as on Neguinho's later albums. This may be by-the-numbers and formulaic, but it's a formula that works pretty well. Nice pop music.
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Sou Seu Fa" (Sony, 1992)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Da Vila E Da Viola" (Polygram, 1994)
A dual tribute to samba greats Martinho Da Vila and Paulinho Da Viola.
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Quem Te Ama Sou Eu" (Polydor, 1995)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Reencontro" (Polygram, 1997)
(Produced by Renato Correa & Max Pierre)
Another decent album... Although the opening tracks are kind of overly commercialized and generic, the rest of the album is fairly solid samba-pop, and shouldn't turn you off. It's not super-great, earthshaking, soul-trembling stuff, but it's easy on the ears and has a genuine, rootsy-enough feel.
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Essencia Pura" (Universal-Indie, 1998)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Ao Vivo: 25 Anos De Fe E Raiz" (Universal-Indie, 2000)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Samba Enredo: Beija Flor De Nilopolis"
A collection of samba themes popularized over the years at Carnaval by the Beija-Flor escola...
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Nos Bracos De Comunidade" (Universal-Indie, 2005)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Serie As Melhores" (Sony, 2002)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Millennium" (Universal, 2002)
Neguinho Da Beija-Flor "Serie Sem Limite" (Universal, 2002)
A 2-CD best-of set...
