Singer and actress Emilinha Borba (1923-2005) was one of the great stars of the samba-cancao era. A contemporary of Carmen Miranda, Borba began her professional career in her teens and adapted to numerous musical styles over the years. A robust, cheerful performer, Borba remained popular in the tide of the bossa nova -- like many early recording artists, her hits came out as singles rather than on albums, and were collected together years later. Here's a quick look at her work...
Emilinha Borba "Calendario Musical" (Continental Records, 1957) (LP)
Emilinha Borba "Emilia No Pais Dos Sucessos" (CBS/Columbia Records, 1960) (LP)
(Arranged & Conducted by Maestro Britinho)
A fun set, both soulful and schmaltzy with a mix of styles: nostalgic, Carmen Miranda-ish samba-cancao given a modern, hi-fi era makeover, syrupy boleros and several Cuban-style cha-cha-cha numbers (sung in Portuguese...) The arrangements beautifully match Borba's vocals -- a little redolent, but straightforward and to-the-point, while also playful and celebratory. A nice snapshot of her work at the start of the 1960s -- richly musical while completely unconcerned with the bossa nova craze of the time.
Emilinha Borba "Benzinho" (CBS Columbia, 1963) (LP)
Emilinha Borba "Amor De Minha Vida" (CBS Records, 1964-?) (LP)
Emilinha Borba & Jorge Goulart "Oh! As Marchinhas" (Continental Records, 1981) (LP)
Emilinha Borba "Forca Positiva" (Revivendo, 2004)
Emilinha Borba "Emelinha Pinta A Borba" (Timbre Records, 2000)
Emilinha Borba "Se Queres Saber" (Revivendo, 2004)
