Belchior Revisited

— Antônio Carlos Gomes Belchior Fontenelle Fernandes, or Belchior, as he was simply known in the Brazilian musical scene, was born in Sobral (Oct. 26, 1946) in the northeast state of Ceará, Brazil. He was a founding member of the group Pessoal do Ceará, which included other notable musicians from Ceará, including Fagner, Ednardo, and Amelinha, among others. After moving to Fortaleza (Ceará’s capital) in 1962, he began studying philosophy and the humanities, later transferring to medical school, which he left in his fourth year in order to pursue a career in music. He began his musical career in festivals during the years 1965 to 1970. In 1971, his song “Hora do Almoço” won the IV Festival Universitário. Then in 1972, his song “Mucuripe” was recorded by Elis Regina (and later on by Roberto Carlos). She also included two of his songs, “Como Nossos Pais” and “Velha Roupa Colorida” in her show and album Falso Brilhante (1976). By then, his career as a songwriter was solidified. Several successful solo albums followed. By the end of the year 2006, he stopped performing and nearly vanished from the music scene. He then moved to Uruguay, where financial problems began to follow him. With the police searching for him for evading hotel payments, he left Uruguay and returned to Brazil in 2013. He made the city of Santa Cruz (Rio Grande do Sul) his new home. Without a real home to call it for himself, he stayed with friends and fans and moved constantly from home to home. On April 29, 2017, he passed away due to the rupture of the aorta artery. Following his death, his music regained new life through the voices of several performers. In 2021, for example, two albums were released with his music.

Ana Cañas (actress, singer, songwriter from São Paulo) presented some of his most famous hits in a very creative package. The album Ana Cañas Canta Belchior brings new performances and arrangements to classics, including “Alucinação,” “Coração Selvagem,” and “Como Nossos Pais.” The album toured Brazil from north to south. In the live performances, she was accompanied by musicians Fabá Jimenez (acoustic and electric guitars), Adriano Grineberg (keyboards), Meno Del Picchia (bass), and Loco Sosa (drums). In an interview with RG, she says this show is “the most exciting and visceral show” of her career. The album is very pleasing and was produced by the singer herself and Fabá Jimenez. Originally, this album was released as two EP projects. One thing that called my attention to this album is the treatment given to Belchior’s classics. With the opener “Coração Selvagem,” for example, Fabá Jimenez’ guitar introduction transports the listener to Belchior’s universe of rural rock. In “Medo de Avião,” there is a certain reggae beat to the voice and guitar arrangement. “Apenas um Rapaz Latino-Americano” gets a well-deserved blues arrangement. Track after track, these classic Belchior songs are introduced to a new generation of fans. In an interview with the Rádio Nacional in Brasília, the singer explains the album creation started during the pandemic years. She states that Belchior’s songs, although written almost over 50 years ago, are still very contemporary and meaningful in today’s world.

Another album with Belchior’s songs that was released in 2021 came with Sandra Pêra em Belchior. Sandra Pêra gained fame in Brazil as a member of the woman’s group As Frenéticas (The Frenetic Women). The singer and group became well known in Brazil during the disco years around 1975. They performed in Nelson Motta’s nightclub Frenetic Dancin’ Days Discothèque. Music and art are in Sandra Pêra’s genes. She comes from a large family of artists, including actress and sister Marília Pêra and uncle Abel Pêra. Most of her career has been in acting. With this album, Sandra Pêra returns to music 38 years after her first solo album in 1982.

With musical direction by José Milton e Amora Pêra, the album opens with the classic “Sujeito de Sorte,” where the lyrics “ano passado eu morri, mas este ano eu não morro” (I died last year, but this year I don’t die) make a present statement about the legacy and endurance of Belchior’s lyrics. With a very strong voice in her performances, Sandra Pêra gives a somewhat stage and theatrical performance of several songs. The arrangements for this release were written by some of the best, including Cristóvão Bastos, Eduardo Souto Neto, Camila Dias, João Lyra, and Jessé Sadoc. A roster of special guests also teams up with the singer in some of the tracks, such as Zeca Baleiro in “Na Hora do Almoço” and Ney Matogrosso in “Velha Roupa Colorida,” among others. With those names and musicians including Jorge Helder and Jamil Jones (basses), Jurim Moreira (drums), Daniel Lopes (guitar), and Zé Leal (percussion), Sandra Pêra em Belchior pulls all the stops in great performances in a tribute to the great songwriter Belchior was.