Edgar Ferreira

Origin

Recife, PE

Years active

1937–1995

Genres

forró, coco, rojão, samba

Biography

Edgar Monteiro Ferreira was a Brazilian composer, born in Recife, Pernambuco, on April 7, 1922. He is recognized as one of the creators of the "rojão" rhythm, closely related to "coco." Even as a teenager, Ferreira founded the "Turma Brasileira" samba school in Recife in 1937. He was also a founder of the first union for the metallurgical industry of electrical material in Recife.

In 1941, Ferreira was dismissed from the Mazarazzo factory for participating in a strike. He then began selling chapbooks of "cordel" literature featuring his song lyrics in Largo da Paz, Recife. In 1942, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he co-founded the Composers' Union. His music gained wider recognition through recordings by artists like Carlos Galhardo, Joel de Almeida, and Luiz Wanderley, but his greatest champion was Jackson do Pandeiro, who recorded many of Ferreira's compositions starting in the early 1950s, including "Um a Um" (1953) and "Forró em Limoeiro" (1954).

Ferreira's work extended beyond popular music. He received an award for the soundtrack of the play "O Rei da Vela" by Oswald de Andrade in 1967, and later, a "Kikito de Ouro" at the Gramado Film Festival in 1983 for the film adaptation of the same play. His songs have been re-recorded by numerous contemporary artists such as Beth Carvalho, Gilberto Gil, and Zé Ramalho. Edgar Ferreira passed away on December 19, 1995, leaving a rich legacy in Brazilian music.