Elomar

Origin

Vitória da Conquista, BA

Years Active

1960

Genres

regional music, MPB, northeastern music

Instruments

acoustic guitar, vocals

Biography

Elomar Figueira Mello was born in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, on December 21, 1937. Raised amidst the rural environment of his family's farms, he graduated in Architecture from the Federal University of Bahia in the late 1960s, also having a brief stint at the School of Music of the same institution. His artistic trajectory is deeply rooted in sertanejo oral tradition, utilizing archaisms, dialectal variants, and neologisms that shape a unique language, strongly influenced by Iberian and Arab traditions.

The composer's discography gained national prominence following the release of his first album, "...Das Barrancas do Rio Gavião", propelling him to tour theaters throughout the country from the late 1970s and early 1980s. His work moves through the imaginary of the northeastern sertanejo with medieval and biblical touches, having inspired major names in MPB, such as Caetano Veloso, in addition to having his songs interpreted by renowned artists such as Raimundo Fagner and Elba Ramalho.

In addition to his erudite and popular musical production, Elomar also stood out in literature throughout his career. He published striking works such as the novel "Sertanílias" and "A Era dos grandes equívocos", consolidating himself as one of the most important figures of northeastern culture and the subject of deep anthropological and linguistic studies.

Discography

• ... das Barrancas do Rio Gavião (1973)
• Na Quadrada das Águas Perdidas (1979)
• Elomar e Arthur Moreira Lima – Parcelada Malunga (1980)
• Fantasia Leiga para um Rio Seco (1981)
• Cartas Catingueiras (1982)
• Elomar, Arthur Moreira Lima, Paulo Moura, Heraldo do Monte – ConSertão (Um Passeio Musical pelo Brasil) (1982)
• Ernst Widmer, Orquestra Sinfônica da Universidade Federal da Bahia, Elomar Figueira Mello – Sertania (1983)
• Auto da Catingueira (1983)
• Elomar - Geraldo Azevedo - Vital Farias - Xangai – Cantoria (1984)
• Dos Confins do Sertão (1987)
• Elomar - Geraldo Azevedo - Vital Farias - Xangai – Cantoria 2 (1988)
• Elomar, Turibio Santos, Xangai , Participação Especial João Omar – Concerto Sertanez, Gravado Ao Vivo no Teatro Castro Alves, Dias 7, 8, 9 E 10 de Janeiro De 1988, Salvador (1988)
• Elomar em Concerto (1990)
• Cantoria 2 (1990)
• Elomar, João Omar – Árias Sertânicas (1992)
• Cantoria 3 - Elomar Canto e Solo (1994)
• Elomar, Pena Branca e Xavantinho, Vitor Ramil, Teca Calazans – Cantorias e Cantadores 2 (1998)
• Elomar, Pena Branca, Renato Teixeira, Teca Calazans, Xangai – Cantoria Brasileira (2002)
• Tramas do Sagrado - A Poética do Sertão de Elomar (2007)
• Cantoria 1 (2007)
• João Omar, Elomar – Ao Sertano - Peças para violão solo de Elomar F. Mello (2015)
• Elomar e Orquestra Sinfônica Nacional UFF – O Menestrel e o Sertãomundo Ao Vivo (2017)
• O Menestrel e o Sertãomundo (2017)