Elton Medeiros

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

Elton Antônio de Medeiros

Years Active

1947–2019

Genres

samba, MPB, choro

Instruments

trombone, percussion

Biography

Elton Antônio de Medeiros was born in the neighborhood of Glória, in Rio de Janeiro, and began his musical journey at the age of seventeen. During the day, he played in the Student Youth Orchestra on Rádio Roquette-Pinto, and at night, he performed as a trombonist in the gafieira Fogão, managed by composer Uriel Azevedo. His early contributions to carnival included co-founding the composer's wing of the Aprendizes de Lucas samba school, where his samba 'Exaltação a São Paulo' became a landmark of the organization's repertoire.

His artistic recognition solidified in the 1960s through the cultural hub of Zicartola, a musical restaurant run by Cartola and Dona Zica in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Elton was a key regular and organizer at the venue, forging crucial partnerships with luminaries such as Nelson Cavaquinho, Zé Keti, Ismael Silva, and most notably Paulinho da Viola, who would become his most frequent collaborator. These encounters led him to co-found the group A Voz do Morro and participate in the historic theatrical and musical production Rosa de Ouro in 1965, conceived by Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, which successfully brought authentic samba to mainstream urban stages.

Throughout his distinguished career, Elton Medeiros became celebrated not only as a sophisticated melodist and rhythmist, but also for his unique percussive technique of extracting complex rhythms from unconventional objects, notably his matchbox. He passed away on September 4, 2019, at the age of 89, leaving behind an indelible legacy in the history of Brazilian samba and popular music, collaborating with greats like Nelson Sargento.

Discography

• Paulinho da Viola e Elton Medeiros – Samba na Madrugada (1966)
• Elton Medeiros (1973)
• Nelson Cavaquinho, Candeia, Guilherme de Brito, Elton Medeiros – Quatro Grandes do Samba (1977)
• Elton Medeiros (1980)
• Mais Feliz (1995)
• Elton Medeiros, Mariana de Moraes, Zé Renato – A Alegria Continua (1997)
• Elton Medeiros e Márcia – Cartola 90 Anos (1998)
• Elton Medeiros, Nelson Sargento & Galo Preto – Só Cartola (1999)
• Aurora de Paz (2001)
• Bem que Mereci (2005)