Escurinho

Origin

Serra Talhada, PE

Also known as

Jonas Epifânio dos Santos Neto

Years Active

1970s

Genres

MPB, regional music, folk

Instruments

vocals, percussion

Biography

Jonas Epifânio dos Santos Neto, known professionally as Escurinho, is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and percussionist. Born in Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, he moved during his youth to Catolé do Rocha, Paraíba, where he was exposed to vibrant cultural and political movements. During this period, he connected with fellow artist Chico César and co-founded the group Grupo Ferradura, taking his first steps into professional musicianship and performing across the state.

Relocating to João Pessoa in the early 1980s, Escurinho quickly integrated into the local artistic community. He collaborated with the avant-garde duo Jaguaribe Carne, founded by Pedro Osmar, studied percussion with Odair Salgueiro, and composed theater soundtracks, notably winning an award for the play Vau da Sarapalha directed by Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos. His rich background in both traditional rhythms and theater heavily shaped his distinctive musical aesthetic.

In the 1990s, he partnered with guitarist Alex Madureira to build a repertoire of original compositions, culminating in his 1995 debut album, Labacé. This release established his presence across northeastern cultural circuits and national music festivals, followed by later critically acclaimed works such as Malocage, O Princípio Básico, and Ciranda de Maluco Vol. 1. His style bridges the roots of the Brazilian interior with contemporary percussion and songwriting sensibilities.

Discography

• Labacé (2001)
• Malocage (2004)
• O Princípio Básico (2012)
• Ciranda de Maluco, Vol. 1 (2015)