Mestre Curica

Origin

Marituba, PA

Also known as

Raimundo Leão Ferreira Filho

Genres

guitarrada, carimbó, lambada, world music

Instruments

banjo, drums

Biography

Raimundo Leão Ferreira Filho, known artistically as Mestre Curica, is a prominent Brazilian musician and composer born in Marituba, Pará. Alongside Mestre Vieira and Aldo Sena, he is recognized as a foundational figure in the development and popularization of guitarrada, a vibrant genre born from the fusion of local Amazonian rhythms like carimbó with Caribbean influences such as merengue and mambo.

His musical journey began in childhood when he started playing the drums at the age of seven, eventually transitioning to other instruments before making the banjo his signature trademark. During the 1970s, he played a crucial role in the scene by collaborating with Mestre Verequete in the Conjunto Uirapuru, helping to pioneer and record foundational carimbó albums. Unlike many instrumentalists of the genre, Curica distinguished himself by writing lyrics for his compositions and even invented the "guitarrinha cabocla" to incorporate into lambada repertoires.

Over a career spanning roughly six decades and encompassing 15 albums, he has taken his art far beyond Pará. From 2003 to 2008, he was a key member of the Mestres da Guitarrada project, conceptualized by Pio Lobato, which brought regional Amazonian sounds to international stages in countries like France, Mexico, and Portugal. His enduring legacy in Brazilian music is further celebrated through documentaries and ongoing recordings that showcase the rich cultural heritage of Northern Brazil.