Moraes Moreira
- Origin
- Ituaçu, BA
- Years active
- 1969–2020
- Genres
- MPB, rock, samba, frevo, choro, baião, tropicalismo
- Instruments
- acoustic guitar, voice, accordion
Biography
Antônio Carlos Moraes Pires, world-renowned as Moraes Moreira, was one of the pillars of the renewal of Brazilian popular music starting in the 1970s. Born in Ituaçu, in the Bahia hinterland, he began his musical journey playing the twelve-bass accordion and, later, the acoustic guitar, the instrument that would establish him as a rhythmic virtuoso. His career gained historical relevance when he formed the group Novos Baianos in Salvador, alongside names like Luiz Galvão, Baby do Brasil, and Pepeu Gomes, responsible for the iconic album Acabou Chorare (1972). Within the collective, Moreira was a fundamental piece in the fusion of psychedelic rock with samba and choro.\n\nFrom 1975 onwards, Moraes pursued a prolific solo career, becoming the first trio elétrico singer by joining the genre's inventors, Dodô and Osmar. His contribution to the Bahia Carnival was revolutionary, introducing elaborate lyrics and "frevo trieletrizado," with hits like "Pombo Correio" and "Vassourinha Elétrica." Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he continued expanding his musical vocabulary, flirting with classical music, repente, and hip hop, always maintaining the Northeastern essence and Tropicalist joy in his compositions.\n\nBesides music, Moraes Moreira was an enthusiast of cordel literature, using the format to record the history of his former band in the book "A História dos Novos Baianos e Outros Versos." Recognized by figures such as Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso as one of the country's greatest composers, he left a legacy of nearly 30 solo albums and an indelible mark on Brazilian culture, celebrating the mixture of rhythms that defines national identity. He passed away in 2020, leaving works that continue to be a reference for new generations of musicians.