Passoca

Origin

Santos, SP

Years Active

1977–2022

Genres

MPB, música caipira, vanguarda paulista

Instruments

viola, acoustic guitar, drums

Biography

Marco Antônio Vilalba, artistically known as Passoca, is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and viola player, born in Santos, São Paulo, on November 21, 1949. His musical career stands out for its experimentation and the fusion of elements from caipira music with the São Paulo avant-garde, which earned him the nickname "violeiro da vanguarda" (the avant-garde viola player).

During his architecture studies, Passoca was influenced by names like João Gilberto and Chico Buarque. Initially, he played drums and acoustic guitar, but starting in the late 1970s, the viola became his main instrument, under the influence of Renato Teixeira and Almir Sater. His solo career began in 1978 with the release of a 7-inch single, followed by several albums exploring both original compositions and reinterpretations of Brazilian music classics, such as the works of Adoniran Barbosa and João Pacífico.

Passoca also participated in important projects like "Violeiros do Brasil" and collaborated with various artists throughout his career, including his ex-wife Vânia Bastos, with whom he had two musician children: Rita and Noel Vilalba. His work is marked by poetry and the constant search for new sounds, consolidating him as a unique artist in Brazilian music.

Discography

• Que Moda! (1979)
• Sonora Garoa (1984)
• Virginia Rosa, Passoca – Inéditos de Paulo Vanzolini (1987)
• Sabiacidade (1995)
• Breve História da Música Caipira (1997)
• Passoca Canta Inéditos de Adoniran (2000)
• Canta João Pacífico (2005)
• Suite Paulistana (2012)
• Duofel com Passoca (2018)
• Passoca Canta e Toca (2022)