Tom Zé

Origin

Irará, BA

Also known as

Tom Ze Tom Ze, Antônio José Santana Martins

Years Active

1960

Genres

MPB, experimental rock, tropicalia, samba

Instruments

guitar, violoncelo, voice

Biography

Antônio José Santana Martins, known professionally as Tom Zé, is a renowned Brazilian composer, singer, and poet born in Irará, Bahia, on October 11, 1936. Emerging as one of the most original and inventive figures in Brazilian popular music, he became a key participant in the groundbreaking Tropicalia movement during the late 1960s alongside fellow artists such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Maria Bethânia. His style is characterized by a deeply irreverent and experimental approach to composition, frequently incorporating non-traditional objects and industrial sounds into his recordings. Throughout his career, Tom Zé challenged conventional musical boundaries with acclaimed works like 'Todos os Olhos' and 'Estudando o Samba'.

Despite facing periods of commercial obscurity that nearly led him to leave music in the late 1980s, his career was dramatically revitalized when American musician David Byrne discovered his work and released it internationally through the Luaka Bop label. This rediscovery sparked widespread global acclaim, particularly in the United States and Europe, with his 1998 album 'Com Defeito de Fabricação' earning high praise from major publications like The New York Times. Over the decades, Tom Zé has continued to collaborate with diverse contemporary artists such as Rita Lee, Emicida, and Tim Bernardes, cementing his legacy as an enduringly radical voice in Brazilian music and culture.

In addition to his prolific recording career, Tom Zé's contributions to literature and the arts have been formally recognized, including his induction into the Academia Paulista de Letras in 2022. He has also been the subject of numerous biographical works and documentaries, such as 'Fabricando Tom Zé' and Pietro Scaramuzzo's 'Tom Zé: o último tropicalista'. His fearless experimentation, commitment to social commentary, and playful subversion of musical forms ensure his status as a legendary pioneer of modern Brazilian sound.

Discography

• Tom Zé (1968)
• Grande Liquidação (1968)
• Tom Zé (1970)
• Tom Zé (1972)
• Dois Momentos - Vol.1 (1972)
• Todos os Olhos (1973)
• Estudando O Samba (1976)
• Correio da Estação do Brás (1978)
• Dois Momentos - Vol.2 (1978)
• Nave Maria (1984)
• Tom Zé e Gereba – Cantando com a Platéia (1990)
• The Hips Of Tradition - Brazil 5: The Return Of Tom Zé (1992)
• Parabelo (Trilha Sonora Original do Espetáculo do Grupo Corpo) (1997)
• Postmodern Platos Remixes (1998)
• No Jardim da Política (1998)
• Fabrication Defect : Com Defeito de Fabricação (1998)
• Jogos de Armar (Faça Você Mesmo) (2000)
• Tom Zé, Gilberto Assis – Santagustin (2003)
• Tom Zé e Zé Miguel Wisnik – Parabelo (2003)
• Imprensa Cantada (2003)
• Estudando O Pagode (2005)
• Danç-Êh-Sá (Dança dos Herdeiros do Sacrifício - 7 Caymianas para o Fim da Canção) (2006)
• Com Defeito de Fabricação (2007)
• Danç-Êh-Sá, Dança dos Herdeiros do Sacrifício, o Fim da Canção, Ao Vivo (2008)
• Estudando A Bossa Nordeste Plaza (2008)
• O Pirulito da Ciência (2009)
• Tropicália Lixo Lógico (2012)
• Sao Paulo (2012)
• Vira Lata na Via Láctea (2014)
• Canções Eróticas de Ninar, para Dançar o Sobe Ni Mim, Urgência Didática (2016)
• Sem Você Não A (2017)
• Língua Brasileira (2022)