Vinicius Cantuária

Origin

Manaus, AM

Years Active

1970

Genres

MPB, bossa nova, samba, pop rock

Instruments

acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, percussion, vocals

Biography

Vinícius Cantuária was born in Manaus on April 29, 1951, and moved to Rio de Janeiro during his childhood. He began his professional career in the 1970s working as the drummer for the group O Terço and joining Banda Atômica, which accompanied Jorge Mautner. Throughout his career, he collaborated with great names in Brazilian music such as Luiz Melodia, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso, the latter of whom recorded his song "Lua e Estrela" in 1981, a major hit that propelled his recognition as a songwriter.

As a solo artist, he debuted in 1982 with a self-titled album and established his name nationally with the record Sutis Diferenças (1984), which featured the mega-hit "Só Você," a song that would later become famous in the voice of Fábio Jr. In the following decades, he released several works and joined memorable projects, such as the band Tigres de Bengala, as well as venturing abroad when he settled in the United States, where he collaborated with international artists and recorded acclaimed albums like Sol na Cara and Tucumã.

His discography encompasses important partnerships and forays into genres such as bossa nova, samba, and jazz, highlighting albums like Samba Carioca (2011) and the project Naus (2022), in partnership with Zeca Baleiro. Remaining active and creative over the decades, Cantuária has also shared compositions and stages with renowned musicians such as Marcos Valle, Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, and Arto Lindsay, reaffirming his prominent role in MPB.

Discography

• Vinicius Cantuária (1982)
• Gávea de Manhã (1983)
• Sutis Diferenças (1984)
• Siga-Me (1985)
• Nu Brasil (1986)
• Rio Negro (1991)
• Sol na Cara (1996)
• Tucumã (1998)
• Amor Brasileiro (1998)
• Bugge Wesseltoft / Vinicius Cantuária – Verve Now (1999)
• Vinicius (2001)
• Live: Skirball Cultural Center 8/7/03 (2003)
• Horse And Fish (2004)
• Silva (2005)
• Cymbals (2007)
• Samba Carioca (2010)
• Vinicius Cantuária & Bill Frisell – Lágrimas Mexicanas (2010)
• Indio de Apartamento (2012)
• Ricardo Silveira, Vinicius Cantuária – RSVC (2013)
• El Camino (2013)
• Vinicius Canta Antonio Carlos Jobim (2015)
• Intimidade Entre Estranhos (TriIha Sonora Original) (2019)
• Jesse Harris, Vinicius Cantuária – Surpresa (2021)
• Naus (2022)
• Psychedelic Rio (2024)
• Vertical Cities (2025)