Zé Espinguela

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

José Gomes da Costa, Zé Spinelli

Genres

samba, samba-enredo

Instruments

percussion, voice

Biography

Jose Gomes da Costa, widely known as Ze Espinguela, was a pioneering figure in Brazilian samba, working as a journalist, writer, candomble priest, and composer in Rio de Janeiro. He played an instrumental role in the formation of the early samba scene, most notably as a founder of the Estacao Primeira de Mangueira samba school and a member of the Bloco dos Arengueiros. His historic home in Engenho de Dentro served as the venue for the first-ever organized samba contest in January 1929, where he acted as an impartial judge and famously disqualified groups that used brass instruments, helping solidify the aesthetic boundaries of modern samba.

Beyond his organizational contributions to carnival, Espinguela was a respected cultural figure who maintained friendships with prominent artists such as Heitor Villa-Lobos. His deep roots in the Afro-Brazilian religious community and the favela of Mangueira made him a pillar of local cultural life. Nurturing the foundational traditions of samba, he bridged community organizing with early institutional recognition for the genre.

In his later years, during the final period of World War II, Espinguela orchestrated a deeply symbolic farewell procession up the Mangueira hill, composing a special samba for the occasion as he prepared for the end of his life. This poignant moment reflected the traditional Afro-Brazilian customs surrounding death and remembrance. Decades later, his legacy continues to be celebrated, notably inspiring the plot of the Arranco samba school's carnival parade in 2023.