Zé Keti

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1940–1999

Genres

samba, MPB

Instruments

cavaquinho, acoustic guitar, vocals

Biography

José Flores de Jesus, widely known as Zé Keti, was born in Rio de Janeiro on September 16, 1921. He grew up in a fervent musical environment, surrounded by his grandfather — the flutist and pianist João Dionísio Santana — and his father, who played the cavaquinho. Supported by this strong family heritage, he joined the composer wing of the Portela samba school in the 1940s and soon began to stand out with striking sambas that portrayed daily life, cunning, and life in Rio's favelas.

His career gained enormous projection in the 1950s, when his song "A voz do morro" was part of the soundtrack for the film "Rio 40 Graus", directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos. Over the following years, he solidified his importance in the Brazilian cultural scene by conceiving the musical ensemble A Voz do Morro and by participating, in 1964, in the emblematic theatrical show "Opinião", alongside João do Vale and Nara Leão. His engaged and dramatic compositions, such as "Acender as velas" and "Opinião", became anthems of resistance and were recorded by major MPB interpreters, including Elis Regina.

In the following decades, despite periods of lesser public visibility, Zé Keti remained a fundamental reference of traditional samba. He received several honors, such as the Shell Music Award in 1998, and continued recording and performing alongside renowned names like Paulinho da Viola, Zeca Pagodinho, and Marisa Monte. The artist passed away in his hometown on November 14, 1999, leaving an undying legacy of more than two hundred compositions that celebrated the soul and popular culture of Brazil.

Discography

• Nara, Zé Keti, João do Vale, Grupo Opinião – Show Opinião (1965)
• Sucessos de Zé Kéti (1967)
• Zé Ketti e Seus Sucessos (1971)
• Identificação (1979)