Zé Maria

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1952

Genres

samba, choro, jazz, latin, bossa nova

Instruments

piano, organ

Biography

Zé Maria, artistic name of José Maria de Andrade Ferreira, was a Brazilian pianist, organist, ensemble leader, and composer, born in Rio de Janeiro on May 1, 1930. He began his artistic career in 1952, playing in Moacyr Silva's ensemble at the Vogue nightclub. The following year, he began performing at the Drink nightclub, where he led his own ensemble. In 1956, Zé Maria moved his performances to the Arpége nightclub.

In 1957, Zé Maria was signed by the Continental record label and released his first LP, titled "Ritmos de dança – Zé Maria – Volume I". In this album, accompanied by his ensemble, he interpreted songs such as "Exaltação à Bahia", by Vicente Paiva and Chianca de Garcia, "Flamingo", by Franklin and Marks, and "Brasil", authored by Ary Barroso. Throughout his career, Zé Maria stood out in the Brazilian music scene, especially in the samba and choro genre, collaborating with various artists and recording albums that explored Brazilian and international rhythms.

In addition to his career as an instrumentalist and ensemble leader, Zé Maria also worked as a composer, contributing to the repertoire of Brazilian popular music. His musical versatility allowed him to explore different styles, from samba to jazz and latin rhythms, as evidenced in his album "Você Quer Dançar?", released in 1959, which included tracks of samba, bolero, batucada, and mambo. His work and musical legacy continue to be recognized for their quality and contribution to the diversity of Brazilian music.