Zé Renato
- Origin
- Vitória, ES
- Years active
- 1974
- Genres
- mpb, samba, vocal music
- Instruments
- vocals, acoustic guitar
Biography
Born in Vitória, Espírito Santo, but deeply connected to Rio de Janeiro, Zé Renato is a prominent Brazilian singer, composer, and guitarist. He rose to national prominence as a founding member of the influential vocal and instrumental quartet Boca Livre in 1978. Before that, he began his career with Grupo Cantares alongside Juca Filho and Marcos Ariel. His work with Boca Livre helped define a sophisticated era of vocal harmony in Brazilian Popular Music (MPB).\n\nParallel to his success with the group, Zé Renato developed a prolific solo career characterized by a refined repertoire and collaborations with giants of Brazilian music such as Milton Nascimento and Antonio Carlos Jobim, the latter of whom invited him to record for the soundtrack of the miniseries "O Tempo e o Vento." He also explored jazz fusion by forming Banda Zil in 1986 with Claudio Nucci and Ricardo Silveira, which toured both in Brazil and abroad.\n\nRenato has received critical acclaim for his interpretive albums dedicated to the works of Brazilian icons like Silvio Caldas, Zé Keti, and the duo Chico Buarque and Noel Rosa. His versatility extends to children's music, winning several awards for projects like "Samba pras crianças." In recent years, he has continued to innovate through the ZR Trio and collaborative albums like "Bebedouro," featuring contributions from Dori Caymmi and Moraes Moreira, cementing his legacy as one of the most respected voices in the contemporary MPB scene.