Biography

A key singer of the bossa nova, having launched "Garota de Ipanema," Pery Ribeiro, son of the composer Herivelto Martins and of the singer Dalva de Oliveira, started early in his artistic career by providing singing and voices in Walt Disney animated movies. In 1944, he acted in the film Berlim na Batucada, by Luís de Barros. His debut on radio was in 1959, on Paulo Gracindo's show at Rádio Nacional, where he took his stage name Pery Ribeiro on suggestion of his godfather César de Alencar. In 1960, Ribeiro had his first song, "Não Devo Insistir" (written with Dora Lopes), recorded by Dalva de Oliveira. Ribeiro recorded his first single in the same year. In 1961, he recorded the bossa nova classics "Manhã de Carnaval" and "Samba de Orfeu" (both by Luís Bonfá/Antônio Maria) and "Barquinho" (Roberto Menescal/Ronaldo Bôscoli), among others. The first LP came in 1962, Pery Ribeiro e Seu Mundo de Canções Românticas, backed by Luís Bonfá on the guitar. In the next year, Pery é Todo Bossa had an enormous success with the first recording of "Garota de Ipanema" (Tom Jobim/Vinícius de Moraes), along with other bossa nova classics like "Me Lembro Vagamente," "Nós e o Mar," "Ah! Se eu Pudesse," and "Rio" (all by Roberto Menescal/Ronaldo Bôscoli) and originals. In 1964, Ribeiro's LP Pery Muito Mais Bossa brought "Berimbau" (Baden Powell/Vinícius de Moraes), "Baiãozinho" (Eumir Deodato), "Feio Não é Bonito" (Carlos Lyra/Gianfrancesco Guarnieri), and "Você" (Roberto Menescal/Ronaldo Bôscoli). In the next year, he formed with Leny Andrade and the Bossa 3 the group Gemini V, which performed with success at the Porão 73 club and at the Princesa Isabel theater ("Rio"), recording live the LP Gemini V/Show na Boate Porão 73/Leny Andrade, Pery Ribeiro e Bossa Três. In 1967, he had a successful six-month season in Mexico with the Gemini V. In 1966, Ribeiro went to the U.S. where he joined the Bossa Rio, (Sérgio Mendes, Gracinha Leporace, Osmar Milito, Manfredo Fest, Otávio Bailly, and Ronnie Mesquita), performing in several American cities. Returning to Rio in 1971, Ribeiro recorded with Leny Andrade the LP Gemini Cinco Anos Depois. Again in Mexico in 1974, he performed in Acapulco with Eliana Pittman and Herivelto Martins. In 1986, he recorded with Luís Eça the LP Pra Tanto Viver. Ribeiro starred in a show at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, in which his father Herivelto Martins was paid tribute and awarded with the Shell Prize. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi