Biography

The history of Cartola is intertwined with the history of urban carioca samba, from the 1920s through the end of the century. He was the partner of legendary Noel Rosa, he had his compositions recorded by virtually all acknowledged Brazilian interpreters, and he was a founder of Escola de Samba Estácio Primeira de Mangueira, (Samba School of Mangueira), one of the most famed samba schools of carioca Carnival (and the first Carnival association to employ the samba as a musical vehicle). Until then, the groups (blocos) of participants (folios), were used to play and dance to marcha-rancho. Son of an amateur acoustic guitar player, Cartola learned to play the guitar by himself and by watching his father (he learned the cavaquinho, similar to the ukelele, as well). At 15 years old, his mother died and he lost the link between himself and his tyrannical father. Cartola abandoned school after completing junior high school, left home, and dedicated himself to Bohemianism and various part-time jobs. In April 28, 1928, he helped found the Samba School of Mangueira (a carioca hill over which the poor people established themselves) and was charged with being the school's master of harmony. The school's first parade, still in 1928, opened with the first samba composed by Cartola, "Chega de Demanda" ("Enough Fighting," an appeal to the cessation of violence amongst rival sambistas and malandrosof the hills).