Jorge Aragão
Jorge Aragão (b. March 01, 1949, birth name Jorge Aragão da Cruz) is a brazilian musician, composer, singer and songwriter working in the genres of samba and pagode. Jorge is a multi instrumentist, playing the guitar, surdo, cavaquinho and banjo, among other instruments. In shows, he usually plays the cavaquinho most of the time, which seems to be his favourite instrument, and sometimes the banjo.
Sambista, started his career in the 70's, in balls and nightclubs. As a songwriter, arose in 1977, when Elza Soares recorded his composition "Malandro" (with Jotabê). Was a founding member of the Grupo Fundo de Quintal (nucleus of the pagode genre) and one of its main composers and lyricists, having for that abandoned the band some time later to dedicate himself to a solo career. Almost every great samba interpreter (Beth Carvalho, Alcione, Zeca Pagodinho, Martinho da Vila) have Jorge Aragão signed songs in their repertoire.
The first solo album, "Jorge Aragão", came in 1982, from Ariola. Conversant in the carioca carnival, was a comentator for the samba school parades in the TV networks Globo and Manchete. With 12 records edited, has toured the United States and performs in various cities in Brazil. Among his greatest hits are "Amigos... Amantes", "Do Fundo do Nosso Quintal", "Enredo do Meu Samba", "Ontem", and "Coisinha do Pai" (with Almir Guineto and Luiz Carlos da Vila), immortalized in the recording by Beth Carvalho, which was inserted in the space probe Pathfinder in the late 90's. A lot of songs which are considered samba classics and are very well known by the singing public of the rodas de samba are signed by Jorge.
With almost 30 years dedicated entirely to samba, Jorge Aragão is still in strong activity in Brazil, more popular than ever.
Sources:
http://cliquemusic.uol.com.br/artistas/jorge-aragao.asp (portuguese)