Lenine

Lenine has been an extremely popular artist in the ’90s, mixing northeast grooves with pop music. His songs have been recorded by Dionne Warwick (his partner on “Virou Areia” in 1994), Gilberto Gil, Danilo Caymmi, Sérgio Mendes, Tim Maia, and others. From northeastern origin, Lenine absorbed the rich folklore of frevos and maracatus unconsciously, as he was into American rock since his teens. At 17, he was taken with the mineiros of the Clube da Esquina and by other MPB artists, such as Gilberto Gil. A self-taught singer and violonista, he moved to Rio in 1976, participating in Rede Globo’s 1981 MPB Festival with “Prova de Fogo.” The song was released on his first single (Polydor 1981). In 1983, he recorded his first LP (shared with Lula Queiroga), Baque Solto (Polygram) (reissued in CD format in 1998 by the label MPB), based on a swinging fusion of northeastern grooves with electric pop/rock. In the same year, he released the single Baque da Era (Polygram). In 1990, he became acquainted with another pernambucano (from his home state, Pernambuco) Marcos Suzano, a gifted percussionist who has been working extensively as a sideman for great artists. Lenine’s song “As Voltas Que o Mundo Dá” was included on a major soap opera (Ana Raio e Zé Trovão) soundtrack. In 1993, Lenine shared with Suzano the CD Olho de Peixe (Velas), which was one of the 100 best-selling albums in Japan that year. In 1997, he released the solo album O Dia Em Que Faremos Contato, and in the following year, was awarded the Sharp prize in the MPB categories Revelation and Best Song (“A Ponte,” with Lula Queiroga). In the same year, he was nominated for the VMB prize, with “Dois Olhos Negros,” a song also included on the soap opera Era uma Vez. Also in 1988, he participated in the 5 no Palco project, live performances throughout São Paulo state with Chico César, Paulinho Moska, Marcos Suzano, and Zeca Baleiro. In 1999, he recorded the solo album Na Pressão. He appeared on albums by artists Carlos Malta, Chico César, Djavan, Elba Ramalho, Fernanda Abreu, Jane Duboc, Marcos Suzano, Mestre Ambrósio, Paulinho Moska, Pedro Luís e a Parede, O Rappa, Renata Arruda, Vange Milliet, Zélia Duncan, Reginaldo Rossi, and others. In 2000, he participated with Cesária Évora and João Bosco at the Musiques sur l’Ile Nantes Festival. ~ Alvaro Neder