Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1930, samba star and jazz diva Elza da Conceição Soares, better known as Elza Soares, was renowned around the world for her husky voice and samba-scat singing. She enjoyed a long series of hits during the 1960s and 1970s, and later came back and became an international sensation when Caetano Veloso invited her to do a duet in the mid-1980s.
Elza took back the status and aura of a controversial diva, world singer and spokeswoman of Negritude in 2000.
Elza soares gained addiitonal worldwide attention thanks to the international release of her album A Mulher do Fim do Mundo (2015), released as The Woman at the End of the World by Mais Um Discos in 2016. The album brought together Elza and several generations of São Paulo’s underground musicians. Together, they delivered an explosive mix of innovative samba sujo (‘dirty samba’) with rock, jazz, electronics and other musical forms.
With her unique vocals, Elza instinctively arrived at a synthesis of African-American and Brazilian music.
Elza Soares died on January 20, 2022.
Discography
Se Acaso Você Chegasse (Odeon, 1960)
Tenha Pena de Mim (Odeon, 1960)
Eu e o rio (Odeon, 1961)
Beija-me (Odeon, 1961)
Mulata Assanhada (Odeon, 1961)
A Bossa Negra (Odeon, 1961 / Universal 2003)
Sambossa (Odeon, 1963)
Na Roda do Samba (Odeon, 1964)
Um Show de Beleza (Odeon, 1965)
O Samba Brasileiro (Odeon, 1965)
Verão do Meu Rio (Odeon, 1965)
O Neguinho e a Senhorita (Odeon, 1965)
Com A Bola Branca (Odeon, 1966)
Palmas no portão (Odeon, 1967)
O Mundo Encantado de Monteiro Lobato (Odeon, 1967)
Negro Telefone (Odeon, 1967)
Com Que Roupa (Odeon, 1967)
Elza, Miltinho e Samba (Odeon, 1967)
O Máximo em Samba (Odeon, 1967)
Balanço Zona Sul (Odeon, 1968)
Diálogo de Crioulos (Odeon, 1968)
Mestre-Sala (Odeon, 1968)
Capoeira (Odeon, 1968)
Onde Está Meu Samba (Odeon, 1968)
Elza, Miltinho e Samba Vol.2 (Odeon, 1968)
Elza Soares e Wilson das Neves (Odeon, 1968)
Boggie Woogie na Favela (Odeon, 1969)
Heróis da Liberdade (Odeon, 1969)
Juntinho de Novo (Odeon, 1969)
Elza Carnaval & Samba (Odeon, 1969)
Elza, Miltinho e Samba Vol.3 (Odeon, 1969)
Samba & Mais Sambas (Odeon, 1969)
Sambas e Mais Sambas (Odeon, 1970)
Se Acaso Você Chegasse (Odeon, 1971)
Sangue, Suor e Raça (Odeon, 1972)
Grade do Amor (Odeon, 1972)
Elza Pede Passagem (Odeon, 1972 / EMI 2004)
Swing Negrão Odeon, 1972)
Maria Vai com as Outras (Odeon, 1972)
Lendas do Abaeté (Odeon, 1973)
Aquarela Brasileira (Odeon, 1973)
Salve a Mocidade (Tapecar, 1974)
Quem é bom já nasce feito (Tapecar, 1974)
Samba, Minha Raiz (Tapecar, 1974)
Com Que Roupa (Odeon, 1974)
Pilão+Raça=Elza (Odeon, 1977)
Elza Negra, Negra Elza (CBS, 1980)
Voltei (1988)
Carioca da Gema (1999)
Do Cóccix Até O Pescoço (Maianga / Tratore 2002)
Vivo Feliz (Tratore, 2004)
Beba-me – Ao Vivo (Biscoito Fino, 2007)
Chega de Saudade (Universal, 2008)
A Mulher do Fim do Mundo (Circus, 2015)/The Woman at the End of the World (Mais Um Discos, 2016)
Deus é Mulher (Deckdisc, 2018)
Planeta Fome (Deckdisc, 2019)
Boxed sets
Anos 70 (4 CD boxed set)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Updated biography