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| Quarteto em Cy | |
|---|---|
| Name | Quarteto em Cy |
| Background | group_or_band |
| Origin | Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Genres | Bossa nova, MPB, Samba (Brazilian genre), Tropicália |
| Labels | Philips Records, RCA Victor, EMI, Elektra Records |
Quarteto em Cy Quarteto em Cy formed in Recife, Pernambuco in 1960 and became one of Brazil’s most enduring vocal ensembles, noted for intricate harmonies and interpretations of bossa nova and música popular brasileira. The quartet achieved national prominence in the 1960s through collaborations with leading composers and arrangers associated with Tom Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, and Garrincha-era cultural circles, later working with figures from Tropicália and international artists. Their career spans recordings for Philips Records and performances at landmark venues tied to Brazilian Modernism and international festivals.
Quartet origins trace to sisters from Recife, Pernambuco who began singing in local radio programs influenced by northeastern Brazilian traditions linked to Frevo and Forró. After relocating to Rio de Janeiro, they entered the studio under producers connected to Caymmi family networks and benefitted from the bossa nova boom led by Antônio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto. Early recordings featured arrangements by notable orchestrators including Aloísio de Oliveira and collaborations with instrumentalists from Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 sessions. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the group navigated collaborations with composers such as Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and arrangers affiliated with RCA Victor and EMI (record label), solidifying their place within música popular brasileira circuits and international showcase tours. The ensemble adapted through lineup changes and evolving Brazilian cultural movements linked to Military dictatorship in Brazil-era censorship, yet continued touring across Europe, Japan, and United States festival circuits.
Original membership comprised four women from the same family, later joined or replaced by cousins and contemporaries connected to Recife and Rio vocal traditions. Notable long-term members include vocalists who performed alongside artists from Baden Powell ensembles and session musicians who worked with Elis Regina and Milton Nascimento. Collaborations often featured guest appearances by composers tied to Vinícius de Moraes and performers associated with the Bossa nova movement. Over decades members performed with ensembles linked to Chico Buarque's theater projects and musicians from São Paulo’s MPB circles, while some pursued solo projects referencing associations with Tropicalismo artists.
Their repertoire blends bossa nova syncopation, samba (Brazilian genre) swing, and elements of northeastern Brazilian styles like Maracatu and Forró. Harmonies and contrapuntal lines reflect influences from arrangers and composers such as Antônio Carlos Jobim, Tom Zé, and Egberto Gismonti, drawing on songbooks by Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, and Gilberto Gil. The group’s interpretations of standards from the bossa nova movement coexist with contemporary MPB compositions and adaptations of Brazilian folk forms associated with Dorival Caymmi and Heitor Villa-Lobos-inspired chamber settings. Their vocal arrangements integrate techniques used by international ensembles linked to The Hi-Lo's and The Swingle Singers, while staying rooted in Brazilian rhythmic idioms connected to samba-canção and urban Carioca traditions.
The ensemble’s discography spans studio albums, live recordings, and compilations on labels including Philips Records, RCA Victor, EMI (record label), and Elektra Records. Key releases featured collaborations with composers and arrangers from the bossa nova and MPB scenes, and included live sets recorded at festivals associated with Festival de Música Popular Brasileira and concert halls where artists like Elis Regina and Gilberto Gil also performed. Their catalogue contains early 1960s singles that entered radio playlists curated by DJs who promoted bossa nova internationally, mid‑career LPs reflecting MPB influences from the 1970s, and reunion recordings aligning with revival movements in the 1990s and 2000s that brought them onto bills with artists from Sergio Mendes to Caetano Veloso.
Throughout their career the group received accolades from Brazilian cultural institutions and music academies, performing at events honoring figures such as Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes. They were featured in retrospectives organized by municipal and state cultural departments in Rio de Janeiro and Recife, Pernambuco, and invited to participate in tribute concerts for composers like Chico Buarque and Dorival Caymmi. International recognition included invitations to European and Japanese festivals where they shared stages with artists from bossa nova and world music circuits, and appearances on recordings distributed by major international labels.
Their sustained presence helped codify four-part female vocal harmony within música popular brasileira, influencing ensembles and vocal groups in Brazil and beyond. Quartets and choirs drawing on MPB repertoires cite their arrangements and collaborations with composers such as Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, and Caetano Veloso as formative. Their work contributed to the globalization of bossa nova aesthetics and provided a template for female vocal ensembles engaging with both urban Carioca and northeastern Brazilian song traditions. Contemporary Brazilian artists and musicologists reference their recordings in studies of 20th‑century Brazilian popular song alongside archives associated with Universidade de São Paulo and cultural centers in Recife.
Category:Brazilian musical groups Category:Bossa nova musicians Category:Música popular brasileira artists