Monsueto

Monsueto Campos de Menezes, known as Monsueto (Gávea, 1924 – 1973), was a Brazilian sambista, singer, composer, drummer, painter and actor. He belonged to the samba de morro, or 'hill samba', tradition and helped popularise it alongside artists such as Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho and Zé Keti. His musical output is small, but it is considered very valuable to the history of Brazilian music.

Raised in the Morro do Pinto favela after being orphaned at a young age, he began playing drums at around fifteen and, during the 1940s, performed in several bands, among them the Orquestra de Copinha, which played at the Copacabana Palace Hotel. In the early 1950s other artists recorded many of his compositions. By the late 1950s he was appearing in films and on television and making his own recordings. In later years he also found success as a painter.

After his popularity waned, he was rediscovered in the late 1960s, beginning with Maria Bethânia's cover of his song 'Mora na filosofia'. Two celebrated 1970s albums, Milton Nascimento's Clube da Esquina and Caetano Veloso's Transa, included his compositions. On Transa, Caetano gave a rock and roll version of the song his sister had previously recorded. Monsueto remains remembered as a key figure of samba de morro.