Is it possible to continue being authentically Brazilian, even living far away from Brazil for many years? Can be the story of this experience beneficial for us, causing an information enrichment and at the same time increasing the value of our cultural manifestations?
The life of Vera Lucia Montes is an attempt to answer these questions:
this „Carioca“, born under the sign of samba, in the today definitively consecrated Avenue Marques de Sapucaí (Sambadome in Rio),
was melted since her childhood and youth into the musical environment of Rio de Janeiro.
Descending from a family of samba dancers, she got used,
since very early, to feel her heart beating stronger to the rhythm of the samba schools.
Precociously singer of recognized value, she had a fast,
however remarkable presence in the Carioca night.
At that time, she participated in different shows, as of Sargentelli, Chacrinha and Sílvio Santos, beyond singing Bossa Nova and Brazilian jazz in piano bars such as the Concorde, Un- Deux- Trois,
Beco das Garrafas, Girl of Ipanema etc.
Following the mysteries and surprises of life, she transferred her domicile to the world, as she was invited to participate of international tours:
France, Germany, Spain and Scandinavia.
They are innumerable, the stages, where she performed during her long permanence in Europe.
Some of them very famous, like the Teatro Monumental in Madrid, Teatro Victória in Barcelona, Svenska Theater in Helsinki, Théatre des Champs Elysées in Paris, Opera Comique in Lille, Theater des Westens in Berlin, Olympiahalle in Munich, Cirque Royal in Brussels and many other more.
She participated also in TV- programs in Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, Finland and even in Turkey.
Without never leaving aside, however, the temperament and the Brazilian soul in innumerable seasons, singing in front of people of different languages, who many times without understanding the words,
stayed always fascinated from that feeling, which she transmits,
with her powerful and pleasant voice, her affection and her charming.
After almost twenty years of absence, Vera Lúcia comes back to the Brazilian scene.
Bringing a musical luggage, which tries to demonstrate, through a balanced chosen repertoire on a
CD of popular Brazilian music, with unknown songs of Carioca composers, consecrated in Brazil,
that nor the time and nor the distance, hinder in any way, to accomplish good music.
With the participation of well known musicians of the musical scope of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo,
it appeared with much affection and care, the album “Esquindôlele”,
arranged by the unforgettable maestro Mozar Terra,
which matches inside the tradition of the best Brazilian music. (www.myspace.com/veraluciamontes).
In the same way, as part of her tireless and intransigent commitment with the music of her native country, her first DVD was recorded in Germany, at the beginning of this year,
under the musical direction of the great composer, arranger and director Júlio Barbosa,
whose pen knew how to give to the music of our days, this atemporal and immortal skill,
proper of a musician of his cut. (www.youtube.com/veraluciamontes).
For the time, which remains of the year, Vera Lúcia has foreseen,
together with old friends and partners in Brazil, to accomplish two great tribute projects,
regarding two maximum exponents of Brazilian music: Tim Maia and Moacir Santos.