Rosinha de Valença

Good morning.

Today we’re listening to Rosinha de Valença, a Brazilian guitarist and composer. Born in 1941, Valença taught herself acoustic guitar by playing along with the radio, earning her first club gig at age 12.¹ She would become a guitar virtuoso and major figure in Brazilian pop in the ‘60s when the sound was making waves internationally. We’re playing her best known album, Um Violão em Primeiro Plano (A Guitar in the Foreground) from 1971, whose track “Summertime” is unmissable. But up first we have a fully instrumental, lesser-known LP from the year before: Rosinha de Valença apresenta Ipanema Beat.

Rosinha de Valença apresenta Ipanema Beat - Rosinha de Valença (40m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Um Violão em Primeiro Plano - Rosinha de Valença (30m, some vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Tidal

Have a great Thursday.

1. via She Shreds, whose profile of Valença is worth reading