Velha Guarda Da Portela

Founded in 1970 by older members of the Portela samba school (Manacéia, Alvaiade, Ventura, Antônio Rufino dos Reis, Aniceto, Alberto Lonato, Francisco Santana, Mijinha, Alcides Dias Lopes, Armando Santos, and Antônio Caetano), the Velha Guarda da Portela recorded in the same year the LP Portela: Escolas Passado de Glória. In 1974, the label Marcus Pereira, specializing in historical research, produced the LP Portela featuring the Velha Guarda interpreting the great composers of the samba school. In 1986, the Japanese producer Katsunori Tanaka launched in Japan Velha Guarda da Portela and in 1990 released Homenagem a Paulo da Portela (which was never released in Brazil). The group also recorded with Monarco (Monarco e a Velha-Guarda da Portela), Cristina Buarque (Cristina and Resgate), Clara Nunes (in "Portela na Avenida"), and its shows have always the participation of consecrated artists like Beth Carvalho, Paulinho da Viola, Gilberto Gil, and Marisa Monte (daughter of Carlos Monte, a former director of Portela, in 2000 she launched the CD Tudo Azul featuring the Velha Guarda). In 1994, the Velha Guarda performed in the Heineken Concerts festival at the Palace (São Paulo) with Paulinho da Viola, Gilberto Gil, and Canhoto da Paraíba.