Zeca Pagodinho (Jessé Gomes da Silva Filho, born February 4, 1959, in Irajá, Rio
de Janeiro) built his career out of Rio’s suburban rodas de samba before
becoming one of the most recognizable voices in samba and pagode. His first
widely heard recording came in 1983, when Beth Carvalho invited him into a
studio setting connected to her circle, and in 1985 he appeared on the
generation-defining compilation Raça Brasileira, which helped introduce a new
wave of sambistas. He released his first solo album, Zeca Pagodinho (1986), and
“Judia de Mim” broke further into the mainstream thr...