Danilo Caymmi

Danilo Caymmi
Danilo in 2014, at the 25th edition of the Prêmio da Música Brasileira

Danilo Candido Tostes Caymmi (born March 7, 1948) is a Brazilian musician, singer, composer and arranger.

Danilo was born in Rio de Janeiro, the youngest son of Dorival Caymmi and Stella Maris, and brother of Dori and Nana Caymmi. Brought up by two musical parents and older siblings, he showed an early interest in music and began playing the flute and the guitar as an adolescent. Danilo Caymmi is considered among the most notable Brazilian wind instrument musicians. He abandoned his studies in architecture just before finishing to dedicate himself to his music.

Danilo began his artistic career in 1963, working with Tom Jobim, both singing and playing the flute. This collaboration lasted until 1994. In 1964 he played the flute for the compilation Caymmi Visita Tom, 1964.

As a composer, the first of his works to be recorded was the music for De Brincadeira, in collaboration with Edmundo Souto, in the voice of Mário Castro Neves in 1967. During this period, he accompanied many jazz musicians, such as Sarah Vaughan. Danilo Caymmi also wrote soundtracks for several TV Globo series and soap operas such as Mulheres de Areia, Corpo e Alma, and Riacho Doce.

Danilo Caymmi won third place in TV Globo's Festival Internacional da Canção (International Song Festival), third edition in 1968 with Andança (written with Edmundo Souto and Paulinho Tapajós). The song became a classic, launching the career of Beth Carvalho and since then recorded many times by different artists. Another of his biggest hits came a year later, "Casaco Marrom (Bye Bye, Ceci)," written with Guarabira and Renato Correia (the latter being one of the Golden Boys), with which he won the 1969 festival of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais and also had several re-recordings. As was the case with Andança, this song served to launch another new star, this time Jovem Guarda music style outfit Trio Esperança vocalist Evinha.