Zeca Baleiro

Zeca Baleiro is a Brazilian MPB artist. One of his most famous songs is "Salão de Beleza", which was featured on Putumayo World Music's Reggae Around the World compilation. Along with being a solo artist, he has also worked with guitarist Pedro Joia. Hailing from the state of Maranhão, in northeastern Brazil, Zeca - short for José (his name is Jose Ribamar) - grew up with music. He then went to a university to study Agronomy and was given the nickname "Baleiro" ("candyman"), because of his love for candy. His first two records, Por Onde Andará Stephen Fry and Vô Imbolá, won gold status. The title track on Por Onde Andará Stephen Fry? (Where could Stephen Fry be?) was a reference to British actor Stephen Fry's flight from the stage play "Cellmates" in 1995, when he disappeared from the United Kingdom after bad reviews. Zeca won the 2000 Latin Grammys for "best pop album". He currently resides in São Paulo.