Severino Dias de Oliveira (May 26, 1930 – December 14, 2006), known professionally as Sivuca, was a Brazilian

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...

ist, guitarist and singer. In addition to his home state of

Paraíba Paraíba ( , ; ) is a states of Brazil, state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba i ...

, Brazil, and cities

Recife Recife ( , ) is the Federative units of Brazil, state capital of Pernambuco, Brazil, on the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of South America. It is the largest urban area within both the North Region, Brazil, North and the Northeast R ...

and

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, he worked and lived in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

, and

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

intermittently. He has two daughters, Wilma Da Silva and Flavia de Oliveira Barreto. He worked with Scandinavian jazz musicians in the 1980s. His most famous songs are "João e Maria" with lyrics by

Chico Buarque Francisco Buarque de Hollanda (born 19 June 1944), popularly known simply as Chico Buarque (), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, playwright, writer, and poet. He is best known for his music, which often includes social, econom ...

and "Feira de Mangaio", named after the artisan markets of northeast Brazil. He used makeshift instruments alongside conventional ones and combined traditional regional styles such as

forró The term forró () refers to a musical genre, a rhythm, a dance and the event itself where forró music is played and danced. Forró is an important part of the culture of the Northeastern Brazil, Northeastern Region of Brazil. It encompasses ...

and

choro ''Choro'' (, "cry" or "lament"), also popularly called ''chorinho'' ("little cry" or "little lament"), is an instrumental Brazilian popular music genre which originated in 19th century Rio de Janeiro. Despite its name, the music often has a fa ...

with jazz, bossa nova, and classical music. Sivuca and

Hermeto Pascoal Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is best known in music of Brazil, Brazilian music for his orchestration and improvisation, as well as ...

, both versatile multi-instrumentalists with

albinism Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and reddish pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albinos. Varied use and interpretation of ...

, worked together and are sometimes confused with each other.

Career

His professional career began in

Pernambuco Pernambuco ( , , ) is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.5 million people as of 2024, it is the List of Brazilian states by population, ...

where he went at the age of 15, and continued in his first album with

Humberto Teixeira Humberto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Teixeira (5 January 1915 – 3 October 1979) was a Brazilian lawyer, politician, musician, and composer, mostly known for his partnership with musician Luiz Gonzaga. Together, they wrote one of the most impor ...

(1950), leading to work in radio and television in

from 1955. With "Os Brasileiros" he toured Europe (1958).

New York 1964–1976

He moved to

(1964–76) and worked with

Miriam Makeba Zenzile Miriam Makeba ( , ; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including African popular music, Afropop, ja ...

and

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...

among others. Archival footage of his work with Makeba can be seen in

Mika Kaurismäki Mika Juhani Kaurismäki (; born 21 September 1955) is a Finnish film director. Early life and education Mika Kaurismäki was born in Orimattila. He is the elder brother of Aki Kaurismäki. After high school, Kaurismäki worked as a painter of ...

's documentary ''Mama Africa'' (2011). Makeba included his baião tune "(Adeus) Maria Fulô" on her 1966 album ''

All About Miriam ''All About Miriam'' is the 1966 ninth studio album of Miriam Makeba (LP Mercury 134029).Billboard - Nov 19, 1966 ALL ABOUT MIRIAM Miriam Makeba. Mercury MG 21095 (M); "... Not only does she excel in an almost-patented "Click Song," but also in s ...

''. He recorded with

Putte Wickman Hans Olof "Putte" Wickman (10 September 1924 – 14 February 2006) was a Swedish jazz clarinetist. Career Born Hans Olof Wickman in Falun Falun () is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 37,291 inhabit ...

(''Putte Wickman & Sivuca'', 1969). He also collaborated with the husband-and-wife team of

Oscar Brown Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, actor, and civil rights activist (Brown was African-American). Brown discovered The Jackson 5. Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully ...

and Jean Pace on ''Joy'', an

off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

musical show that was performed at the New Theatre in 1970, and the production's original cast recording which was released by

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

that same year. In 1975, he contributed accordion and backing vocals to the track "I Do It For Your Love" on

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

's ''

Still Crazy After All These Years ''Still Crazy After All These Years'' is the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, released on October 17, 1975, by Columbia Records. Recorded and released in 1975, the album produced four U.S. Top 40 hits: " 50 Way ...

'' album.

1980s

He recorded with

Ulf Wakenius Ulf Karl Erik Wakenius (born 16 April 1958) is a Swedish jazz guitarist, known as a member of Oscar Peterson's last quartet from 1997. He was also a member of the Ray Brown trio. Career Wakenius was born in Halmstad and raised in Gothenbu ...

's "Guitars Unlimited" (1987) and

Sylvia Vrethammar Eva Sylvia Vrethammar (born 22 August 1945) is a Swedish traditional pop and jazz singer. Vrethammar was born in Uddevalla, Sweden. She is the daughter of Harald Vrethammar, an education official, and Britta Vrethammar, a musical education te ...

(''Rio de Janeiro Blue'', 1985; ''Rendezvous in Rio'', 1995). His "Sivuca Brazilian Group" toured Scandinavia in 1990.

Final years

Sivuca was hospitalized on December 12 and died on December 14, 2006, after suffering from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

for two-years.ESTADAO.COM.BR, Friday, 15 December 2006

Discography

* ''Motivo Para Dancar No. 2'' (Copacabana, 1957) * ''Motivo Para Dancar'' (Copacabana, 1958) * ''Ve Se Gostas'' (Odeon, 1959) * ''Putte Wickman Meets Sivuca''/''Putte Wickman-Sivuca'' (Swedisc, 1966, 1968) * ''Golden Bossa Nova Guitar'' (Reprise, 1968) * ''Bossa Nova'' (Music Hall, 1968) * ''Putte Wickman & Sivuca'' (Four Leaf Clover, 1969) * ''Rendez-Vous a Rio'' (Barclay, 1969) * ''Joy'' with Oscar Brown Jr., Jean Pace (RCA Victor, 1970) * ''Sivuca'' (Vanguard, 1973) * ''Live at the Village Gate'' (Vanguard, 1975) * ''Gravado Ao Vivo'' (RCA, 1977) * ''Forro e Frevo'' (Copacabana, 1980) * ''Cabelo de Milho'' (Copacabana, 1980) * ''Vou Vida Afora'' (Copacabana, 1981) * ''Forro e Frevo Vol. 2'' (Copacabana, 1982) * ''Forro e Frevo Vol. 3'' (Copacabana, 1983) * ''Onca Caetana'' (Copacabana, 1983) * ''Forro e Frevo Vol. 4'' (Copacabana, 1984) * ''Sivuca & Chiquinho Do Acordeon'' (Barclay, 1984) * ''Chiko's Bar'' (Sonet, 1985) * ''Som Brasil'' (Young, 1985) * ''Let's Vamos'' (Sonet, 1987) * ''Sanfonae e Realejo'' (3M, 1987) * ''Um Pe No Asfalto, Um Pe Na Buraqueira'' (Copacabana, 1990) * ''One Good Turn'' (Music Partner, 1992) * ''Pau Doido'' (Kuarup, 1992) * ''Enfim Solo'' (Kuarup, 1997) * ''Cada Um Belisca Um Pouco'' (Biscoito Fino, 2004) * ''Sivuca Sinfonico'' (Biscoito Fino, 2004) * ''Terra Esperanca'' (Kuarup, 2006) * ''Sivuca e Quinteto Uirapuru'' (Kuarup, 2010)

References

{{Authority control 1930 births 2006 deaths Brazilian accordionists People with albinism Deaths from cancer in Paraíba Brazilian jazz musicians People from João Pessoa, Paraíba Brazilian male guitarists Brazilian expatriates in France Brazilian expatriates in Portugal Brazilian expatriates in the United States 20th-century accordionists 20th-century Brazilian guitarists