Jards Macalé

Born in Tijuca in 1943, Jards Anet da Silva received the nickname Macalé as a boy in Ipanema, after a poor Botafogo player. He studied with Guerra-Peixe and Turíbio Santos, made his professional debut in 1965 as guitarist for Grupo Opinião, and served as musical director for Maria Bethânia's first solo shows. In 1969, he performed "Gotham City," written with Capinam, at the Festival Internacional da Canção amid boos. In London, he played for and produced Caetano Veloso in exile. Back in Brazil, he recorded his first LP for Philips, released in 1972; Aprender a Nadar followed in 1974. He appeared in films by Nelson Pereira dos Santos, continued releasing records into the 2020s, and died in Rio in 2025.