Ed Ayres

Ed Ayres came from Marataízes in Espírito Santo, where he grew up hearing samba, forró, and axé. He also listened to blues, jazz, and rock from outside Brazil. In 1986, his first album included 'Capixaba,' a ballad about his home state that became popular there and elsewhere.

That song, along with others like 'Romantico,' helped him find listeners who appreciated his approach. He worked through some early resistance from labels that weren't sure about mixing Brazilian traditions with other sounds. Later, in 2010, there were questions about similarities between 'Capixaba' and another artist's work, which Ayres disputed.