LuizCaldas

Luiz Caldas was born in Salvador, Bahia in 1948. He formed his first band, Os Novos Bárbaros, in the early 1970s, working with the rhythms of axé and samba that were part of his hometown's sound. By the mid-1980s he was releasing albums like 'Axé Music' and 'Magia' that helped define a particular moment in Brazilian pop.

His 1990 album 'Alma Nua' gave him one of his best-known songs, the title track. Other songs like 'Anjo Existe' and 'Garra de Leoa' became staples in his set. He recorded an acoustic session for MTV in 2005 and marked fifty years in music with a 2013 release.

Over time his band included musicians like Zelito Miranda on bass and Robertinho Barreto on drums. Caldas sang and played guitar, and the group's sound mixed axé with elements of samba-reggae, a blend that sometimes drew skepticism from traditional listeners but found its audience.