Zé Vicente

Zé Vicente was born José Vicente in 1946 in Portugal's Algarve region. He began making music during the 1970s, a period of political tension under the Salazar regime. His debut album, simply titled 'Zé Vicente,' came out in 1971. The title track from that record, 'Quando o Dia da Paz Renascer,' became associated with peace movements in the country at the time.

His work often addressed social themes, which sometimes led to official pushback like concert bans or censorship. He kept recording through the decade, putting out albums such as 'O Canto da Terra' in 1974 and 'Os Dias Felizes' in 1976. Songs like 'De todos os Cantos Viemos' and 'Chegou a Hora da Alegria' reflect this period of his writing.

Vicente collaborated with other Portuguese musicians, including vocalist Arminda Neves and guitarist José Afonso. Later recordings include 'O Tempo da Paz' from 1980 and 'Crónicas da Terra' from 1986. His catalog also features tracks like 'Senhor Deus, misericórdia!' and 'Missão de Todos Nós,' a duet with Dalva Tenório.