Sylvia Telles goes to the U.S.A.

Radiolandia #337, 1st October 1960. Sylvia (holding a cigarette in one hand and a coat in the other) listens to Oscar's guitar; the girl in the centre is Laïs who was signed by Philips too. 

Oscar Castro Neves says goodbye to Sylvia Telles in style.

Sylvia Telles flew to New York with Aloysio de Oliveira. They met Adalgisa Colombo, Miss Brazil 1958, who had been living in the USA since she was the runner up to the Miss Universe competition in June 1958. She actually married Brazilian diplomat Jackson Flores and had a baby boy. Sylvia & Aloysio also also met orchestra conductor Leo Peracchi, another expatriate who'd been living in the USA for some time.

They left New York and drove in a car all the way to California which took them 10 days. They made a stop at Las Vegas, Nevada where they paid a visit to Leny Eversong who was the main attraction at the Thunderbird night club. It took them 2 days to get booked to see Leny in action. 

Sylvia in Las Vegas, Nevada; Radiolandia #340, 15 November 1960.

Aloysio de Oliveira, Sylvia, Leny Everson & her husband in Las Vegas.

it took 2 days for Sylvia & Aloysio to be able to get in the Thunderbird to watch Leny Eversong starring the biggest show in town. 

Radiolandia #339, 1st November 1960. 

Sylvia is dazzled by Hollywood star Roberto Conrad; Laïs who was friends with Sylvia has her first 78 rpm single released by Philips: 'Patinho feio' b/w 'Com você' - Radiolandia # 339, 1st November 1960.  

Sylvia at the cover of Radiolandia #315, 16 April 1960.

Sylvia is back from the USA. 

Sylvia Telles accompanied by Candinho in 1957.

NEWTON MENDONÇA

Newton Ferreira de Mendonça was born on 14 February 1927, in Rio de Janeiro. He was an Aquarian just like Antonio Carlos Jobim, his best friend, born on 25 February 1927, only 20 days earlier. 

He lived in Porto Alegre-RS and was back in Rio in 1942, when he was 15 years old. He was a classic-trained pianist and joined his childhood friend Tom Jobim circa 1953. They wrote both music and lyrics for seminal songs like 'Desafinado', 'Samba de uma nota só', 'Discussão', 'Meditação' aka 'O amor, o sorriso e a flor' and others.

As his friend Jobim, Newton played piano at night clubs in Rio which was not good for his health. He had a heart attack in 1959, while working at Carrossel. A year later, on 22nd November 1960, Newton had a second and fatal heart attack.

Newton Mendonça was a shy type of entertainer. He avoided the spotlight but somehow received Radiolandia's journalist at his home in October 1960 for a chat. Exactly 4 weeks before he died.

Newton Mendonça at his piano at home. Radiolandia #337, 15 October 1960. 

Renato (4 years-old), Cirene his missus, Fernando (1 year-old) & Newton (33 years-old).

Radiolandia #343, 1st January 1961; Newton Mendonça died on 22nd November 1960. 

a simple note at 'Correio da Manhã', 24 November 1960, says Newton Mendonça died in the first hours of the day. Newton had played piano at a night club and had arrived home. He went to the kitchen to prepare a light meal and get to sleep. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his chest and it was Death itself which came to fetch him. 

most of Newton Mendonça's photos available publicly were taken a few weeks before his death.

Cirene holds Fernando & Newton holds Renato - 1960. 

an earlier photo of Mendonça's.

Noite Ilustrada & racism in Brazilian society

Noite Ilustrada (Illustrated Night) was singer Mario Filho's pseudonym. As various Black entertainers before him, he was given a racist-tinged name relating to his dark skin. 

Brazilian society has been a racist society since the 17th century when the Portuguese promoted the African slave traffic that dominated Western society for centuries. 

Well, we're still racist with different shades & forms...

This 1962 Radiolandia articles says: A singer who needs to change his name! 

Radiolandia #367, 1st January 1962. 

Noite Ilustrada's 1961 album released by Mocambo.

GASOLINA, a young Black singer in the 1950s...

Antonio Monte de Souza used to work at a gasoline station in Porto Alegre-RS. After knocking off work he would change into a nice suit and go off to Radio Gaúcha to sing at gong shows. People noticed that his clothes reeked of gasoline and that's how he got his nickname. 

In 1953, Antonio up and left Porto Alegre to try his luck in Rio de Janeiro. He went straight to Radio Nacional and asked MC Cesar de Alencar for a chance to sing. 

Nelson Gonçalves took a shine to Antonio and brought him to Sao Paulo where he signed with Radio Record for 7 years.

'Radiolandia' 15 August 1963.

'Caminho diferente' (Zé Keti) / 'Vou parar de falar' (Geraldo Serafim-Erasmo Silva) Odeon (1958)

17.792 - Continental 1960 - Escureceu (Talismã-Edmundo Andrade) / Castigou legal (Nancy Wanderley-Newton Ramalho)

Radiolandia #338,  15 October 1960.

Brazilian press usually treated Black people with contempt and derision. This little article on Radiolandia says Gasolina was really thankful to Paulinho Machado de Carvalho the strong-man at Radio & TV Record for having literally saved him from starvation when he signed him up as a singer. 

The magazine goes a little farther on the sterotyping saying Gazolina said: 'I am the poor man's Sammy Davis, Jr. But I assure you I won't be marrying a blonde woman'.  Gazolina meant May Britt the Swedish blonde who married the Black US entertainer.

8 April 1960 - At Rio's Plaza Boite, Gasolina stars with Claudia Moreno in the revue 'Bossas da Velha Cap' two weeks before Brasilia would be inaugurated...

Radiolandia #345; Gasolina & Angela Maria in 1961. 

Radiolandia #359; Paulo Molin & Gasolina in 1961.

Intervalo posted this Gasolina photo as late as 21st July 1963, when he took part in a charity show organized by Rio de Janeiro Archbishop Dom Helder Câmara.

this is the first ever Gasolina photograph at 'Revista do Radio' (1957).

 'Revista do Radio' no. 413 shows Gasolina, the 'new kid in town' in 1957.

Luely Figueiró & Gasolina - 'Revista do Radio' n. 469.

'Revista do Radio' n.470 (1958) shows Gasolina and the 'Gaucho connection' (performers originally from Rio Grande do Sul (the Southern-most state in Brazil) who migrated to Rio de Janeiro, then Brazil's capital. They were roughly: Nelson Gonçalves, Luely Figueiró, Julio Rosemberg, Amilton Fernandes, Alberto & Paulo Ruschel.

more about the 'Gaucho connection' on 'Revista do Radio' n.470.

Gasolina, N.I. lady, Paulo Augusto (?), Amilton Fernandes, Julio Rosemberg, Wilson Roberto and ?

Johnny Ray, the Prince of Wails confabulates with Gasolina. 'Revista do Radio' n. 488.

 'Revista do Radio' n.512 brings Gasolina's few biographical data; his DOB is actually 23 January 1937; 

'Revista do Radio' n. 611 - 1961.

Gasolina in Buenos Aires in the winter of 1961, with Lona Waren serving him a chimarron; on the right photo Gasolina wear a tuxedo by the side of Spanish bomshell Rosa Morena - 'Revista do Radio' n. 633.

Gasolina devours an Argentine empanada...