Arnaldo Baptista

4820 fans

MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, COMPOSER, WRITER, VISUAL ARTIST

Arnaldo Baptista – founder of ground-breaking group Mutantes, solo musician, visual artist, linguist, poet - we all know him in so many guises, one of his talents being an endless capacity for reinvention.

Arnaldo first hit the Brazilian and international headlines as leader of Mutantes, the rock group that were at the centre of the Tropicalia movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Tropicalia transformed the Brazilian music scene, mixing elements of traditional music with experimental compositions and adventurous live performance. The ‘no rules’ Tropicalia philosophy, most famously expressed in their 1968 album Tropicalia: ou Panis et Circensis (Tropicalia: or Bread and Circuses) was a perfect showcase for Arnaldo’s diverse talents. Trained as a classical pianist by his mother the concert artist, Clarice Leite Dias Baptista, he also mastered jazz piano and the double bass alongside his passion for singing and song writing.

Branching out as a solo artist after leaving Mutantes Arnaldo had a magical year in 1974, releasing his album Loki?, still considered one of the masterpieces of Brazilian music, indeed on the album’s 40th anniversary the newspaper O Estado de São Paulo dedicated the cover of its culture section to Loki? Re-released in 2017 on vinyl by Polysom Records the album caused a sensation all over again and was hailed by the newspaper Folha de São Paulo with a centre page spread.

Despite Loki?’s iconic status Arnaldo says his 1981 release Singin’Alone is his favourite solo album – this ‘one man band’ creation as he describes it gave him the ultimate artistic freedom of playing all the instruments, singing most of the tracks in English and producing and overseeing every detail from initial conception to vinyl popping off the press.

In total Arnaldo released six solo albums ranging from Elo Perdido (Lost Link) and the live Faremos Uma Noitada Excelente (We Will Have a Great Night Out), both recorded in 1978, to the 1987 cult Disco Voador (Flying Saucer) and Let it Bed (2004), an oblique nod to The Beatles, one of his abiding musical influences. The Beatles link even became flesh in 2000 when Arnaldo took the stage with Sean Lennon at the Free Jazz Festival in Rio de Janeiro. To complete the list Arnaldo but only released in 2013 is the live Shining’ Alone (1981).

All of Arnaldo’s solo works were released on digital platforms in 2013 and five of the albums became bestsellers in Brazil when released in a boxed compact disc format in 2015. His enduring appeal and ability to span eras and genres is reflected in the fact that 87% of his audience are aged between 17 and 34, a trend that continues to grow.

In 1982 Arnaldo had a serious accident and spent five years in recovery, basing himself in Juiz de Fora city where he still lives until today with his wife, Lucinha Barbosa, whom he calls simply ‘my girl’. This blow, far from derailing his artistic activities, seems only to have intensified and diversified Arnaldo’s creative drive and imagination. He began to paint and draw, delighting in colour and pattern and populating his landscapes with a wild array of humans and animals and pretty much every kind of mythical inbetween combination too. After appearing in a series of collective exhibitions throughout the 1990s Arnaldo had his first solo visual art exhibition, Lentes Magnéticas (Magnetic Lenses), in 2012 – this achieved wide media coverage and was followed by 2014 Exorealismo (Exorealism). His last show was Transmigração (Transmigration) funded by the reknowned Brazilian art sponsors, CAIXA Cultural São Paulo.

Arnaldo Baptista has, time and again, proven himself to be one Brazil’s most lively, courageous and inventive artists. Returning to live solo performance in 2011 after a 30 year break from taking the stage alone he took command of his grand piano, journeying through his muscial portfolio while images of his paintings and collages unfurled on a wide screen behind. It was a bravura performance from an artist who has never been afraid to experiment and push on to, and even beyond, his limits.

The Arnaldo Baptista story (so far) has now been explored in the documentary Loki! Arnaldo Baptista, which features extensive interviews with Arnaldo where he reflects on his life and artistic adventures. The documentary received 14 awards, both in Brazil and overseas though as many fans have pointed out the story is far from over yet and will require a lot more paint, ink and musical notes to continue its tale.

Arnaldo is one of those artists whose work not only represents past achievement but reaches forward into the future, inspiring hope for the sort of generous, creative world we all desire and need to engage with. He achieves this through his belief in music as a living entity that speaks to the soul, a force that is felt in the blood and heartbeat not just as threads of random sound fed into our ears via ever more sophisticated gadgets. Always attuned to the wonders of the natural world it’s unsurprising that Arnaldo created a musical language that embodies freedom, joy and compassion towards all living creatures – after all that’s pretty much his life philosophy.
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Top tracks

01
Será Que Eu Vou Virar Bolor?
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:51
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
02
Uma Pessoa Só
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
04:01
Composers: Os Mutantes
06
Cê Tá Pensando Que Eu Sou Loki?
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:25
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista

Playlists

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  • Discography
Albums
D-Edge Records
18-02-2022
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
01
To Burn or Not to Burn
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
03:27
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
02
To Burn or Not to Burn (Tata Ogan Remix)
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
04:43
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
03
To Burn or Not to Burn (Flu Remix)
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
03:58
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
04
To Burn or Not to Burn (Bmind Remix)
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
06:31
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
05
To Burn or Not to Burn (Renato Poletto & Ricardo Koji Remix)
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
05:45
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
06
To Burn or Not to Burn (DJ Mari Rossi Remix)
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
05:24
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
07
To Burn or Not to Burn (Holocaos Remix)
Arnaldo Baptista
To Burn or Not to Burn - Arnaldo Baptista Remixed by Petrified Betools - Album/Compilation - 2011-2022
05:40
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
Access the complete album info (16 songs)
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
11-11-2013
Elo Perdido
01
Sunshine
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
05:42
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
Sexy Sua
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
03:10
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
Corta Jaca
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
03:57
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
Oh Trem
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
03:31
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
05
Emergindo da Ciência
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
04:25
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
06
Sentado ao Lado da Estrada
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
03:06
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
07
É um Pouco Assustador (Versão I)
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido
05:02
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
Access the complete album info (8 songs)
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
01-11-2013
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
01
Ai Garupa (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
02:10
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
Tacape (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
02:56
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
Te Amo Podes Crer (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
05:04
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
Concerto de Bradenbourg (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
02:32
Composers: Johann Sebastian Bach
05
Sentado ao Lado da Estrada (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
03:40
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
06
Ovelha Negra (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
03:19
Composers: Rita Lee
07
O A e o Z (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Shining Alone (Ao Vivo 1981)
04:51
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista - Sergio Dias Baptista - Arnolpho Lima Fiho
Access the complete album info (15 songs)
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
30-09-2013
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
01
Emergindo da Ciência (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
04:24
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
É um Pouco Assustador (Versão II) [Ao Vivo]
Arnaldo Baptista
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
07:20
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
Arnaldo Soliszta (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
04:15
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
I Fell in Love One Day (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
03:58
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
05
Cowboy (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
07:49
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
06
Hoje de Manhã Eu Acordei (Ao Vivo)
Arnaldo Baptista
Faremos uma Noitada Excelente (Ao Vivo)
02:22
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
28-12-2004
Let It Bed
01
Gurum Gudum
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
02:12
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
LSD
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
02:47
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
To Burn or Not to Burn
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
03:30
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
Bailarina
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
02:42
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
05
Deve Ser Amor
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
03:14
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
06
Nobody Knows
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
01:06
Composers: Traditional Music
07
Cacilda
Arnaldo Baptista
Let It Bed
03:37
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
01-11-1987
Disco Voador: Paz
01
Eu
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
03:21
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
Rodas
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
02:25
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
Crazy Ones Ballad
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
05:43
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
Traduções
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
02:43
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
05
OVNI
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
02:55
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
06
Maria Lucia
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
02:05
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
07
Jesus Volte Até a Terra
Arnaldo Baptista
Disco Voador: Paz
04:29
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
Access the complete album info (9 songs)
℗ 1996 EMI Records Brasil Ltda
04-07-1982
Singin' Alone
01
I Fell in Love One Day
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
02:48
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
02
O Sol
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
04:05
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
03
Bomba "H" Sobre São Paulo
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
03:24
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
04
Hoje de Manhã Eu Acordei
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
02:41
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
05
Jesus, Come Back to Earth
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
02:47
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
06
The Cowboy
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
04:33
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
07
Sitting on the Road Side
Arnaldo Baptista
Singin' Alone
02:53
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
Access the complete album info (13 songs)
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
11-11-1977
Elo Perdido +
01
Sunshine
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
05:44
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
Sexy Sua
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
03:10
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
Corta Jaca
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
03:57
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
Oh! Trem
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
03:28
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
05
Emergindo da Ciência
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
04:26
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
06
Sentado ao Lado da Estrada
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
03:05
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
07
É um Pouco Assustador - Versão I
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Perdido +
05:03
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
Access the complete album info (13 songs)
℗ 1974 Universal Music Ltda
01-01-1974
Loki? (1974)
01
Será Que Eu Vou Virar Bolor?
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:51
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
02
Uma Pessoa Só
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
04:01
Composers: Os Mutantes
03
Não Estou Nem Aí
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:21
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
04
Vou Me Afundar Na Lingerie
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:25
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
05
Honky, Tonky
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
02:13
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
06
Cê Tá Pensando Que Eu Sou Loki?
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:25
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
07
Desculpe
Arnaldo Baptista
Loki? (1974)
03:10
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
EPs
2013 Arnaldo Baptista
30-09-2013
Elo Mais Que Perdido
01
Singin' Again
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Mais Que Perdido
03:36
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
02
The Cowboy
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Mais Que Perdido
04:10
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
03
Sanguinho Novo
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Mais Que Perdido
04:13
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
04
Imagino
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Mais Que Perdido
04:15
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
05
Sr Empresário
Arnaldo Baptista
Elo Mais Que Perdido
03:36
Composers: Arnaldo Dias Baptista
Featured in
2013 Slum Dunk Music
08-04-2013
In Loveland With You
01
To Burn
Tetine
In Loveland With You
06:32
Writer: Arnaldo Baptista - Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado / Composers: Arnaldo Baptista - Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado
02
Eu To Em Chamas
Tetine
In Loveland With You
03:59
Writer: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado - Alex Antunes / Composers: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado - Alex Antunes
03
Call It
Tetine
In Loveland With You
04:07
Writer: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado / Composers: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado
04
O Bandido
Tetine
In Loveland With You
05:42
Writer: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado / Composers: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado
05
Burning Land
Tetine
In Loveland With You
04:38
Writer: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado / Composers: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado
06
Suction
Tetine
In Loveland With You
04:31
Writer: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado - James Hamblin - Stefan Scott / Composers: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado - James Hamblin - Stefan Scott
07
Dream Like a Baby
Tetine
In Loveland With You
05:40
Writer: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado / Composers: Bruno Verner - Eliete Mejorado
Access the complete album info (14 songs)
Dupr'Art Production Company
15-11-2019
Piano Amigo Meu (feat. Arnaldo Baptista)
01
Piano Amigo Meu (feat. Arnaldo Baptista)
Bruno Duprat
Piano Amigo Meu (feat. Arnaldo Baptista)
03:56
Writer: Arnaldo Baptista / Composers: Bruno Duprat - Arnaldo Baptista
Rod Krieger [dist. Tratore]
20-04-2018
Louvado Seja Deus
01
Louvado Seja Deus
Rod Krieger
Louvado Seja Deus
04:10
Composers: Arnaldo Baptista - Rod Krieger
Rod Krieger [dist. Tratore]
20-03-2020
A Elasticidade do Tempo
01
Louvado Seja Deus
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
04:10
Composers: Rod Krieger
02
Todos Gostamos de Você
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
04:50
Composers: Rod Krieger
03
Despertar
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
03:10
Composers: Rod Krieger
04
Cores Flamejantes
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
03:29
Composers: Rod Krieger
05
Sobre as Ondas
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
03:21
Composers: Rod Krieger
06
Raio
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
02:17
Composers: Rod Krieger
07
Disco Voador
Rod Krieger
A Elasticidade do Tempo
05:55
Composers: Rod Krieger
Access the complete album info (8 songs)