One of the most influential figures in Brazilian music, José Gomes Filho (born on August 31, 1919), aka Jackson do Pandeiro, greatly contributed to shaping and popularizing Northeastern rhythms such as rojão, coco, and batuque, across the entirety of his native Brazil. The son of Flora Mourão, a folkloric singer and percussionist, Gomes Filho mastered the pandeiro (tambourine) and the zabumba (a Northeastern kick drum) from a very early age. Following a series of odd jobs during his teenage years, he moved to João Pessoa, Paraiba’s largest city, where he performed in cabarets and radio stations. He then relocated to Recife to work on the Rádio Jornal do Commercio under the direction of conductor Nozinho. In the early 50s, Gomes Filho scored his first hit with the xote “Sebastiana,” written by Rosil Cavalcanti. While working at the radio station, he met his soon-to-be wife and singer Almira Castilho de Albuquerque, with whom he released the album Sua Majestade O Rei do Ritmo in 1954. The couple soon moved to Rio and performed in small venues throughout the city, enjoying a great deal of popularity before eventually returning to João Pessoa only a year after. Following the duo’s demise and subsequent divorce in 1967, he enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the early 70s with the rise of tropicália as Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa re-recorded some of his biggest hits. Revitalized by this newfound recognition, Gomes Filho kept releasing albums at a prolific rate but his music didn’t seem to resonate with Brazilian audiences anymore. With his career rapidly fading in the background, the beloved percussionist and singer died shortly after performing in Brasilia in 1982 due to diabetes complications.
