Spending his childhood in his hometown Belo Horizonte, Horta became acquainted with soon-to-be famous names like Nivaldo Ornelas, Milton Nascimento, Wagner Tiso, and others that became known as the Clube da Esquina. His first recording was for Nivaldo Ornelas's 1969 album. In 1970, he accompanied Elis Regina and Tom Jobim in the show Tom & Elis in Rio. His participation in Nascimento's Clube da Esquina (1972) was noticed, and soon he was backing Gal Costa, Nana Caymmi, Joyce, Edu Lobo, Maria Betânia, Dori Caymmi, among others. In 1973, he recorded the album Beto Guedes, Danilo Caymmi, Novelli e Toninho Horta (EMI). His first solo album came in 1980, the independent Terra Dos Pássaros, which was released in the U.S. in 1995 (WEA). In 1980, he released the LP Toninho Horta on EMI, released in the U.S. in 1990 through Capitol. In 1985, he performed in the Free Jazz Festival (São Paulo) together with Toots Thielemans and Bob McFerrin. Horta moved to the U.S. in 1992, continuing to record with other artists and to release his solo albums. In 1992, he performed in London, England, accompanying Marisa Monte. In 1993, he backed Caetano Veloso in Brussels, Belgium. In the same year, he appeared in the Heineken Concerts (Rio) with Gary Peacock and Billy Higgins. In 1994, he played with Phillip Catherine at the IX Martinique Guitarre Festival. In 1995, he played in Japan with Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, and Keith Jarrett.
By Alvaro Neder
Céu De Brasília
Toninho Horta Lyrics
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Nas janelas a fria luz da televisão divertindo as famílias
Saio pela noite andando nas ruas
Lá vou eu pelo ar asas de avião
Me esquecendo da solidão da cidade grande
Do mundo dos homens num vôo maluco
Que eu vou inventando e vôo até ver nascer
O mato, o sol da manhã, as folhas, os rios, o azul
Beleza bonita de ver nada existe como o azul
Sem manchas do céu do Planalto Central
E o horizonte imenso aberto sugerindo mil direções
E eu nem quero saber se foi bebedeira louca ou lucidez
These lyrics are from the song "Céu de Brasília" by Toninho Horta. The lyrics describe a sense of calm that settles over the city after 10 o'clock. The cold light from the television fills the windows, entertaining families. The singer then goes out into the night, walking the streets, and feels as though they are flying in an airplane, leaving behind the loneliness of the big city and the world of men. They are on a crazy flight of their own invention, soaring until they see the birth of nature - the foliage, the rivers, the blue - and they emphasize the beauty of the unblemished blue sky of the Central Plateau. The vast and open horizon suggests countless possibilities and directions. The singer doesn't even care whether their experience is the result of wild drunkenness or lucidity.
Line by Line Meaning
A cidade acalmou logo depois das dez
The city quieted down shortly after ten o'clock
Nas janelas a fria luz da televisão divertindo as famílias
In the windows, the cold light of the television entertaining families
Saio pela noite andando nas ruas
I go out into the night, walking through the streets
Lá vou eu pelo ar asas de avião
There I go in the air, airplane wings
Me esquecendo da solidão da cidade grande
Forgetting about the loneliness of the big city
Do mundo dos homens num vôo maluco
From the world of men, in a crazy flight
Que eu vou inventando e vôo até ver nascer
That I keep inventing and flying until I see the birth
O mato, o sol da manhã, as folhas, os rios, o azul
The wilderness, the morning sun, the leaves, the rivers, the blue
Beleza bonita de ver nada existe como o azul
Beautiful beauty to see, nothing exists like the blue
Sem manchas do céu do Planalto Central
Without blemishes from the sky of the Central Plateau
E o horizonte imenso aberto sugerindo mil direções
And the vast open horizon suggesting a thousand directions
E eu nem quero saber se foi bebedeira louca ou lucidez
And I don't even want to know if it was crazy drunkenness or clarity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fernando Brant, Toninho Horta
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind