Humberto Teixeira

Humberto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Teixeira (5 January 1915 – 3 October 1979) was a Brazilian lawyer, politician, musician, and composer, mostly known for his partnership with musician Luiz Gonzaga. Together, they wrote one of the most important songs of their era, Asa Branca, in 1947. Teixeira is recognized as a specialist in baião as well as a "master of costumes and popular North-Eastern trends."

Teixeira is also noted for writing the musical copyright laws of Brazil.

Biography Teixera was born in Iguatu to João Euclides Teixeira and Lucíola Cavalcante Teixeira. He demonstrated musical aptitude at an early age. By six, he already learned to play the musette, flute, and mandolin. His uncle, Lafaiete Teixeira, a conductor, became his first music teacher. He completed his first composition Miss Hermengarda when he was 13 and played the flute in the orchestra that played in the silent films exhibited in Fortaleza's Cine Majestic.

When he was 15, Teixeira moved to Rio de Janeiro. His first recorded music was Sinfonia do Cafe, which he composed with Lirio Panacalli. Their daughter, Denise Dummont, is an actress now living in New York. When Maia declined, Gonzaga turned to Teixeira who already partnered with Maia, his nephew, when he launched a trend for balanceio. Their works, which featured samba-canção and imported rhythms, enjoyed success. Their first song No Meu Pe de Serra was released in 1946. However, the second piece, Baião, which was recorded in the same year, was the commercial breakthrough. An account stated that this song aimed to introduce the music and dance of the northeast to the rest of Brazil. It was performed by the group Quatro Ases e um Curinga. Baião created a new dance craze in Brazil that took three years for Gonzaga to record. The song launched a new musical movement that featured an urban popular culture that contained revamped traditional musical styles.

Other popular songs that Teixeira and Gonzaga composed included Mangaratiba, Juazeiro, Paraíba, Qui nem jiló, Xanduzinha, Lorota boa, Assum black, Estrada de Canindé, and Respect Januário.