Event will follow African funerary tradition with music and drink to soften mourning; Sambista died on Friday at 66 for multiple organ failure
The body of the sambista Arlindo Cruz will be veiled in Gurim ceremony at the block of the Serrano Samba School, in Madureira, north of Rio de Janeiro. The event, which will follow the funeral home of African origin with music and drink to soften mourning, will start at 6 pm this Saturday (9.ago.2025) and will extend until 10am on Sunday (10.ago).
The artist at age 66, for multiple organ failure at Barra d’Or Hospital, in the west of the city.
The funeral will be on Sunday at 11am at the Jardim da Saudade Cemetery in Sulacap. The Gurim ceremony, a common practice between sambistas, will have a moment reserved only for people close to the artist.
Arlindo had been hospitalized since April this year. In March 2017, he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke (stroke) at his residence, and was hospitalized for approximately 1 year and 6 months. The sequelae have prevented him from performing presentations ever since.
The family issued a note of regret after the confirmation of death. “More than an artist, Arlindo was a samba poet, a man of faith, generosity and joy, who dedicated his life to leading music and love to all who crossed their way. Your voice, your compositions and your smile will remain alive in the memory and heart of millions of Admirers, ”says the text.
TRAJECTORY
Arlindo Domingos da Cruz Filho was born in Rio de Janeiro on September 14, 1958. During his career, he stood out as a composer, interpreter and instrumentalist, with remarkable skill in the cavaquinho and banjo.
Admirers and friends called him “The Perfect Sambista”, Reference to one of his compositions in partnership with Nei Lopes. This nickname later became a title of a biography released in 2025.
Arlindo received his first ukulele at 7 years. At 12, I already played songs “of ear ” And he learned guitar from his brother Alyr Marques. He studied musical theory and classic guitar at Flor do Méier School, when he began his professional performance.
In his musical trajectory, had as its important influence the sambista Candeia, considered his “musical”, Which assisted him in his first studio recordings, including LP “Samba Wheel”later relaunched on CD.
At 15, he moved to Barbacena, Minas Gerais, where he studied at the Air Cadet Preparatory School. During his stay in the state, he participated and won musical festivals in Barbacena and Poços de Caldas.
Upon returning to Rio, he went to the Cacique de Ramos samba wheel, where he established partnerships with Zeca Pagodinho and Sombrinha, then considered revelations of the genre. In a short time, there were 12 songs recorded by other interpreters, starting with “Malandragem Lesson”followed by “Big mistake ”, In the voice of Beth Carvalho, and “New Love”interpreted by Alcione.
His career as an interpreter gained momentum when he was invited to replace Jorge Aragão in the backyard group. Remained in the band for 12 years, recording hits like “Be sambista too ”,“ Just to Contract ”,“ Castelo Cera ”,“ The Map of the Mine ” e “First lady“In 1993, he left the group and formed a pair with a umbrella before starting solo career.
In the 1990s, he devoted himself to the samba competitions of the Serrano Empire, his school of heart. His first victory as a composer in the association took place in 1996, with “And you will see that a child of yours does not escape the fight“Subsequently, sambas in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2007. In 2023, he was honored as a plot of the school. In 2008, he composed the samba from Grande Rio for the plot “From the green of coarí comes my gas, Sapucaí!”
One of Arlindo Cruz’s last television appearances was on the program “It’s a goal !!!”as well SporTVat the end of February, where he sang hits and talked about his passion for Flamengo.
