Marco Mattoli, founder of Clube do Balanço, dies at 57

The samba singer and founding leader of the Clube do Balanço group, Marco Mattoli, died at the age of 57 in São Paulo, this Sunday (7).

According to the death note, he died of cardiac arrest.

The funeral will be held this Monday (8) in a closed ceremony for friends and family to pay their last respects.

According to the death note, Mattoli was working on his next project, with recordings by the veteran of the São Paulo Carnival Bernadete.

The singer leaves “a daughter, his partner, many friends and an undeniable legacy in Brazilian music”.

Balance Club

Mattoli led and was one of the founders of the traditional samba group Clube do Balanço.

At the turn of the millennium, they were part of the movement that energized and gave new impetus to the samba-rock genre – extremely popularized in the dances of the 50s and 60s by the exponents Jorge Ben Jor, Erasmo Carlos and Wilson Simonal, for example.

Formed in 1999, Clube do Balanço released in 2001 the album “Swing & Samba Rock”, which introduced samba-rock to new generations and rescued the participation of the first generation of the genre.

While new talents joined the group, such as Seu Jorge, Paula Lima and Simoninha (son of Wilson Simonal), Clube do Balanço also partnered with Erasmo Carlos, Marku Ribas and Bebeto.

The debut album had three successors based on samba-rock: “Samba Incrementado” (2004), “Pela Contramão” (2009) and “Menina da Janela” (2014).

Clube do Balanço’s latest album, “Balanço na Quebrada”, was released in 2019, in celebration of the band’s 20th anniversary.

In addition to Marco Mattoli, the group has Tereza Gama (vocals), Edu “Peixe” Salmaso (drums), Leonardo “Gringo” Pirrongelli (double bass), Tiquinho (trombone), Fred Prince (percussion), Marcelo Maita (piano) and Reginaldo “16” Gomes (trumpet).