| Fundo de Quintal | |
| Origin: | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Genre: | Samba, Pagode |
| Years Active: | 1978–present |
Grupo Fundo de Quintal or simply Fundo de Quintal (Backyard Group, roughly) is a Brazilian Samba band formed in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 1970s.
The founding members of Fundo de Quintal, Almir Guineto (banjo/cavaco), Bira Presidente (pandeiro), Jorge Aragão (acoustic guitar), Neoci (tan-tan), Sereno (tan-tan), Sombrinha (acoustic guitar/chip) and Ubirany (hand-repique),[1] used to perform on Wednesdays in the sambas at the headquarters of the carnival block Cacique de Ramos in the mid-1970s.[2] With the introduction of instruments – such as tan-tan, hand-repique and banjo—the group created a completely innovative style in samba (which, later on, the Brazilian music industry called pagode).
Patronized by the famous Samba singer Beth Carvalho, Fundo de Quintal recorded its first album "Samba É No Fundo de Quintal" in 1980. Shortly thereafter, Almir Guineto and Jorge Aragão left the group to pursue a solo career, in addition to Neoci, who soon died..[2] Arlindo Cruz (banjo / cavaco) and Walter Sete Cordas (acoustic guitar) joined the band, which recorded its second album "Samba É No Fundo de Quintal Vol. 2" in 1981. But Walter Sete Cordas left soon after, having been replaced by Cleber Augusto (acoustic guitar). The lineup of Arlindo Cruz, Sombrinha, Cleber Augusto, Sereno, Bira Presidente and Ubirany recorded seven studio albums and one live album between 1983 and 1990.
Following the departure of Sombrinha, Fundo de Quintal recruited Mário Sérgio (cavaco) just as Ademir Batera (drummer) joined the group, having debuted on LP "É Aí Que Quebra a Rocha", released the following year. In 1992, Arlindo Cruz left Fundo de Quintal, which recruited Ronaldinho (banjo). The new lineup of Mário Sérgio, Ronaldinho, Cleber Augusto, Sereno, Bira Presidente and Ubirany recorded eight studio albums and two live albums between 1993 and 2002, the year in which Cleber Augusto left the group for health reasons.
In 2008, it was Mário Sérgio who left the band to pursue a solo career, but he returned five years later. However, he died in 2016, a victim of cancer.[3] Even with the departure of Ronaldinho in 2018, Fundo de Quintal has been active, with two new members Júnior Itaguay (banjo) and Márcio Alexandre (cavaco), in addition to the remaining Ademir Batera, Sereno, Bira Presidente and Ubirany[4] [5] who died in 2020.
In 2015, their album Só Felicidade was nominated for the 16th Latin Grammy Awards in the Best Samba/Pagode Album category.[6]