Tom Zé

Tom Zé (born Antônio José Santana Martins, 1936 in Bahia, Brazil) is a Brazilian songwriter and composer. "Tom Zé" is a faithful informalization of his given names, literally meaning "Tony J

Tom Zé (born Antônio José Santana Martins, 1936 in Bahia, Brazil) is a Brazilian songwriter and composer. "Tom Zé" is a faithful informalization of his given names, literally meaning "Tony Joe".

Ze grew up in the small town of Irara, Bahia in the northeastern Sertão. He would later claim that his hometown was "pre-Gutenbergian", as information was primarily transferred through oral communication. After pursuing an advanced degree in music in Salvador, Ze moved to São Paulo and began his career in popular music. Much of his early work involved his wry impressions of the massive metropolitan area, coming from a small town in the relatively poor northeast.