Launcher of several classics of Brazilian popular music, Noite Ilustrada recorded many albums in his prolific career, having success with "A Flor e o Espinho" (Nelson Cavaquinho/Guilherme de Brito/Alcides Caminha), "O Neguinho e a Senhorita" (Noel Rosa de Oliveira/Abelardo da Silva), "Depois do Carnaval" (Jorge Costa/Paulo Roberto), "Sim" (Cartola/Osvaldo Martins), "Barracão" (Luís Antônio/Oldemar Magalhães), and "Balada NO 7 -- Mané Garrincha" (Alberto Luís). Moving to Rio de Janeiro in the mid-'50s, Noite Ilustrada joined the Portela samba school. Still in that decade, he moved to São Paulo, where worked in nightclubs as a singer and was hired in 1958 by Rádio Nacional and TV Paulista. Noite Ilustrada recorded his first album in that year, with the samba "Cara de Boboca" (Jaime Silva/Edmundo Andrade) and "Castiguei." He would only have a hit four years later with Paulo Vanzolini's samba "Volta Por Cima," turned into a classic that was re-recorded several times. The first LP also came that year, O Ilustre. ~ Alvaro Neder