Distintivo Blue

Founded in 2009, Distintivo Blue is the original musical project of singer, songwriter, producer, and historian Plácido Oliveira, based in Vitória da Conquista, in the southwest of Bahia.

Stylistically, the project focuses on the blues-rock-country triad, beginning its recording history in 2010 with the track Luar do Pontal. On several occasions, it has represented the city within the Brazilian blues scene through events, radio and TV programs, and compilations. Notably, it has often served as the sole representative of the Northeast region, as seen in volumes 1 and 2 of the Máfia da Mortadela collection (primarily composed of bands from the Southeast). The project also expanded into podcasts with BLUEZinada!—the first podcast from Vitória da Conquista and the first in Brazil produced by a blues band—as part of a larger research and outreach project that included a fanzine and a namesake website.

After experimenting with solo recordings during the pandemic, the artist decided to permanently move away from hired studios in favor of self-production: "I have been through countless large studios and professionals, but I had never been able to express my ideas as faithfully as I do now, doing everything my way—even if it sounds technically imperfect." In this sense, he concluded that working solo with available resources is profoundly more conceptual and better reflects his vision, as heard in the song O Andarilho, which addresses the harsh reality of stray animals.

With the return of in-person activities, he began performing with friends (most notably drummer Nephtali Bitencourt, a member since 2015) in various formats, keeping the spirit of Distintivo Blue and its long-standing artistic concept alive. The current focus is strictly on original music, standing in contrast to the flood of nostalgic "tribute shows" that have dominated the music scene over the last decade. Additionally, the project makes room for songs by fellow local artists as a way to honor and foster the musicality of southwest Bahia.

His most recent releases (2024) connect directly with another of his creations, the Memória Musical do Sudoeste da Bahia (Musical Memory of Southwest Bahia), where he serves as producer and participant in the subproject Toca Autoral!. He has also established a significant partnership with Bahian blues pioneer Mazinho Jardim on the acoustic EP Ao vivo na UESB FM.

Thus, after years of study, research, and reflection, Plácido concludes that the eternal struggle for engagement, numbers, and increasingly refined recording techniques is an "enslaving" path that pushes music toward becoming an empty industrial product while distancing it from its true essence: artistic expression. He recognizes Distintivo Blue as a work that is much more artisanal than marketable, freeing himself from the need to meet industry standards and formulas:

"Music is a wing, not a cast. I will not be just another person producing music to satisfy algorithms in a sick and meaningless search for engagement."

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