Founded in 1970 by older members of the Portela samba school (Manacéia, Alvaiade, Alberto Lonato, Francisco Santana, Mijinha, Alcides Dias Lopes, Armando Santos, and Antônio Caetano among them), the Velha Guarda da Portela recorded Portela: Escolas Passado de Glória. In 1974, Marcus Pereira, a label specializing in historical research, produced the LP Portela, featuring the Velha Guarda interpreting the great composers of the samba school. In 1986, Japanese producer Katsunori Tanaka released Velha Guarda da Portela in Japan, and in 1990, issued Homenagem a Paulo da Portela. The group also recorded with Monarco (Monarco e a Velha-Guarda da Portela), Cristina Buarque (Cristina and Resgate), and Clara Nunes ("Portela na Avenida"), and their shows featured consecrated artists like Beth Carvalho, Paulinho da Viola, Gilberto Gil, and Marisa Monte (daughter of Carlos Monte, a former director of Portela, she released Tudo Azul in 2000, featuring the Velha Guarda). In 1994, the Velha Guarda performed in the Heineken Concerts Festival at the Palace in São Paulo with Paulinho da Viola, Gilberto Gil, and Canhoto da Paraíba. Frequent collaborator Monarco died on December 11, 2021 at the age of 88. ~ Alvaro Neder