Founded in 2009, Distintivo Blue is the original music project of Plácido Oliveira (aka I. Malförea or Joe Malfs), singer, songwriter, producer, and music researcher from Vitória da Conquista (VCA), southwest of Bahia, Brazil. Initially conceived as a blues band, Distintivo Blue operated as such until 2016, when it was definitively disbanded as a "collective" despite having been the result of Mendes' individual leadership and initiative from the beginning.
The project's conceptual focus is on the blues-rock-country triad, and it has released an extensive original work since 2010. As such, it has represented VCA in the Brazilian blues scene on various occasions, including events, radio and TV programs, compilations (often as the only representative from the Northeast region, such as in volumes 1 and 2 of the Máfia da Mortadela compilation, which was predominantly formed by bands from the Southeast), podcasts (BLUEZinada!, authored by the artist, was the first podcast from VCA to be published, and the first one in Brazil produced by a blues band), and others.
The current proposal is to maintain a focus on original music, in contrast to the flood of nostalgic "tribute shows" that have dominated the music scene for years.
