LP BOXED MUSICA POPULAR DO NORDESTE 1972 FOLK ROOTS PRIVATE JOGRAL MARCUS PEREIRA BRAZIL

MÚSICA POPULAR DO NORDESTE - "VOL. 1, 2, 3 & 4" — A collection with 4 volumes from Música Popular do Nordeste Series. Brazilian Northeastern Regional Music Collection. First pressing from 1973 by Marcus Pereira, an independent label.

The Collection:

This collection is a serious research on the Roots of Regional Music of Brazil Northeast Region. This is an essential part from popular BRAZILian CULTure. These tracks were performed by street singers, Fair Viola's player (Violeiros), Repentistas (melody and lyrics improvisations), Trio Elétrico, Banda Pífanos and Regional groups.

If do you like Brazilian Music, you must know this collection!

The Volumes:

Vol. 1) FREVO (13 tracks) - This 1st album is dedicated to Frevo. Frevo was originated from Recife, in the Northeast State of Pernambuco, and is usually played during Carnaval. The name "Frevo" is a wrong way to write and pronounce a word "Ferver" (that means to boil - heated or Fevered). The word "Ferver" gradually mutated, by popular use of the language, to "Frever" until reaching the nomenclature used today: FREVO. Frevo is vigorous march-dance in fast 2/4 and 4/4 time. The frevo rhythm is originated of the March and it is characterized by syncopated cells in the downbeat. There is a stress in the weak part of each beat:
             >         >         >         >
4/4 | 1 - & -  2- & - 3 - & - 4 - & - |. This rhythm cell gives to Frevo an energetic fell.

The songs from this volume were recorded by Zélia Barbosa with / and Quinteto Violado, Trio Elétrico Tapajós and Banda Municipal do Recife conducted by Ademir Araújo.

Vol. 2 - VIOLEIROS (Side A) / CIRANDAS (Side B) — (12 tracks) - This 2nd album is dedicated to Violeiros and Cirandas. 

A) Violeiros (Viola's Player) - Are usually double of Viola* Players and singers that duel with improvised lyrics. His melodies are mood bluesy, pure feeling. The scales that are most used to create the melodic lines are: Mixolydian and/or Mixolydian #11 for the Major modes and Dorian Mode for the Minor.

* Note: Viola is Brazilian musical instrument with 10 strings (5 pairs). The first 2 pairs are tuned in unison, and the other 3 lower pairs in octave. It's similar to the 12 Strings guitar without the lower (6th) pair. The "Violeiros" (Viola's player) use a very large variety from open tunings alternates patterns. The most common is Open D (called here as "Cebolão em Ré") and Open G (called here as "Rio Abaixo").

This section (Violeiros) is performed by Severino Pinto and Lourival Batista & Octacílio Batista and Diniz Vitorino. They have greatly influenced Zé Ramalho, Lula Cortes, Alceu Valença, Lenine, Zé da Flauta, Paulo Rafael, Chico Science and all northeast songwriters, players and singers. Essential Listening!

B) Cirandas - Ciranda originated in Recife, in the Northeast State of Pernambuco. Is a popular dance that usually happens at a public square, beach or popular fair, where the participants hold their hands and stay in a circular formation singing Cirandas throughout the night. This section (Cirandas) is performed by Quinteto Violado and Barracho & Coro (Choir).

Vol. 3 A) BUMBA-MEU-BOI (Side A) / B1) SAMBA DE RODA - B2) COCO (Side B) — (6 tracks) - This 3rd album is dedicated to Bumba-Meu-Boi, Samba de Roda and Coco.

A) Bumba-Meu-Boi - It's very similar to the "Toada" Brazilian Rhythm. Very close also to the Baião in slow tempos. The time signature is usually 4/4, with a stress on 4th beat. Sometime, it could appear in 2/4 time signature, as on the 2nd track: Cavalo Marinho, for example. This section (Bumba-Meu-Boi) is performed by Quinteto Violado.

B1) SAMBA DE RODA - Originated in Salvador and Recôncavo Baiano, in the Northeast State of Bahia. It's is also called in Rio de Janeiro as Partido-Alto. The participants stay in a circle and a choir sings the "mote" and each person goes improvising lyrics.

B2) COCO - In this Brazilian Musical style the musicians rarely use Viola or acoustics guitar. They use only percussion instruments as tambourines, Cuícas, Ganzá, Agogo, Afoxé, snare and atabaques. The rhythm has usually a 2/4 time signature. It's performed on beaches from Northeast.

Vol. 4 - A1) BAMBELÔ - A2) EMBOLADAS (Side A) / B) BANDA DE PÍFANOS (Side B) — (7 tracks) - This 4th album is dedicated to Bambelô, Emboladas and Banda de Pífanos.

A1) Bambelô - It's similar to Coco. Native of Rio Grande do Norte, northeast state. This section (Bambelô) was performed by Quinteto Violado.

A2) Emboladas -  Also called Coco de Emboladas. It's the same as Coco with the unique difference is that in the Emboladas there is no dance - only Music without choreography. You could find it out in many popular fairs as the Caruaru Fair. The emboladas singers improvise lines dueling one against the other while playing "Pandeiros" (Tambourines). It's also similar in formation and Aesthetics to the violeiros (has also a pair of players and singers dueling with improvised melodic lines and lyrics), but the music is completely different. And while the musical instruments used by "Violeiros" are the Viola, for the "Tiradores de Coco" (as be called the Coco's Singers) the instruments are only tambourines. This section (Emboladas) was performed by the superb double "Beija-Flor & Treme-Terra". Many of these melodic lines and even the lyrics can be listened as incidental music in songs by Alceu Valença, Zé Ramalho and others. This music is FANTASTIC! (Please refers to MP3 sound clip avalaible!)

B) Banda de Pífanos - This is a very interesting popular manifestation. The group is formed by 2 or 3 Pífanos (this is a curious musical instrument made with Bamboo. It is very similar to piccolo. They are slight out of tune); 2 Zabumbas (similar to a Bass Drum, played by the hands); 1 Tarol (snare) and 1 Prato (Crash Cymbal). In the arrangement there are no harmonies, just counterpoints lines performed by the Pífanos. It's a very interesting music indeed!

A definitive reaserch on Northeastern Music! 1972 Private Pressing by Jogral Label! 4-record set in a Box! Mega Rare! Dedicated to the friends of Jaguar & Olga Savary (O Pasquim)!