Forro

Forró music may be defined for many by the centrality of the accordion, but as Analog Africa’s new compilation, Camarão: The Imaginary Soundtrack to A Brazilian Western Movie 1964–1974, demonstrates, a forró trio is two-thirds percussion. The triangle and zabumda form the backbone that Reginaldo Alves Ferreira’s accordion swoops and bounds on. It is forró at its widest definition, a blanket term for a number of northeastern dance genres that use the accordion. It’s Camarão’s compositions playfully orchestrated and filled out with big booming horns and subtle electric guitar licks that would sound at home next to pieces by Ennio Morricone or Ry Cooder, but always driven by the beat.

Sur « Atea » l’accordéoniste Didier Ithursarry ouvre la porte de l’univers qu’il a créé avec Pierre Durand à la guitare et Joce Mienniel aux flûtes. Loin des formats habituels, le trio invite à pénétrer dans un espace vibrant qui puise son inspiration dans le monde, ses paysages et ses traditions musicales. Inspirés, les musiciens fondent un monde imaginaire qui transporte l’oreille dans des ailleurs dépaysants, vibrants et passionnants.

In his latest work Fé na Festa, Gilberto Gil returns to his roots to celebrate the São João festival, a celebration, which fills northeastern calendars with a week of wall to wall forró in the month of June (more on forró music can be found here). In Brazil this is the end of the rainy season, as well as the corn harvest; the perfect time to celebrate. The title track instantly grabs you with its racy guitars, violins and steady percussion. The easy to follow chorus invites group participation in the best traditions of a Brazilian lual and warms up the uninitiated for the forró that is to follow…Towards the end of the album Gilberto returns to our forró education. “Aprendi com o Rei” brings back a more danceable forró beat and provides a useful intro to the musical form (if you can keep up whilst dancing). “Dança da Moda”, a cover of forró legend Luiz Gonzaga, is a true return to form.

10 great hits from forró, becomes very hard not to like the CD because it brings the most popular hits of Brazilian music with Luiz Gonzaga, Elba Ramalho, Fagner and others.

(VA) Putumayo Kids presents Brazilian Playground
MP3 CBR 160 | September 2007 | 43 MB
World | Putumayo | Cover

Samba, bossa nova and forró are among Brazil's most popular and accessible musical styles for adults and children alike. Brazilian Playground features these and other engaging rhythms that reflect the country's diverse culture and easy-going way of life. In celebration of the exuberant sounds of this fascinating country, Putumayo Kids has collected 13 child-friendly songs from many of Brazil's most talented musicians. Featured artists include Teresa Cristina, a leading samba singer, and Brazilian Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil, renowned the world over as a true musical pioneer who led the Tropicália movement of the 1960s.

Fragments: Modern Tradition is a collection of compositions written by Nana Vasconcelos for six films. The music is appropriately atmospheric, and takes on a myriad of ethnic influences from around the world. Indeed, the first track "Vento Chamando Vento" sounds amazingly similar to fellow multi-ethnicists Dead Can Dance. Vasconcelos utilizes a variety of percussion instruments – cowbells, shakers and drums – to achieve the sounds of open landscapes. The album is not all space and wind, however. A fine backing band helps Vasconcelos create a number of musical textures, including the incredibly peppy "Forro Para Antero" and the poly-rhythmic "Let's Go to the Jungle."