Acoustic Moods

Music journalist Charlie Crooijmans visited the Brazilian state of Bahia earlier this year. She made field recordings of three different events. Frist, during a multi ethnic meeting of representatives of native people. So, Indians with feathered headdresses and all, who showed their songs and dances. Then, it was on to the festival ‘Dancing in Peace’, were traditional groups displayed their African roots. Both these events were organised by Glaucia Rodrigues. One week later,  the celebration of the goddess of the sea, Yemanja took place in Salvador. You can hear an impression of these events, in the shape of a collage. First up is a stanza of a cordel, a form of poetry, written and sung by ethnic musicologist and percussionist Paulo Dias, accompanied on the accordion by Gabriel Levy.

Tune Acoustic Moods

Paulo Dias

0’54
“Vou saudar nesta hora a minha amiga
Que organiza este evento tão bacana
Alma nobre, a Glaucia sempre chama
Todo povo na roda da cantiga
Todo ano reune e dá liga
Pra um mundo de gente original
No caminho do sopro ancestral
Que anima o corpo em movimento
Deus que traga saude e muito alento
Longa vida a projeto tão vital”
(Hier wordt de organisator van het evenement lof toegezongen)

1’34
A song of the Guarani, with guitar, rebeca and maracas

Guarani

5’06
Quote from an interview with Guarani “this song is about the sunrise and the man who lives above and makes it rain, we celebrate the rays of the sun and the rain through song and dance.

6’20
Demonstration song and dance of the Xingu

8’31
Anuiá Amarü (Yawalapiti, Xingu) playes solo flute

Anuiá Amarü

11’44
“Vou falar é do povo brasileiro
Marca forte de várias etnias
Com encontros de paz e rebeldia
Molda o ano janeiro a janeiro
Pé de dança, fulô, água de cheiro
Tudo em festas, cortejos encantados
Tudo em casas e ruas ubicados
Para mór de dar loa ao sacramento
União desse povo, sentimento
Integrando a Vida ao Sagrado”
(Here, Paulo sings on the native people who manifest themselves at the event.)

12’19
Demonstration of song and dance of Kayapó

Kayapó

18’07
Demonstration of Fulni-ô (cocô – Afro-Brazilian rhythm)

Fulni-ô

21’04
“Os Cristãos e os Mouros em batalhas
Marinheiros da Nau Catarineta
Cantadores jongueiros e retretas
Foliões, batuqueiros e mortalhas
Baianás e congueiros de toalha
Mina jeje nagô linha da mata
Moçambique de nego de precata
É Nação Africana, é Irmandade
Cada um compartilha uma verdade
Que chegou por avós de longa data”
(Here, Paulo Dias sings about the traditional groups from Brazil)

21’41
Terno de Mozambique led by Júlio Antônio (Comunidade de Fagundes, MG)

26’31
João Arruda vocals and viola (10—string guitar) live

32’09
Danças e Brincadeiras Cantadas – Família Menezes (MA)

35’56
During our stay, the samba was played by sambista Beto Pitombo and friends (Trem das Onze – Adoniran Barbosa)

37’18
Salvador, Pelourinho is the district of drumband Olodum. This is a spin-off of the drumband

41’42
“Também negros da África lutaram
Contra as malhas cruéis do escravismo
E juntaram as forças, comunismo
E mais fortes as dores suplantaram
Co’alegria seus cantos entoaram
Diáspórico mundo construindo
Nos desvão do sistema evoluindo
Como Porta-Bandeira e Mestre-Sala
Na avenida que é campo de batalha
Com rajadas de ritmos retinindo”
(Here, Paulo Dias sings about the Africans who were shipped to Brazil as slaves.)

42’18
Dia de Yemanjá (day of the goddes of the sea): hymn for Yemanjá

43’52
Street and festive sounds of the marching band, capoeira, fire works and sellers bottled water (“Agua”).

55’33
From the CD Terra e Lua – Gabriel Ley: ó de fora!