|
The
Brazilian Sound: Culture Planet |
Music
From Bahia
Bahian
Axé Music
|
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|
Various Artists |
More Axé & Bahian Music Artists And CDs
Axe Music,
Carnaval, &
Afro-Brazilian
Music From Salvador And Bahia,
Brazil
Afoxes, Blocos Afro,
& Samba-Reggae
| Brazil's most African city, Salvador, is often
called "Bahia" and is itself the capital of Bahia state, in the Northeast. The
city and state have produced many of Brazil's great musicians, including João Gilberto, Dorival Caymmi,
Gilberto Gil,
Novos Baianos, Gal Costa,
Caetano Veloso,
and
Maria Bethania. The musical melting pot of Bahia is famous for afoxé
groups (like the Filhos de Gandhi), blocos afro (such as Ara Ketu, Olodum and
Ilê Aiyê), the amazing dance & martial art capoeira,
Afro-Brazilian religion,
and the largest
"street" Carnaval in Brazil. Bahia's
lively axé music mixes
samba-reggae,
afoxé, frevo, pop, Caribbean styles and
other ingredients. It emerged as a new musical
category in the '80s, shaped by the blocos afro, Salvador's Carnaval, the
trioelétricos, and musicians like
Luiz Caldas,
Moraes Moreira, Chiclete com
Banana, Banda Reflexu's, Gerônimo and Banda Mel.
This
evolution is traced in
The Brazilian Sound.
Contemporary Bahian stars include Carlinhos Brown, Virginia Rodrigues, Ivette Sangalo, and Daniela Mercury. Listed below are some of the leading figures in Bahian music, and their CDs that are currently available in North America. For Bahian dance-party music we recommend Olodum, Timbalada, Ara Ketu, Chiclete Com Banana, Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo , and the Axé Music annual samplers. For current innovation, we recommend albums by Carlinhos Brown, Daniela Mercury, and Virginia Rodrigues. You can access capoeira videos, CDs and books in our Capoeira Index. For Afro-Brazilian religions, check Candomblé & Umbanda Books, Candomblé CDs, and the documentary Ile Aiye (The House of Life). |
Bahian Music CDs & DVDs,
A - Z
Axe Bahia Collections: Various Axe Music Artists
Berimbau CDs: The Afro-Brazilian Musical Bow
Various Artists (Compilation)
The Rough Guide To The Music Of Brazil: Bahia
(2004)
DVDs about Bahian Culture &
Bahian Music
Ile Aiye (The House of Life) - A Film by David Byrne (DVD)
With the earthy, yet otherworldly Ilé Aiyé (The House of Life), David Byrne (True Stories) explores the spirit cult of Candomblé. Based in the Bahia region of Brazil, the African-originated religion permeates all aspects of the culture. Byrne incorporates music, dance, interviews, and clips from old black-and-white Brazilian movies into his documentary. Narration is kept to a minimum and the visuals do most of the talking--along with the rhythmic, trance-inducing songs, accompanied by translations of their evocative lyrics. As befits a former art student--and Talking Head--Byrne does get a little "arty" at times, as when he places screens within screens (much like Peter Greenaway's Pillow Book). Fortunately, the effect isn't as distracting as it sounds and is only used sporadically. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Axe Bahia 2000 (DVD)
Ivete Sangalo,
As Meninas, Timbalada, É O Tchan,
Banda Cheiro de Amor, Terra Samba, Banda Eva,
Companhia do Pagode, and Banda Beijo
(2001)