Blue Baião

I picked up a job lot of Brazilian CDs in Brick Lane yesterday - 7 for £5. If the first one is anything to go by I have got a real bargain.

The album in question is "Baião de Viramundo", and it is a tribute to Luiz Gonzaga, the "king of baião" whose recording career lasted nearly 40 years up to his death in 1989. The album itself came out in 2000.

"Baião", as all of you familiar with Wikipedia will know, is a rhythm from North East Brazil usually played on a zabumba, a flat, double-headed bass drum played with a mallet in one hand and stick in the other. "Viramundo" translates literally as  something like "turning world". By coincidence it is also the title of a  new documentary about another baião master, Gilberto Gil.

We will start you off with Luiz himself, so you can see how it is meant to be done, followed by a couple of tracks from the compilation. I think it is fair to say they did not feel too constrained in how they interpreted the brief.

"Danado de Bom" - Luiz Gonzaga

"Vozes Da Seca" - Black Alien, Speed Freaks & Rica Amabis

"A Fole Roncou" - Nação Zumbi

From Gonzaga to Gonzalez. My friend Winston's sister used to go out with the lead singer, so they are virtually family.