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The capoeira
Originally, the word capoeira (from the Tupi "kapu-era". meaning
"clearing") referred to the area where the African slaves, who were brought to Brazil more than four centuries ago
mostly from Angola and Zaire, trained in the art of (weaponless) self-defence. Their training
consisted of dance-like movements of hands and feet.
Over the years, the capoeira has become
both a dance and one of the martial arts, typical of Brazil and with strict rules. Such is its success
that many schools (sports centres or art centres) devoted exclusively to the
capoeira have been opened in Brazil and other parts of the world since the 1990s.
"The Capoeira is the poetry of body
movement"; a choreography for two participants, in which the ginga (swinging motion) brings to
mind images of feathers dancing to the sound of the berimbau a musical bow of African origin,
wich a single wire string and a gourd resonator; the wire string is struck with a wooden stick;
this instrument is capable of producing a great variety of sounds.
Apart from the berimbau, other instruments
include the agogo (cowbell), pandeiro (tambourine), surdo (bass drum) and congas,
triangle, maracas, and so on.
To pay tribute to this art, four Brazilian artists
have decided to pool their talents.
The guitarist and composer Jorge Henrique
De Amorim Lima, known as 'Jorginho', is the musical director of this project. He has
accompanied many well-known artists,including Bernard Lavilliers, the group
Kaoma, Marcelo Ferreira, Catia Werneck, Marcia Maria,Tania Maria and Nazare Pereira. He has also
worked on the music for films by Vladimir Cosma (Le Leopard, Le tils du Francais).
He is accompanied by Claudionor Gabriel de
Oliveira, known as 'No de Oliveira', who sings, composes, plays percussion and the
berimbau,and teaches the capoeira, and Jose Luis Nascimento, known as 'Ze Luis', who is a
capoeirista (an adept at the capoeira), a singer, and one of the finest Brazilian percussionists
living in France.
The artistic manager is Nazare
Pereira, the most famous brazilian singer in France, who composed most of the pieces presented on this
recording. She accompanies the trio with her very distinctive voice.
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. Several Afro-Brazilian styles are presented on
this album, all of them belonging to the world of the capoeirista: SAMBA DE RODA
(very fast rhythms), IJEXA (slower, languorous rhythm,
paying tribute to Yemanja, the goddess of the sea), MACULELE (a dance style accompanied
by loud percussion instruments, such as the atabaque, a conical, single-headed drum of
African origin, which, according to the
capoeiristas acts as a link between body and spirit)...
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RASTEIRA
(N. Pereira - J. Amorim) Through this song the capoeirista shows his pride at belonging to a particular region, town or district. He accompanies the singing with various figures: armada, ponteira, rabo de
arraia...
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SARAVÁ
COMPANHEIRO (N. Pereira - J. Amorim) Hail, companion. This is a capoeira in two parts: the first one slower, accompaniyng the entry of the dancers; the second one faster, for the dance. The refrain is easy, enabling everyone to join in and clap
hands:'Saravá ... saravá... saravá...
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JANAINA CANTOU (Zé Luiz Nascimento - R. Marques)
Janaina is the other name of the queen of the sea. Janaina is seen as a mermaid who, according to african legend, protects
fishermen ; meanwhile, the women pray for their loved ones to return.
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BAHIA, VEIA BAHIA (C. de Oliveira) This dance refers to the legends and religious traditions that are still very much a part of the culture of this region. 'I come from the lands of legend in Salvador de Bahia, in Nordeste, Brazil; Bahia, old Bahia, never change, keep your
tradition'.
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ADEUS CANDIÁ
(N. Pereira Nô Oliveira - J. Amorim) Farewell Candiá.The words of this song express our desire to make this music, these dances, rhythms and traditions as popular in the rest of Brazil - and indeed, all over the world - as they are in Bahia! 'My mission is to sing about my country, so that my people will always be happy.'
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BAIÃO DO PENTA (J. Amorim)
Instrumental piece celebrating Brazil's fifth victory in the World Cup in
2002.
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LENÇOL DE ESTRELAS (N. Pereira - J. Amorim)
A tribute to Yemanja, a goddess of African tradition: the 'queen of the sea'. A ceremony in tribute to Yemanja is very impressive and very moving: on 2 February, her feast day, people throw white flower into the sea; the beaches are lit by thousands of candies planted in thé sand. Those present are dressed
in white, and pray to the goddess for a good year for fishing, and for the protection of the fishermen.
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A VOLTA DO CAPOEIRA (N. Pereira J. Amorim - J. Amorim)
The return of the capoeira. The capoeirista dreams of travelling around the world, over sea and over land; of going further
and further, to where wars begin, and to where wars end, in search of peace. But in the end, tired of travelling and missing his home, he returns to Brazil and is very happy to remain
there.
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SAIA RENDADA (N. Pereira)
Lace petticoat. A very fast samba de Roda, with a lot of percussion. To the very first notes, the
partecipants form a round; the (female) dancers then perform in turn within the circle. The text serves as an excuse to bring out the rhythm and the dance. The refrain is repetitive
(Não caia Não caia Não Caia Morena Segura a Saia...'), enabling the audience to join in.
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MACULELÊ (N. Pereira - Coaty de Oliveira)
An Afro-Brazilian fighting dance, very popular in Santo Amaro de la Purification (Bahia) and strongly reminiscent of black African stick-fighting dances, when the participants would dress in feathers and animal skins to celebrate the puberty rite. The sound of the sticks striking together adds to the percussion.
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