Massa: Brazilian Music & Culture

Well, we haven’t released an episode in a while, but that’s not because we aren’t working. In fact, we’ve never worked harder! We’ve been researching, interviewing, and recording episodes all this time. As we’ve worked, we’ve received quite a few comments and queries from you all, our listenership.

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the sub-genre known as forró eletrônico.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Som da Massa, “Transcontinental Baião”Limão com Mel, “De Janeiro a Janeiro” (YouTube) (Spotify)Vieira e Seu Conjunto, “Rei da Lambada” (YouTube) (Spotify)Daniela Mercury, “O Canto da Cidade” (YouTube) (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “Baião” (YouTube) (Spotify)Mastruz com Leite, “Meu Vaqueiro, Meu Peão” (YouTube) (Spotify)Aviões do Forró, “Chupa Que é de Uva” (YouTube) (Spotify)Sammy Bananas, “Transcontinental Baião (Carioca Remix)” 

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the sub-genre known as forró universitário.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Falamansa, “Xote da Alegria” (Spotify) (Youtube)Flávio José, “A Natureza das Coisas” (Spotify) (Youtube)Dominguinhos, “Eu Só Quero Um Xodó” (Youtube)Blues Traveler, "Hook" (Spotify) (Youtube)Axis of Awesome. “4 Chords” Juanes, “Volverte a Ver” (Spotify) (Youtube)Skank, “Te Ver” (Spotify) (Youtube)Os Paralamas do Sucesso, “Ela Disse Adeus”  (Spotify) (Youtube)Rastapé, “Colo de Menina” (Spotify) (Youtube)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of themes of migration from the Brazilian Northeast.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Luiz Gonzaga, “Asa Branca” (Youtube) (Spotify)Marinês, “Rainha do Xaxado” (Spotify) (YouTube)Siba e Barachinha “Morte do sambador” (Youtube)Venâncio e Curumbá, “Último Pau de Arara” (Youtube)Maria Bethânia, “Carcará” (Youtube)João do Vale, “Sina de Caboclo” (Youtube) Jair Rodrigues, “Disparada” (Youtube)Clara Nunes, “Feira de Mangaio” (Youtube) (Spotify)Maria Dapaz, “Volta da Asa Branca” (Youtube) (Spotify)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the dance tradition called baião, as well as its continued usage in popular music.They are joined once again by accordionist and forró historian Julinho Mendes.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Gonzagão and Gonzaguinha, “Baião” (Youtube) (Spotify)Mário de Andrade’s Missão de Pesquisas Folclóricas, “Baião” (Youtube)Quatro Ases e Um Coringa, “Baião” (Youtube)Luiz Gonzaga, “Baião” (Youtube) (Spotify)Banda de Pífano Cultural de Caruaru 100%, “Baião em Novena” (Youtube) (Spotify)Clemilda, “Forró Sem Briga” (Youtube) (Spotify)Clemilda, “Prenda o Tadeu” (Youtube) (Spotify)Raimundo Sodré, “A Massa” (Youtube) (Spotify)Djavan, “Maçã do Rosto” (Youtube) (Spotify)Zé Ramalho, Elba Ramalho, and Geraldo Azevedo,“Ai Que Saudade D’Ocê” (Youtube) (Spotify)Tiago Araripe and Zeca Baleiro, “Baião de Nós” (Youtube) (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “Baião de Dois” (Youtube) (Spotify)Almirante, “Pelo Telefone” (Youtube)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their series on the Brazilian music genre known as forró with a discussion of the dance rhythm called xaxado. They discuss the musical characteristics of the genre and show a number of examples.They are joined by special guest Julinho Mendes, an accordionist (sanfoneiro) and forró historian.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Gal Costa (feat. Gilberto Gil), “Sebastiana” (Spotify) (YouTube)Luiz Gonzaga, “Xaxado” (Spotify) (YouTube)Luiz Gonzaga, “Olha a Pisada” (YouTube)Volta Seca, “Mulher Rendeira” (Spotify) (YouTube)Luiz Gonzaga, “Óia Eu Aqui de Novo” (Spotify) (YouTube)Marinês, “Rainha do Xaxado” (Spotify) (YouTube)Zé Ramalho, “Cavalos do Cão” (Spotify) (YouTube)Lenine, “Candeeiro Encantado” (Spotify) (YouTube)Jackson do Pandeiro, “Sebastiana” (Spotify) (YouTube)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the dance tradition called xote.They are joined once again by accordionist and forró historian Julinho Mendes.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Accioly Neto, “Espumas ao Vento” (YouTube) (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “No Meu Pé de Serra”  (YouTube) (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “Numa Sala de Reboco” (Youtube) (Spotify)Alceu Valença, “Petrolina - Juazeiro” (YouTube) (Spotify)Dominguinhos, “Eu Só Quero Um Xodó” (YouTube) (Spotify)Elba Ramalho, “Bate Coração” (YouTube) (Spotify)Antônio Barros & Cecéu, “Bate Coração” (YouTube) (Spotify)Mestrinho, “Te Faço um Cafuné” (YouTube) (Spotify)Mariana Aydar, “Condução” (YouTube) (Spotify)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden begin their series on the Brazilian music genre known as forró with a discussion of the festas juninas (June festivals), one of the most popular yearly traditions, especially in the Northeast region. They discuss the saints honored at these festivals, the food and atmosphere, as well as the musical tradition known as forró that accompanies the festivities. The demonstrate the instruments featured in the forró ensemble and share some specifics on arrasta-pé, one of the many sub-genres of forró. They also discuss the ways that this tradition has permeated other parts of Brazil and other genres.They are joined by special guest Julinho Mendes, an accordionist (sanfoneiro) and forró historian.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Luiz Gonzaga, “São João Antigo” (Youtube) (Spotify)Marinês, “Quero Ver Xaxá” (Youtube) Amazan, “Sanfoneiro Nordestino” (Youtube) (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “Pau de Arara” (Youtube) (Spotify)Jackson do Pandeiro, “Chegou a Hora da Fogueira” (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “Olha Pro Céu Meu Amor” (Youtube) (Spotify)Moraes Moreira, “Pra Dançar Quadrilha II” (Youtube) (Spotify)Luiz Gonzaga, “A Festa do Milho” (Youtube) (Spotify)Doces Bárbaros, “São João, Xangô Menino” (Youtube) (Spotify)Gilberto Gil, “Pipoca Moderna” (Youtube) (Spotify)Banda Plinta, “Isto é Lá Com Santo Antônio” (Youtube) (Spotify)Antonio Carlos & Jocáfi, “Glorioso Santo Antônio” (Youtube) (Spotify)Bezerra da Silva, “Alô São Pedro” (Youtube) (Spotify)As Januárias, "Cadê o Meu São João" (Spotify) (Youtube)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the poetry of maracatu de baque solto from the zona da mata region of the northeastern state of Pernambuco. The discuss the structure of the sambada and the poetic forms marcha, galope, samba em dez, and samba curto. They are joined, once again, by anthropologist and historian Dr. Chris Estrada. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Chris Estrada (of Michigan State University)  has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Brazil.  Dr. Estrada will work with collaborators at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) during portions of 2022 and 2023 as part of the project “Every Day Is Carnival: Improvisation and Cultural Preservation in the Rural Maracatus of Pernambuco.” This Fulbright Scholar award will enable Dr. Estrada to collaborate with people in the music and anthropology departments at UFPE in creating a virtual archive and website focused on maracatu field recordings. In addition to digitizing analog cassettes of sambadas and ensaios, he also plans to make his own recordings from 2009-2012 available there, and to supplement the audio material with historical and GIS data on the places where all of this takes place, with as much specificity about the people making it as possible. Find more of his work at https://www.baquesolto.org/Follow him on Twitter @DrXtrada.Songs:Antônio Roberto, “Maracatu do Passado” (YouTube)Barachinha and Manoel Domingos, “Estou Feliz” (YouTube)Barachinha and Manoel Domingos, “Quem me enfrenta no galope” (YouTube)Siba e Barachinha “Morte do sambador” (Youtube)Barachinha & Zé Galdino, “Vamos ver quem é melhor” (YouTube)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the music tradition maracatu de baque solto from the zona da mata region of the northeastern state of Pernambuco. They are joined by maracatu practitioner Mestre Bi and anthropologist and historian Dr. Chris Estrada. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Chris Estrada (of Michigan State University)  has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Brazil.  Dr. Estrada will work with collaborators at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) during portions of 2022 and 2023 as part of the project “Every Day Is Carnival: Improvisation and Cultural Preservation in the Rural Maracatus of Pernambuco.” This Fulbright Scholar award will enable Dr. Estrada to collaborate with people in the music and anthropology departments at UFPE in creating a virtual archive and website focused on maracatu field recordings. In addition to digitizing analog cassettes of sambadas and ensaios, he also plans to make his own recordings from 2009-2012 available there, and to supplement the audio material with historical and GIS data on the places where all of this takes place, with as much specificity about the people making it as possible. Find more of his work at https://www.baquesolto.org/Follow him on Twitter @DrXtrada.Songs:Chico Science & Nação Zumbi, “Maracatu Atômico” (YouTube) (Spotify)Ticuqueiros, “Lá no Engenho” (YouTube) (Spotify)Mestre Bi singing about his history in maracatu de baque soltoTicuqueiros, “Cambinda Brasileira” (YouTube) (Spotify)Jorge Mautner, “Maracatu Atômico” (YouTube)Ticuqueiros, “Cantador Mestre”  (YouTube) (Spotify)Ticuqueiros, “Samba de Maracatu” (YouTube) (Spotify)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss issues of gender in the music tradition maracatu de baque virado. They are joined by Dr. Amy Medvick, who holds a PhD from Tulane University in Latin American Studies. They also interview Mestra Joana Cavalcante, who is the leader of the maracatu nation Nação do Maracatu Encanto do Pina, as well as the creator of the Movement of Female Empowerment Baque Mulher.Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Karina Buhr, “A Casa Caiu” (Youtube) (Spotify)Nação do Maracatu Encanto do Pina, "O Encanto que Vem de Luanda" (Youtube)Grupo Baque Mulher, “Meu Baque é Forte” (Youtube)Baque Mulher, “Sou Mulher Negra Empoderada" (YouTube)Baque Mulher, “Maria da Penha É Forte" (YouTube)

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the musical tradition known as maracatu de baque virado, or maracatu de nação, from the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. They describe the typical instruments and rhythms, the traditions, origins, and performance contexts, as well as a number of songs. They also discuss how 20th and 21st century popular musicians have taken inspiration from this music.Transcripts available at https://essefoimassa.com/ Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.Songs:Nação Zumbi, “Meu Maracatu Pesa Uma Tonelada” (Youtube) (Spotify)Karina Buhr, “A Casa Caiu” (Youtube) (Spotify)Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, “Tumaraca/Saudações aos 500 anos” (Youtube) (Spotify)Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, “Baque das Ondas” (Youtube) (Spotify)Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico parading at Recife's carnival (Youtube)Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, “Eu vi a Terra Tremer” (Youtube) (Spotify)Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, “13 de Maio” (Youtube)Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, "Respeito a Minha Majestade" (Youtube) (Spotify)Nação Estrela Brilhante rehearsal (Youtube)Guests and featured artists:Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico (Site) (Instagram)Mestre Chacon Viana (Instagram)Rumenig Dantas (Instagram)Nação Encanto da Alegria (Instagram)Nação Estrela Brilhante (Instagram)

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the tradition of candomblé nagô. They talk through the instruments used at the Ilê Axé Oxóssi Guangoubira terreiro in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. They highlight some of the orixás (dieties) that are worshipped and the sequence in which they are worshipped. They also speak with recording artist Zé Manoel about his song "Adupé Obaluaê."For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/Follow us on: Instagram | TwitterSongs discussed:Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, “Nagô é minha nação” (Spotify) (Youtube)Glauber Alabê, “Toque Nagô Alujá pra Xangô” (Youtube)Sítio de Pai Adão / Terreiro Obá Ogunté, “Mazuca” (Youtube)Ylê Axé Oxóssi Gangoubira, “Aguerê” (Youtube)Sítio de Pai Adão / Terreiro Obá Ogunté, “Abatá” (Youtube)Sítio de Pai Adão / Terreiro Obá Ogunté, “Inxé” (Youtube)Sítio de Pai Adão / Terreiro Obá Ogunté “Kabecile/Alujá” (Youtube)Zé Manoel, “Adupé Obaluaê” (Youtube) (Spotify)Zé Manoel, “Escuta Letieres Leite” (Youtube) (Spotify)Follow our guests:Rumenig Dantas: (instagram) (site) Zé Manoel: (instagram) (site)

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss and explain some of the common instruments and rhythms associated with the Afro-Brazilian religion candomblé, particularly in the form known as ketu, which is widely practiced in the Brazilian state of Bahia.For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/Follow us on: Instagram | TwitterSongs discussed:Kiko Dinucci e Bando Afro Macarrônico, “Padê Onã” (Spotify)Xênia França, “Preta Yayá” (Youtube) (Spotify)Leaders and Members of the Ketu Cult, “Avaninha” (Youtube) (Spotify)Núcleo Artístico Xiré Yabá, “Aguerê” (Youtube)Jorge Alabê, “Ijexá for Oxum” (Youtube) (Spotify)Jorge Alabé, “Vassi for Exu” (Youtube) (Spotify)Mestres Navegantes / Ilê Kaio Alaketu Axé Oxum, “Toque Alujá de Xangô” (Youtube)Leaders and Members of the Ketu Cult, “Ogum” (Youtube) (Spotify)

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the music of the Afro-Brazilian religion called candomblé and how it has informed and inspired popular musicians in Brazil.For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/Follow us on: Instagram | TwitterSongs discussed:Fabiana Cozza, “Kabiecilê” (Youtube) (Spotify)Vinícius de Moraes and Baden Powell, “Canto de Xangô” (Youtube) (Spotify)Hot e Oeira feat. Luejdi Luna, “Xango” (Youtube) (Spotify)Luedji Luna, "Uanga" (Youtube) (Spotify)Emicida feat. Pastor Henrique Vieira, Fabiana Cozza, Pastoras do Rosário, "Principia" (Youtube) (Spotify)Terrence McCoy, “‘Soldiers of Jesus’: Armed neo-Pentecostals torment Brazil’s religious minorities” in The Washington Post

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden introduce themselves and their plans for the podcast. They also discuss Raimundo Sodré's 1980 composition "A Massa," which was an inspiration for the name.For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/Follow us on: Instagram | TwitterSongs discussed:Nação do Maracatu Porto Rico, “Tumaraca/Saudações aos 500 anos” (Youtube) (Spotify)Paulinho da Viola, "Dança da Solidão" (Youtube) (Spotify)Raimundo Sodré, “A Massa” (Youtube) (Spotify)Bee-Gees, “Massachusetts” (Youtube) (Spotify)Zé Manoel, “Adupé Obaluaê” (Youtube) (Spotify)Jorge Alabê, “Vassi for Exu” (Youtube) (Spotify)João Gilberto, “Aguas de Março” (Youtube)