#chorinho

(English / Español / Italiano)

With serenity and love, we announce that Hermeto Pascoal has made his transition to the spiritual plane, surrounded by family and musical companions.

At the exact moment of passing, his group was on stage, as he would have liked: making sound and music.

Whoever wants to honour him, let him sound a note on the instrument, in the voice, in the cauldron and offer it to the universe. This is how he would have wanted it.

Gratitude for all the love along the way.

Family and staff of Hermeto Pascoal.

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Con serenidad y amor, anunciamos que Hermeto Pascoal ha realizado su transición al plano espiritual, rodeado de familiares y compañeros musicales.

En el momento exacto de paso, su grupo estaba en el escenario, como le hubiera gustado: haciendo sonido y música.

Quien quiera honrarlo, que suene una nota en el instrumento, en la voz, en la caldera y ofrézcasela al universo. Así es como el lo hubiera querido

Gratitud por todo el amor en el camino.

Familia y personal de Hermeto Pascoal.

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Con serenità e amore, annunciamo che Hermeto Pascoal ha compiuto il suo passaggio al piano spirituale, circondato dalla famiglia e dai compagni di musica.

Nell'esatto momento del trapasso, il suo gruppo era sul palco, come lui avrebbe voluto: producendo suoni e musica.

Chiunque voglia onorarlo, suoni una nota sullo strumento, nella voce, nel calderone e la offra all'universo. È così che avrebbe voluto.

Gratitudine per tutto l'amore che abbiamo ricevuto lungo il cammino.

Famiglia e personale di Hermeto Pascoal.

Various Artists: Quatro Grandes do Samba (1977)

I poached this LP from my parents’ record collection, and though I heard them play it innumerable times as a rock ‘n’ roll-mad kid, of course I dismissed it at the time as boring mom and dad music, but seems I wasn’t alone ... 

Because, when Quatro Grandes do Samba (“Four Samba Greats”) was released in 1977, mainstream MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) ruled the airwaves, so the album may have gone entirely unnoticed if not for a minor revival of pagode (an offshoot of more traditional samba such as this) that was going down at the time.

As for the participants: Nelson Cavaquinho, Candeia, Guilhereme de Brito and Elton Medieiros may have been old-timers, one and all, but they were also household names and masters of their craft, as evidenced by the following highlights from each one, in turn.

Nicknamed after his main instrument, Nelson Cavaquinho (1911-1986) was a longtime member of the mighty Mangueira samba school and known for tackling bittersweet themes like those in “Não é só Você” (its basic message: “You’re not the only one who’s unhappy”).

Antônio Candeia Filho (1935-1978) was a gifted flautist, composed many award-winning sambas for the most decorated samba school of them all, Portela, and worked as a police officer until five bullets left him paralyzed from the waist down; his resilience and pride shine through on “Sou Mais o Samba” (“Brazil is one big samba”).

Guilherme de Brito (1922-2006) was born in Rio’s Vila Isabel neighborhood, home to another renowned samba school by that name, and lent his smooth voice to “roots” classics like “A Flor e o Espinho” (“Take your smile out of the way because I want to pass by with my heartbreak”).

And Elton Medeiros (1930-2019) wore many hats -- musician, composer, producer, radio announcer -- over his long life, but he often plied his trade alongside fellow sambistas at the legendary Zicartola restaurant, working up songs like the playful “Chove e Não Molha.”

Finally, all four men join forces, backed by a gaggle of friends, for “Não Vem (Assim Não Da),” where they easily fend off anyone who would dare claim they were over the hill, and leave a living testament to authentic samba in Quatro Grandes do Samba.