The fine batucada of Galocantô

(Pedro Arêas/pandeiro & Peterson/tantam [foreground])

It has been a wonderful week and I am happy to be posting again (finally!) after some fruitful events in my research! First, was an excellent interview I conducted with the young group Galocantô. Following their debut CD in 2006, the group was awarded the 2007 Prêmio Tim for best samba group. Despite their humble success, the fruit of a long struggle in the Lapa musical scene, the group continues to promote a traditional roda de samba every week while also playing some of Rio's best nightclubs and venues.


(Lula Matos [front]/percussion & Peterson/tantam)

In our discussion the issue of the rejuvenation of the historic city center was raised. In recent years the Lapa district has experienced a major renaissance, as several nightclubs and bars began to draw a young crowd back to this red-light district (it still is a red light district). With its newfound popularity, and the opening of many new clubs, Lapa is today where Rio’s youth go to for all-night drinking and dancing. It is the kind of place to be avoided if one dislikes crowds, excessive drinking or the extreme cacophony emanating from the competing bars; or, it is the first place you run to if that is your thing.


(Marcelo Correia/violão de 7)

The rejuvenation of Lapa, many claim, was due in part to the success of a new generation of musicians that sought to revive samba, and its historic ties to Lapa. Following the success of these musicians, new nightclubs began to open in remodeled historic buildings, drawing more and more people to the city center’s nightlife. Galocantô was instrumental in that success. While many groups continue to struggle for space, Galocantô was one of the groups that grew along with Lapa's popularity. Today sharing the stage with some of the major stars of samba, the group still maintains close ties to the many rodas where these cats literally "cut their teeth" as they were learning to play.


(Edson Cortes/percussion)

The name of the group is a play on words (isn't everything in Brazilian Portuguese a play on words?) for "the rooster sings." Borrowed from a famous song, it refers to the nature of inumerous rodas de samba that have no time to end and often go until the sun rises, or literally, until the roosters begin to sing... I know you might be thinking that it is not literally so, but I have personally heard roosters in the post-samba wee hours!


(Pablo Amaral/cavaco & Rodrigo "Biro" Carvalho/vocals/percussion)

The group's success, I believe, lies in their professionalism as well as their wonderful stage presentations. Their latest show is founded on the concept of the roda, or "circle" as samba is most traditionally played. The academic inspiration for the show is the important book by the late music historian and journalist Roberto M. Moura (1947-2005), No princípio era a roda (2004).


(Léo Costinha/percussion)

The following track is from the group's debut CD, which Biro generously signed and gave to me! The album also features several luminaries of Rio's samba scene such as Beth Carvalho, Arlindo Cruz, Rildo Hora, Diogo Nogueira and the Velha Guarda do Império Serrano. So far it is one of my favorite tunes of the album, and it is co-written with some friends from the local scene of emerging samba composers.


"Pão que alimenta" (Edson Cortes, Wantuir, Binho Sá)
from the album Fina Batucada (2006)

work cited:
Roberto M. Moura, No princípio, era a roda: um estudo sobre samba, partido-alto e outros pagodes. Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, 2004.