Bambas do Samba (1979)!

I just came across this amazing video posted by my favorite YouTuber, calulinho! The clip is from the popular show Fantástico in 1979. There are so many heavies in this video, I don't even know them all, but to name a few that I could pick out: Monarco, Dona Ivone Lara, Cartola, Aniceto do Império, Elton Medeiros, Xangô da Mangueira (who just passed away in January), Clementina de Jesus, Dominguinhos do Estácio, Wilson Moreira... (I have linked to past posts on these legends). The drawings in the video are by the singular Italian-born-turn-carioca artist Lan.

I am almost speechless when I watch this video. To me, the 1970s was the true "golden age" of samba recordings, though many consider the 1930s-40s to be so. I disagree. It was not until the 1970s that samba recordings began to really capture the essence of samba in its most traditional format (as opposed to the highly polished and orchestrated 'radio-era' sambas of the 30s and 40s), with many revered samba composers and musicians recording their debut albums already in their old age... It was at this time that you began to hear partido alto, batuque, ijexá, samba de terreiro, samba de roda, atabaque... interpreted by the artists and composers themselves, rather than "interpreters" and pop stars.

It was also during the 1970s that many of the artists you see in the video began to feel alienated from their beloved samba schools as their commercialization was in full swing. Then, with the 1980s came another significant movement with the Cacique de Ramos generation, and by the 1990s, the recording industry had usurped all-things-good from samba and began to churn out cookie-cutter boy bands.

Watch the video, visit my previous posts on these amazing artists and legends, listen to the music I have posted, and tell me if you aren't as moved as I am...

***UPDATE 4/18/09:
Thanks to a wonderful visitor, samba "connoisseur" and filmmaker Fábio (he's still anonymous!), I have learned that also in the video are Geraldo Babão, Dona Neuma da Mangueira, and Manacéia... He's still spotting others! More to come!
Valeu Fábio, meu querido!