Manezinho Araujo (sometimes written with an accent on the é in Manézinho and the ú in Araújo) recorded records in a Brazilian style called embolada. Embolada is a form of Brazilian street rap, usually with 2 or more performers dueling with words and rhymes over a simple beat, often provided by the pandeiro. Often, they are trying to make an audience laugh through jabs and funny insults. Brazilian fellas were having rap battles in the 1930s and likely before, which is decades ahead of when they became popular in the United States. Embolada predates forró, but the styles merged nicely.
Araujo is unique amongst artists that cross over into forró, because he was also a successful visual artist and journalist. Prá Onde Vai Valente comes from an LP released on Fontana in 1972. Although the Wikipedia entry claims that the song is from 1934, I have not found evidence of a recording from that era. The Dicionário Cravo Albin Da Musica Popular Brasileira lists the first Manezinho Araujo 78 rpm from 1933. This is 8 years before the first Luiz Gonzaga 78 rpm, who is cited as the godfather of baião and forró. There were likely records pre-dating Gonzaga's that were similar in style. I am curious if any Brazilian scholars have pursued this.
Araujo's style reminds me of Genival Lacerda. Perhaps Lacerda borrowed Araujo's squeaky voice stylings or it may be a cultural "humor" voice, like a Brazilian Jimmy Durante. At any rate, this record has been sitting in my collection for a while and I'm glad that I could dust it off for an entry.
Manezinho Araujo - Prá Onde Vai Valente from Cuma É Nome Deles - Fontana (1972)
Araujo is unique amongst artists that cross over into forró, because he was also a successful visual artist and journalist. Prá Onde Vai Valente comes from an LP released on Fontana in 1972. Although the Wikipedia entry claims that the song is from 1934, I have not found evidence of a recording from that era. The Dicionário Cravo Albin Da Musica Popular Brasileira lists the first Manezinho Araujo 78 rpm from 1933. This is 8 years before the first Luiz Gonzaga 78 rpm, who is cited as the godfather of baião and forró. There were likely records pre-dating Gonzaga's that were similar in style. I am curious if any Brazilian scholars have pursued this.
Araujo's style reminds me of Genival Lacerda. Perhaps Lacerda borrowed Araujo's squeaky voice stylings or it may be a cultural "humor" voice, like a Brazilian Jimmy Durante. At any rate, this record has been sitting in my collection for a while and I'm glad that I could dust it off for an entry.
Manezinho Araujo - Prá Onde Vai Valente from Cuma É Nome Deles - Fontana (1972)
 |
| Manezinho Araujo - Cuma É Nome Deles - Fontana (1972) |
No comments:
Post a Comment