Clara Nunes - Feira De Mangaio from Esperança EP/LP - EMI/Odeon 1979

Clara Nunes - Feira De Mangaio from Esperança EP/LP - EMI/Odeon 1979

The ladies of forró, part 3 of 4! Happy Holidays All! Feira De Mangaio, written by Sivuca/Godalho may be the most famous forró track that I've ever posted on forró LP gringo. It was a huge hit for Clara Nunes, who is one of the great all-around Brazilian entertainers.

Clara Nunes - Feira De Mangaio from Esperança EP/LP - EMI/Odeon 1979

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Clara Nunes

Marinalva - Devagar Se Vai Ao Longe from Quermesse vol. 1 - Fontana 1971

Marinalva - Devagar Se Vai Ao Longe from Quermesse vol. 1 - Fontana 1971

The ladies of forró, part 2 of 4. There were numerous forró compilation LPs released in Brazil. Unlike most compilations released in North America and Europe which featured hits or a collection of promotional, but commercially available, tracks from artists, Brazilian forró compilation LPs contained entirely original and exclusive material, making them highly collectible. CBS and Fontana released more than 30 compilation LPs between 1967 and 1982. Quermesse was a 2 volume series on Fontana, featuring this great opening track from Marinalva. Like Marinês, Marinalva's commanding voice could hold it's own with the fellas. Marinalva had a long, confusing recording career with LPs scattered on multiple small and subsidiary labels.

Marinalva - Devagar Se Vai Ao Longe from Quermesse vol. 1 - Fontana 1971

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Marinalva on a sunny day long ago...

Carmelia Alves - Eh! Boi from Baião Com - Continental 1955

Carmelia Alves - Eh! Boi from Baião Com - Continental 1955

The ladies of forró, part 1 of 4. Carmelia Alves was one of the earliest stars of the genre that would later be known as forró. The 50s were formative years with no definitive musical genre boundaries. Carmelia's baião style was more similar to Luiz Gonzaga's than the lively coco / forró sounds that Jackson do Pandeiro or Ary Lobo would popularize on their own 10" albums and 78s released around the same time. Eh! Boi was recorded several times in her career, but this version is my favorite thanks to the lively orchestral arrangement and her playful Carmen Miranda-esque vocals.

Carmelia Alves - Eh! Boi from Baião Com - Continental 1955

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Carmelia Alves

Trio Marayá - Pé Do Lagero from No Tempo Dos Bons Tempos vol. 4 – Em Tempo De Nordeste - Fontana – 1972

Trio Marayá - Pé Do Lagero from No Tempo Dos Bons Tempos vol. 4 – Em Tempo De Nordeste - Fontana – 1972

Trio Marayá were an all-around pop vocal group from Brazil, similar in vocal style to the Kingston Trio in the US or Trio Irakitan in Brazil. The vocals are somewhat manly, which was popular in North and South American in the 1950s and early 1960s. Although they flirted with northeastern sounds, they were not a forró act. Most of their recordings from the 1950s and 1960s mixed samba and bossa nova. Trio Marayá appeared twice on the 1972 LP Em Tempo De Nordeste, which was one LP in a series of compilations released by Fontana with distinctive artwork. Many LPs in the series focused on individual artists, but this was a compilation. These songs were reissued from early releases by the Trio. Em Tempo De Nordeste is particularly interesting, because it featured some traditional northeastern styles other than forró.

Trio Marayá - Pé Do Lagero from No Tempo Dos Bons Tempos vol. 4 – Em Tempo De Nordeste - Fontana – 1972

Trio Marayá (from the 1950s)

Sebastião do Rojão – Meus Canarinho & Amor Proibido from Coisas Da Vida - RCA Camden 1967

Sebastião do Rojão – Meus Canarinho & Amor Proibido from Coisas Da Vida - RCA Camden 1967

Sebastião's albums tend to be diverse. Like Osvaldo Oliveira, he recorded a fair share of forró and balladeer LPs. Meus Canarinhos must have been a favorite, because there are several versions on compactos and LPs. Amor Proibido showcases Sebastião the balladeer.

Sebastião do Rojão – Meus Canarinho from Coisas Da Vida - RCA Camden 1967

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Sebastião do Rojão – Amor Proibido from Coisas Da Vida – RCA Camden 1967

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Sebastião do Rojão

Ary Lobo - Riviolândia (RCA compacto) 1961

Ary Lobo - Riviolândia (RCA compacto) 1961 

The monumental Ary Lobo returns to forróLPgringo with one of his greatest songs. Riviolândia was a 78rpm single. A few rare copies were sent to radio as a promotional 33 1/3 compacto single with a picture sleeve. Although much of his work has been reissued on CD (this single is an exception), Ary Lobo is still largely unknown outside of Brazil. Compared to Luiz Gonzaga and Jackson do Pandeiro, Lobo is primarily a footnote in the history of forró, except amongst roots collectors.

Ary Lobo - Riviolândia (RCA compacto) 1961 

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Ary Lobo at the top of his game.

Guaracy Do Pandeiro - Os Cabeludos & O Grito Do Balaieiro (RCA 1960s)

Guaracy Do Pandeiro - Os Cabeludos & O Grito Do Balaieiro (RCA 1960s)
This is a rare radio-only compacto forró single from the 1960s. I have no idea which year this was released. RCA is famous for being Luiz Gonzaga's label. Although a smattering of other forró artists were also on RCA (the most famous being Ary Lobo & Marinês), most artists were only given single LP releases. One-off compactos like Guaracy's were even rarer.

Guaracy Do Pandeiro - Os Cabeludos (RCA 1960s)

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Guaracy Do Pandeiro - O Grito Do Balaieiro (RCA 1960s)

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Guaracy Do Pandeiro - Os Cabeludos & O Grito Do Balaieiro (RCA 1960s)