Who has never caught himself drumming to a samba rhythm? As Dorival Caymmi used to say: “Anyone who doesn’t like samba is not a good guy. Either he’s bad in the head or sick in the foot.
Today, I want to share with you a very important topic in Brazilian culture: the history of samba. This is a musical genre that originated in Brazil and has spread all over the world, winning hearts and minds with its catchy beat and meaningful lyrics. The history of samba is fascinating and rich in detail.
In this post, we will learn a little more about the origin and history of this musical style, in addition to highlighting composers and artists who contributed to its consolidation and popularization.
The Origin and History of Samba
The roots of samba come from Africa and its origin in Brazil dates back to the end of the 19th century. At that time, enslaved Africans brought to Brazil maintained their cultural traditions, including music. In their spare time, they got together to play and dance, creating rhythms and melodies that were a blend of their African musical traditions and Brazilian cultural influences.
In the beginning, samba was considered a marginalized musical genre and associated with the poorest sections of the population. However, over time, it gained popularity and came to be recognized as a legitimate and important musical genre for Brazilian culture.
Samba and Carnival
Carnival is one of the main popular festivals in Brazil and samba is the rhythm that is intrinsically linked to this celebration. From the parades of the samba schools to the street blocks, samba is the sound that cradles revelers across the country.
The parades of the samba schools in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are one of the main highlights of the Brazilian Carnival.
Samba schools are associations that represent a certain community and that compete with each other in a great show that involves music, dance, costumes and floats. Samba is the rhythm that drives the parades and is composed especially for each school. In addition to samba schools, street blocks are also very popular during Carnival.
Samba is also a key element for the samba circles, which are informal gatherings where musicians and admirers of the genre gather to play and sing. These samba circles are very popular throughout Brazil, especially in the more traditional neighborhoods of big cities, such as Lapa in Rio de Janeiro and Vila Madalena in São Paulo.
Important composers and artists
Throughout the history of samba in Brazil, several composers and artists stood out for the quality and importance of their work. Noel Rosa, who is considered one of the founders of modern samba, has an extensive list of compositions. His songs “Com que roupa?” and “Feitiço da Vila”, became classics of the genre and are remembered until today.
Another big name in samba was Cartola, who is known for his poetic lyrics and smooth melodies. His songs, such as “O Mundo é um Moinho” and “As Rosas Não Falam”, are true masterpieces of the genre and continue to be interpreted by artists from all over Brazil.
Other important composers and artists in the history of samba include João Nogueira, Clara Nunes, Martinho da Vila, Zeca Pagodinho, Beth Carvalho, Alcione, Arlindo Cruz, Dona Ivone Lara, Paulinho da Viola, Dorival Caymmi among others. Each of these artists left their mark on samba and contributed to the consolidation and popularization of the genre.
In addition to composers, performers are also essential to the history of samba. Among the great voices that stood out in the Brazilian music scene, we can mention Elis Regina, Cássia Eller, Beth Carvalho, Clara Nunes, Alcione, Martinho da Vila, Zeca Pagodinho, among others. These artists gave life to the works of great composers and helped spread samba beyond Brazilian borders.
Samba becomes Popular
Samba began to become popular in the 1920s, when the first samba schools were created in Rio de Janeiro. They were organized groups that competed in parades during Carnival. Each samba school had its own plot, costumes, drums and samba-enredo, which was the song the school sang during the parade. Carnival parades became a huge popular celebration, and samba schools spread throughout Brazil.
During the 1930s and 1940s, it established itself as one of the most popular musical genres in Brazil. Great composers and artists emerged at this time.
The rhythmic structure of samba is well defined and composed of two beats and a characteristic rhythmic pattern. Its time signature is 2/4, which means that each measure is made up of two beats and that each beat is subdivided into two smaller beats. The beats of samba are marked by the famous “tum-ti-tum-ti-tum-tum”, which is the most characteristic rhythmic pattern of the genre.
Samba-canção is a Brazilian musical style that emerged in the 1950s, as a natural evolution of traditional samba. This style is characterized by more romantic lyrics and soft melodies, and was influenced by bossa nova and jazz. Composers such as Noel Rosa, Dorival Caymmi and Ary Barroso were pioneers in the creation of the samba-canção, which became popular on radio stations and in concert halls in Rio de Janeiro.
Influence of Jazz
The influence of jazz on Brazilian samba was instrumental in the creation of bossa nova, which emerged in the 1950s. Brazilian musicians, influenced by American jazz, began experimenting with new ways of playing and composing, incorporating sophisticated harmonies and smoother melodies. Composers such as Tom Jobim and João Gilberto were some of the pioneers of bossa nova, creating songs that became classics of Brazilian music, such as “Garota de Ipanema” and “Desafinado”. Bossa nova is considered an evolution of samba-canção, but with a more refined and modern sound, which conquered the world and became an icon of Brazilian music.
This is just a small sample of the rich history of samba and its evolutions over the years, which have influenced not only Brazilian music, but also the world music scene. Knowing the history of music is a way of valuing and understanding the culture of a people, and if you are interested in this history, there are many products available on the market that can help deepen your knowledge of the trajectory of samba and other musical genres . Whether through books, documentaries, or even the music itself, it’s worth exploring more about this fascinating history of Brazilian music.
