Elba Ramalho's mystic forró
Singer puts out new CD while preparing a tribute-album to Holy Mary, to be released on her label, Ramax
Rodrigo Faour
20/03/2001
Elba Ramalho has already co-produced some of her own albums, such as Encanto 
and Solar, but this time around she is the one in charge of the production of Cirandeira , which she's just put out (read the review), with a little help from arranger Marcos Frias. "I had been meaning to make totally independent albums for ages, but I would get a bit too lazy, sometimes. I love all of the producers with whom I have worked. They search for sounds, present new things. This time around, though, I decided to produce it myself, with some help from Marcos, a sensitive maestro and expert accordionist. He was my accomplice. That allowed me to make decisions about arrangements, mixing details, everything related to the production", she says.
The result of such diligence is a 14-track album, most of them brand new. Some written by songwriters that are usually present in her repertoire, such as Geraldo Azevedo, Lenine, Nando Cordel and Chico César, and others written by new composers, such as the young Targino Gondim, whose Esperando na Janela was turned into a big hit, as recorded by Gilberto Gil. "Targino gave me a few records and highlighted Pra Se Aninhar. He said to me: 'My mom dreams of you singing this song. I think it's perfect for you'. That's why I recorded it", she explains. But the greatest track on the CD is the ancient Patativa, written by legend Vicente Celestino, which - as suggested by Marcos Frias - came out as a xote. "It is my favorite track. Although I love Cirandeira (Lenine) very much, when I hear Patativa I get all emotional, it reminds me of my childhood. It is too strong", she admits.
Fishing for pearls
"As an interpreter, I feel obligated to rescue MPB pearls. Besides Patativa, I also rescued Forró do Surubim, which had been recorded by Jackson do Pandeiro 40 years ago. It is a very masculine song, hard to sing, but it came out nice", Elba says, adding that she and the Coco King made friends during the 80s, when he wrote No Som da Sanfona especially for her to record on the album Alegria , in 1982. "I had excellent relations with both [Luiz] Gonzaga and Jackson. Gonzaga used to treat me like I was his daughter. When the critics would ditch me, he would get so furious. He even wrote a song to give the critics some kind of response, but I didnt't want to record it. And Jackson taught me a lot".
Another curious aspect on her new CD is that Elba is singing clearly, speaking very little between the songs. "I guess it has something to do with the moment when I was recording. Onstage, I can express more power and agressiveness. But the album is very acoustic, romantic. The repertoire is classy and I think it is less for dancing and more for listening", she says.
Divine inspiration on the cover
After promoting the new album, Elba has plans for two different shows. One to be played at the Feira de São Cristóvão (a weekly Northeastern meeting in Rio de Janeiro), where a DVD should be taped, and another for the Cirandeira tour, supposed to start in July. In addition, she focuses on the releases on her own label, Ramax. She has already put out Fuba de Itaperoá's CD, and is preparing an album with songs dedicated to Holy Mary, to be named Coração de Mãe (or Mother's Heart). It should feature stars like Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Geraldo Azevedo, Zé Ramalho, Jerry Adriani, Chico Buarque, Nana Caymmi, Gilberto Gil and Luiz Gonzaga.
"I'm a follower of Holy Mary and have studied sightings of her on Earth for long years. There's been over 400 sightings! I wound up in a sanctuary with these psychics who have talked to her all their lives. The cover of my album features a little peace of cloth that Holy Mary herself - through her psychics - asked for. I mean, it is a gift from heaven", Elba claims, although she does not deny the influence of eastern cultures in her faith. "I have been practicing yoga for 15 years. I look for the best of every religion. I like Buddha, get the best from the Mahabaratta... But I'm a christian. I reckon that Mary is the arch of the current times. She's manifesting, calling the people of God. Instead of asking Indian gods for protection, I ask the Virgin for it".
and Solar, but this time around she is the one in charge of the production of Cirandeira , which she's just put out (read the review), with a little help from arranger Marcos Frias. "I had been meaning to make totally independent albums for ages, but I would get a bit too lazy, sometimes. I love all of the producers with whom I have worked. They search for sounds, present new things. This time around, though, I decided to produce it myself, with some help from Marcos, a sensitive maestro and expert accordionist. He was my accomplice. That allowed me to make decisions about arrangements, mixing details, everything related to the production", she says.
The result of such diligence is a 14-track album, most of them brand new. Some written by songwriters that are usually present in her repertoire, such as Geraldo Azevedo, Lenine, Nando Cordel and Chico César, and others written by new composers, such as the young Targino Gondim, whose Esperando na Janela
was turned into a big hit, as recorded by Gilberto Gil. "Targino gave me a few records and highlighted Pra Se Aninhar. He said to me: 'My mom dreams of you singing this song. I think it's perfect for you'. That's why I recorded it", she explains. But the greatest track on the CD is the ancient Patativa, written by legend Vicente Celestino, which - as suggested by Marcos Frias - came out as a xote. "It is my favorite track. Although I love Cirandeira (Lenine) very much, when I hear Patativa I get all emotional, it reminds me of my childhood. It is too strong", she admits.
Fishing for pearls
"As an interpreter, I feel obligated to rescue MPB pearls. Besides Patativa, I also rescued Forró do Surubim, which had been recorded by Jackson do Pandeiro 40 years ago. It is a very masculine song, hard to sing, but it came out nice", Elba says, adding that she and the Coco King made friends during the 80s, when he wrote No Som da Sanfona especially for her to record on the album Alegria
, in 1982. "I had excellent relations with both [Luiz] Gonzaga and Jackson. Gonzaga used to treat me like I was his daughter. When the critics would ditch me, he would get so furious. He even wrote a song to give the critics some kind of response, but I didnt't want to record it. And Jackson taught me a lot".
Another curious aspect on her new CD is that Elba is singing clearly, speaking very little between the songs. "I guess it has something to do with the moment when I was recording. Onstage, I can express more power and agressiveness. But the album is very acoustic, romantic. The repertoire is classy and I think it is less for dancing and more for listening", she says.
Divine inspiration on the cover
After promoting the new album, Elba has plans for two different shows. One to be played at the Feira de São Cristóvão (a weekly Northeastern meeting in Rio de Janeiro), where a DVD should be taped, and another for the Cirandeira tour, supposed to start in July. In addition, she focuses on the releases on her own label, Ramax. She has already put out Fuba de Itaperoá's CD, and is preparing an album with songs dedicated to Holy Mary, to be named Coração de Mãe (or Mother's Heart). It should feature stars like Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Geraldo Azevedo, Zé Ramalho, Jerry Adriani, Chico Buarque, Nana Caymmi, Gilberto Gil and Luiz Gonzaga.
"I'm a follower of Holy Mary and have studied sightings of her on Earth for long years. There's been over 400 sightings! I wound up in a sanctuary with these psychics who have talked to her all their lives. The cover of my album features a little peace of cloth that Holy Mary herself - through her psychics - asked for. I mean, it is a gift from heaven", Elba claims, although she does not deny the influence of eastern cultures in her faith. "I have been practicing yoga for 15 years. I look for the best of every religion. I like Buddha, get the best from the Mahabaratta... But I'm a christian. I reckon that Mary is the arch of the current times. She's manifesting, calling the people of God. Instead of asking Indian gods for protection, I ask the Virgin for it".