Miltinho Edilberto bets on the fusion of <i>violas</i> and <i>sanfonas</i>
A forerunner of the movement in São Paulo, the guitarist is recording his third album, produced by Art Popular's Leandro Lehart
Tom Cardoso
22/03/2001
If Falamansa is now approaching the million copies sold, part of the success should be credited for Miltinho Edilberto. Folklore expert, experienced guitarist (specialized in the viola, a smaller type of acoustic guitar mostly used in the countryside of Brazil), the songwriter has been touring the nightclubs in São Paulo for years, promoting his stylish forró, strongly influenced by the Brazilian cuntry music. Along with groups like Trio Virgulino and Falamansa, he has helped stregthen the movement, currently regarded as a goldmine by the industry.
Miltinho talked to AllBrazilianMusic from the home studio that belongs to pagode icon Leandro Lehart, leader of the group Art Popular, who is producing Miltinho's third album, to come out on DeckDisk/Abril Music. Smoking a cigarette and testing chords on his 10-string viola, the songwriter from the countryside of São Paulo claims that he does not intend to be the next big college forró thing. "I don't think I'll sell one million copies. The Falamansa kids have been smashing hits because, besides being talented and good-looking, they are on the television all the time", says Miltinho.
The guitarist acknowledges various other acts with marketing possibilities similar to Falamansa's. To justify the statement, he names Forróçacana, Trio Virgulino and Dominguinhos. "Picture a musician as talented and charismatic as Dominguinhos playing every Sunday afternoon on the TV. He would sell way more than one million copies", he bets. As opposed to what is common knowledge among forró artists, Miltinho doesn't think that the new trend is negative because the groups are comprised of college students from Rio and São Paulo. "For the better or for the worse, they are clearing the path for hundreds of other artists. Look at pagode, for instance. In the early days, the groups featured all the white folks. Today, the black folks, who truly understand the samba, have taken over the scene."
Confusion with Brazilian country
Although he is appointed as one of the greatest representatives of the college forró, Miltinho doesn't regard himself as a forró artist. So much so that he used to be referred to as a Brazilian country artist because he doesn't let go of the viola. 'I won't accept any labels or tags. If Jackson do Pandeiro, the king of coco and embolada, used to sing along to a viola, then why can't I do the same? People don't understand that forró is not a music style, but a big party where styles like xote, xaxado, coco, embolada, baião, maxixe and other northeastern rhythms can be played."
Oswaldinho do Acordeom, Trio Virgulino, Tato (Falamansa vocalist) and Leandro Lehart are some of the guests who will appear on Miltinho's new album. A big MPB star should also appear, but he cannot reveal her name. One tip: Maria Bethânia is a big fan of his, ever since she recorded his song Não Tenha Medo on the album A Força Que Nunca Seca. "I'm lucky to be looked up to by such big stars. I know that Elba and Alceu also like my music".
Miltinho gets really turned on when he talks about the newfound power of the forró movement in São Paulo. He recalls that until the late 1980s, the only spot dedicated to the style was the nightclub Avenida. Apart from that, the forró balls were restricted to the northeastern communities, with little structure and no live music. "Back then, singing the forró wouldn't open doors to anyone. The middle-class did not consume this type of music, there was a lot of prejudice".
The musician says that only after a group of college kids started to hang out at the two clubs that were open to forró did the style start to be accepted by the middle-class. "This is wonderful. I don't see the college forró only as a musical movement. It is also social and cultural, because it has overcome prejudice."
Miltinho talked to AllBrazilianMusic from the home studio that belongs to pagode icon Leandro Lehart, leader of the group Art Popular, who is producing Miltinho's third album, to come out on DeckDisk/Abril Music. Smoking a cigarette and testing chords on his 10-string viola, the songwriter from the countryside of São Paulo claims that he does not intend to be the next big college forró thing. "I don't think I'll sell one million copies. The Falamansa kids have been smashing hits because, besides being talented and good-looking, they are on the television all the time", says Miltinho.
The guitarist acknowledges various other acts with marketing possibilities similar to Falamansa's. To justify the statement, he names Forróçacana, Trio Virgulino and Dominguinhos. "Picture a musician as talented and charismatic as Dominguinhos playing every Sunday afternoon on the TV. He would sell way more than one million copies", he bets. As opposed to what is common knowledge among forró artists, Miltinho doesn't think that the new trend is negative because the groups are comprised of college students from Rio and São Paulo. "For the better or for the worse, they are clearing the path for hundreds of other artists. Look at pagode, for instance. In the early days, the groups featured all the white folks. Today, the black folks, who truly understand the samba, have taken over the scene."
Confusion with Brazilian country
Although he is appointed as one of the greatest representatives of the college forró, Miltinho doesn't regard himself as a forró artist. So much so that he used to be referred to as a Brazilian country artist because he doesn't let go of the viola. 'I won't accept any labels or tags. If Jackson do Pandeiro, the king of coco and embolada, used to sing along to a viola, then why can't I do the same? People don't understand that forró is not a music style, but a big party where styles like xote, xaxado, coco, embolada, baião, maxixe and other northeastern rhythms can be played."
Oswaldinho do Acordeom, Trio Virgulino, Tato (Falamansa vocalist) and Leandro Lehart are some of the guests who will appear on Miltinho's new album. A big MPB star should also appear, but he cannot reveal her name. One tip: Maria Bethânia is a big fan of his, ever since she recorded his song Não Tenha Medo on the album A Força Que Nunca Seca. "I'm lucky to be looked up to by such big stars. I know that Elba and Alceu also like my music".
Miltinho gets really turned on when he talks about the newfound power of the forró movement in São Paulo. He recalls that until the late 1980s, the only spot dedicated to the style was the nightclub Avenida. Apart from that, the forró balls were restricted to the northeastern communities, with little structure and no live music. "Back then, singing the forró wouldn't open doors to anyone. The middle-class did not consume this type of music, there was a lot of prejudice".
The musician says that only after a group of college kids started to hang out at the two clubs that were open to forró did the style start to be accepted by the middle-class. "This is wonderful. I don't see the college forró only as a musical movement. It is also social and cultural, because it has overcome prejudice."