Samba-enredo, I want it!
Mangueira, Portela, Salgueiro, Imperatriz, Mocidade, Beija-Flor and Vila Isabel have their sambas from the past 15 Carnival parades released on CD
Rodrigo Faour
25/01/2001
This one is for the merry-makers. BMG is now putting out seven CDs with the sambas-enredo (those written especially for the samba school parade) produced along the past 15 years by seven of the most traditional samba schools in Rio de Janeiro: Mangueira, Portela, Salgueiro, Imperatriz Leopoldinense, Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, Beija-Flor and Unidos de vila Isabel. Except for the Salgueiro CD - the only one to feature a year 2000 samba - the selection brings musical themes from the parades from 1986 to 1999. Unfortunately, that was the weakest period for samba production, due to excessive commercial intents.
The shortening of the length of each school's parade has caused the making of ever faster music, filled with melodic and poetic clichés. Still, most of these albums carry at least three or four good sambas. Nonetheless, aficionados for any of those schools should love the package, because the music will certainly bring about the memory of their favorite school coming "down the strip", as Brazilians call it. The regular listener, though, will have a hard time not to skip tracks. Below, a quick analyzis of the seven albums:
Mangueira
- This one is by far the best, featuring at least six very popular sambas-enredo. Three of them are from the late 80s: Caymmi Mostra ao Mundo o que a Bahia e a Mangueira Têm, from 1986, 100 Anos de Liberdade, Realidade ou Ilusão, from 1988, and Trinca de Reis, from 1989.
The best 90s picks are the homages to Tom Jobim, Se Todos Fossem Iguais a Você (1992); to Doces Bárbaros (Gil, Caetano, Gal and Bethânia), Atrás da Verde e Rosa Só Não Vai Quem já Morreu (1994), and to Chico Buarque, Chico Buarque da Mangueira (1998).
Imperatriz - Imperatriz is the school that has won most of the parades for the past 15 years: five. Their sambas, however, have never been as popular as Mangueira's. The only one that is remembered to this day is from 1989: Liberdade! Liberdade! Abra as Asas Sobre Nós (E que a voz da igualdade seja sempre a nossa voz). But the sambas from 1987 (Estrela Dalva, an homage to singer Dalva De Oliveira) and 1988 (Conta Outra que Essa Foi Boa, based upon the (then) new Brazilian Constitution are effective.
Their best productions in the 90s were Catarina de Médicis na Corte dos Tupinambós e Tabajeres, from 1993, and Eu Sou da Lira, Não Posso Negar, an homage to the pioneering Brazilian songwriter Chiquinha Gonzaga. This one granted them the championship in 1999.
Mocidade - Mocidade has also produced popular sambas, such as Bruxarias e Histórias do Arco da Velha (1986) and Vira, Virou, A Mocidade Chegou, which won the 1990 parade. Other interesting sambas-enredo are Sonhar Não Custa Nada! Ou Quase Nada...(1992), Elis:Um Trem Chamado Emoção (from 1989, an homage to singer Elis Regina) and Chuê... Chuá... As Águas Vão Rolar (champion of the 1991 parade).
Salgueiro - This is the only CD that feautres 13 tracks, being one of them from last year's parade. Their only truly popular samba between 1987 and 2000 is the amazing Peguei um Ita no Norte, champion of the 1993 parade. The other sambas, though, are only reasonable, among which, Templo Negro em Tempo de Consciência Negra, from 1989; Rio de Lá Pra Cá, placed second in 1994; Um Caso Por Acaso, from 1995, and Parintins, a Ilha do Boi-Bumbá - Garantido e Caprichoso, from 1998.
Portela - Despite being one of the most traditional samba schools, Portela hasn't been enjoying good times. They haven't won a single parade since 1985, and their sambas have generally been bad. Of course, those who love the school will probably love Morfeu no Carnaval, a Utopia Brasileira (1986); Lenda Carioca, Os Sonhos de Vice-Rei (1988); Tributo à Vaidade (1991); Quando Samba era Samba (1994) and Gosto que Me Enrosco (1995), which granted them second place.
Beija-Flor - Beija-Flor (literally, hummingbird) became notable for the luxury displayed during their parades an for Joãosinho Trinta's creative ideas (he is a carnavalesco, the person in charge of the concept of the school's parade). The sambas, however, haven't accompanied the visual impact. The five picks from this disc are: Sou Negro, do Egito à Liberdade, from 1988; the remarkable Ratos e Urubus, Larguem Minha Fantasia, from 1989; Todo Mundo Nasceu Nú, placed second in 1990, and Alice no Brasil das Maravilhas, from 1991.
Vila Isabel - Since its foundaton in 1946, Vila Isabel only won the parade once. It was in 1988 with their best samba-enredo ever, Kizomba, A Festa da Raça. But the other sambas are so weak! Still, one could enjoy De Alegria Cantei, De Alegria Pulei, De Três em Três pelo Mundo Rodei (1986), Direito é Direito (1989) and João Pessoa, Onde o Sol Brilha Mais Cedo (1999). This one and Portela's are the worse discs in the package.
The shortening of the length of each school's parade has caused the making of ever faster music, filled with melodic and poetic clichés. Still, most of these albums carry at least three or four good sambas. Nonetheless, aficionados for any of those schools should love the package, because the music will certainly bring about the memory of their favorite school coming "down the strip", as Brazilians call it. The regular listener, though, will have a hard time not to skip tracks. Below, a quick analyzis of the seven albums:
Mangueira
- This one is by far the best, featuring at least six very popular sambas-enredo. Three of them are from the late 80s: Caymmi Mostra ao Mundo o que a Bahia e a Mangueira Têm, from 1986, 100 Anos de Liberdade, Realidade ou Ilusão, from 1988, and Trinca de Reis, from 1989.
The best 90s picks are the homages to Tom Jobim, Se Todos Fossem Iguais a Você (1992); to Doces Bárbaros (Gil, Caetano, Gal and Bethânia), Atrás da Verde e Rosa Só Não Vai Quem já Morreu (1994), and to Chico Buarque, Chico Buarque da Mangueira (1998).
Imperatriz
- Imperatriz is the school that has won most of the parades for the past 15 years: five. Their sambas, however, have never been as popular as Mangueira's. The only one that is remembered to this day is from 1989: Liberdade! Liberdade! Abra as Asas Sobre Nós (E que a voz da igualdade seja sempre a nossa voz). But the sambas from 1987 (Estrela Dalva, an homage to singer Dalva De Oliveira) and 1988 (Conta Outra que Essa Foi Boa, based upon the (then) new Brazilian Constitution are effective.
Their best productions in the 90s were Catarina de Médicis na Corte dos Tupinambós e Tabajeres, from 1993, and Eu Sou da Lira, Não Posso Negar, an homage to the pioneering Brazilian songwriter Chiquinha Gonzaga. This one granted them the championship in 1999.
Mocidade
- Mocidade has also produced popular sambas, such as Bruxarias e Histórias do Arco da Velha (1986) and Vira, Virou, A Mocidade Chegou, which won the 1990 parade. Other interesting sambas-enredo are Sonhar Não Custa Nada! Ou Quase Nada...(1992), Elis:Um Trem Chamado Emoção (from 1989, an homage to singer Elis Regina) and Chuê... Chuá... As Águas Vão Rolar (champion of the 1991 parade).
Salgueiro
- This is the only CD that feautres 13 tracks, being one of them from last year's parade. Their only truly popular samba between 1987 and 2000 is the amazing Peguei um Ita no Norte, champion of the 1993 parade. The other sambas, though, are only reasonable, among which, Templo Negro em Tempo de Consciência Negra, from 1989; Rio de Lá Pra Cá, placed second in 1994; Um Caso Por Acaso, from 1995, and Parintins, a Ilha do Boi-Bumbá - Garantido e Caprichoso, from 1998.
Portela
- Despite being one of the most traditional samba schools, Portela hasn't been enjoying good times. They haven't won a single parade since 1985, and their sambas have generally been bad. Of course, those who love the school will probably love Morfeu no Carnaval, a Utopia Brasileira (1986); Lenda Carioca, Os Sonhos de Vice-Rei (1988); Tributo à Vaidade (1991); Quando Samba era Samba (1994) and Gosto que Me Enrosco (1995), which granted them second place.
Beija-Flor
- Beija-Flor (literally, hummingbird) became notable for the luxury displayed during their parades an for Joãosinho Trinta's creative ideas (he is a carnavalesco, the person in charge of the concept of the school's parade). The sambas, however, haven't accompanied the visual impact. The five picks from this disc are: Sou Negro, do Egito à Liberdade, from 1988; the remarkable Ratos e Urubus, Larguem Minha Fantasia, from 1989; Todo Mundo Nasceu Nú, placed second in 1990, and Alice no Brasil das Maravilhas, from 1991.
Vila Isabel
- Since its foundaton in 1946, Vila Isabel only won the parade once. It was in 1988 with their best samba-enredo ever, Kizomba, A Festa da Raça. But the other sambas are so weak! Still, one could enjoy De Alegria Cantei, De Alegria Pulei, De Três em Três pelo Mundo Rodei (1986), Direito é Direito (1989) and João Pessoa, Onde o Sol Brilha Mais Cedo (1999). This one and Portela's are the worse discs in the package.