Songs from Our Ground

 

Benjamim Taubkin and Abaçaí Music Nucleus

 

Benjamim Taubkin and the Abaçaí Music Nucleus present compositions, adaptations, and arrangements inspired by regional music from all over Brazil. The ensemble also releases a CD “Cantos do Nosso Chão- Songs from Our Ground”.
The repertory- including parts that have already been recorded on a CD produced as soundtrack for the photographic exposition “A Look re-writing Brazil,” was presented as a part of the special project, “The Art of the Center- A Look at the City, Music, and its Inhabitants,” put on by the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, at the Praça do Patriarca, in the São Paulo city center, every week during November 2002.
Between 2003 and 2004, the ensemble played several concerts in São Paulo and recorded the CD “Cantos do Nosso Chão- Songs from Our Ground,” which was released on the label, Núcleo Contemporâneo, in Brasil, and Connectin Cultures, in Europe.
They were in Paris in 2005 where they received critical acclaim for their performance in the National Theater of France. The following themes are played by the group: two “Caixeiras do Divino,”  from Maranhão state,  women devoted to the Divine Holy Spirit who sing accompanied by drums;  three “Moçambique” themes, one of the principle expressions of the “Congado Mineiro,” from Minas Gerais state, played by devotees, principally, of St. Benedict and Our Lady of the Rosary; one sequence of “Cirandas” from Pernambuco state; and a sequence of “Sambas-de-Roda” from Bahia state.
The group Abaçaí Cultura e Arte- under the coordination of Toninho Macedo- has been in existence for 27 years. The group researches all types of Brazilian traditional culture manifestations. The group produces theatre and dance; works to maintain the city’s folk-dance tradition; promotes ecological awareness; and works with acrobatics and mime. 
www.myspace.com/benjamimtaubkineabacai 

 

 

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Tracks

Alvoradinha (Early dawn) - Public Domain
Potpourri: Minha ciranda (My Ciranda)/ Morena vem ver (Come see Morena) / Quem me deu foi Lia (Lia gave this to me) - Capiba and Baracho
No bater (With the Beat) - Public Domain
O-lê-lê - Public Domain
Tamborim / Olê-lê de lê-lê-ô - Public Domain
Ô de casa, Ô de fora (Anybody there? Who is it?) - Public Domain 

Musicians

Benjamim Taubkin – Piano
Ari Colares - Percussion and voice
José Sapopemba - Voice and drum
Mazé Cintra - Voice and drum
Neusa de Souza - Voice and drum
Cris Glória - Voice and drum
Verlúcia Nogueira - Voice and drum
João Taubkin - Fretless Bass  

Technique

Produzido por Benjamim Taubkin
Assistente de produção: Marcia Duarte
Gravado por André Magalhães – Estúdio Zabumba
Mixado por Ricardo Mosca – Estúdio do Mosca
Masterizado por Jade Pereira – Classic Master
Arranjos e piano – Benjamim Taubkin
Contra-baixo: João Taubkin

Núcleo de Música do Abaçaí Cultura e Arte
Direção Musical: Ari Colares
Percussão e voz: Ari Colares
Voz: Sapopemba
Voz e caixa: Neusa de Souza
Voz e caixa: Mazé Cintra
Voz e caixa: Marluce Nogueira
Voz, caixa e patangome: Cris Glória

Participação especial
Mônica Salmaso voz na faixa 4
Teco Cardoso flautas na faixa 3
Lula Alencar acordeon nas faixas 1, 2 e 5
Paulo Freire viola caipira nas faixas 4 e 6 e viola de coxo na faixa 5
Lui Coimbra violoncello nas faixas 1, 2, 5

Projeto Gráfico: Teresa Maita
Ilustração: Wagner Germano
Fotos: Kris Knack