Luiz Gonzaga
Encyclopedia
Exu, Pernambuco
Exu is a city in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The population in 2009, according with IBGE was 31,086 and the area is 1474 km².Exu is the birthplace of the famous Luiz Gonzaga which was a very prominent Brazilian folk singer, songwriter, musician and poet...
, December 13, 1912 — Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, August 2, 1989) was a very prominent Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. Born in the countryside of Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
(Northeastern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
), he is considered to be responsible for the promotion of northeastern music throughout the rest of the country. He is also known as the "king of baião" and "Gonzagão".
Gonzaga's son, Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior, known as Gonzaguinha
Gonzaguinha
Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior , better known as Gonzaguinha, was a noted Brazilian singer and composer. He was born in Rio de Janeiro and he was the son of Luiz Gonzaga , the "king of baião"...
, born 1945, was also a noted Brazilian singer and composer. He was also a famous Brazilian freemason that composed Acacia Amarela (Yellow Acacia). The Luiz Gonzaga Dam
Luiz Gonzaga Dam
The Luiz Gonzaga Dam, formerly known as the Itaparica Dam, is a rock-fill embankment dam on the São Francisco River 25 km downstream of Petrolândia in Pernambuco, Brazil. The dam was built for navigation, and hydroelectric power generation as it supports a 1,479 MW power station...
was named in his honor.
Biography
The son of a peasant and accordionAccordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
player, Gonzaga was attracted to the 8-bass accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
at a very early age, but at that time he used to accompany his father by playing the zabumba
Zabumba
A zabumba is a type of bass drum used in Brazilian music. The player wears the drum while standing up and uses both hands while playing.The zabumba generally ranges in diameter from 16 to 22 inches, and is 5 to 8 inches tall. The shell is made of wood and may utilize either skin or plastic drum...
(type of bass drum
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
) and singing at parties and religious celebrations. He left home in 1930 to join the army, and toured Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
with an army band until 1939. Gonzaga decided to remain in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
with a recently purchased accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
. He used to perform in the streets and in bars, playing bolero
Bolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
s, waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es and tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
s.
After noticing that the northeastern immigrants missed the music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
from their hometowns, he started to give listeners the sort of music they craved to hear: xaxado
Xaxado
The xaxado is a popular dance created in the Sertão of Pernambuco state, Brazil. It was often practiced by cangaceiros of the region to commemorate victory in battle; it is also practiced as a traditional dance by the local population as a whole....
s, baiões
Baião
The baião is a Northeast Brazilian rhythmic formula that became the basis of a wide range of music. Forró, côco, and embolada are clear examples...
, chamegos and cocos
Coco (music)
Coco is an African-influenced musical rhythm that originated in northern Brazil. "Coco" may also refer to the style of dance performed to the music, a kind of stomping....
. At Ary Barroso
Ary Barroso
Ary Barroso was a Brazilian composer, pianist, soccer commentator, and talent-show host on radio and TV...
’s talent show, Luiz Gonzaga played his chamego "Vira e Mexe" was acclaimed by the audience and by the dreaded host, who gave him the highest score. After discovering this niche in the market, Gonzaga became a regular at radio shows and started making records. Gonzaga died of natural causes at the age of 76.
In 1943, he dressed up in typical northeastern costumes for the first time to perform live, and got hyped. Later on, as well as playing popular tunes on the accordion, he began to sing his own material, and his skills as a songwriter were revealed. His greatest hit ever, "Asa Branca
Asa Branca
Asa Branca is a song written by Luiz Gonzaga and Humberto Teixeira in 1947. It has been covered by Zé Ramalho in his 2003 album Estação Brasil, also see Forro in the Dark with David Byrne. It is about the droughts that often afflict the sertão of the Brazilian Northeast:The asa-branca of the title...
" (written with Humberto Teixeira), was recorded in 1947 and covered countless times by many different artists. He worked on the radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
until 1954, enjoying huge popularity. He is widely recognized for singlehandedly taking the baião
Baião
The baião is a Northeast Brazilian rhythmic formula that became the basis of a wide range of music. Forró, côco, and embolada are clear examples...
style and the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
to a wide audience, and for a time RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
(now BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
), his recording label, was almost exclusively dedicated to printing his singles and albums. During the 60's, as the public taste shifted to bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
and iê-iê-iê
Jovem Guarda
Jovem Guarda was primarily a Brazilian musical television show first aired by Rede Record in 1965, though the term soon expanded so as to designate the entire movement and style surrounding it...
, he found himself increasingly stranded from big city stages, so he toured the countryside, where his popularity never abated.
In the 70s and 80s, he slowly re-emerged, partly due to covers of his songs by famous artists like Geraldo Vandré
Geraldo Vandré
Geraldo Vandré , is a Brazilian singer, composer and guitar player.In 1966 his song Disparada , interpreted by Jair Rodrigues, was a success at the Record Festival...
, Caetano Veloso
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso , better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s,...
, Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira , better known as Gilberto Gil or , is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment...
, his son Gonzaguinha
Gonzaguinha
Luiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior , better known as Gonzaguinha, was a noted Brazilian singer and composer. He was born in Rio de Janeiro and he was the son of Luiz Gonzaga , the "king of baião"...
and Milton Nascimento
Milton Nascimento
-Biography:Nascimento's mother was the maid Maria Nascimento. As a baby, Milton Nascimento was adopted by his mother's former employers: the couple Josino Brito Campos, a banker employee, mathematics teacher and electronic technician; and Lília Silva Campos, a music teacher and choir singer...
. Some of his greatest hits are "Vozes da Seca" ("Voices From Drought"), "Algodão" ("Cotton"), "A Dança da Moda" ("The Dance In Fashion"), "ABC do Sertão" ("The ABC of Sertão"), "Derramaro o Gai" ("They Spilt the Gas"), "A Letra I" ("The 'i' letter"), "Imbalança" ("Shake It"), "A Volta da Asa-Branca" ("The Return Of The Picazuro Pigeon
Picazuro Pigeon
The Picazuro Pigeon is a common pigeon native to South America.-Description:Patagioenas picazuro is a brown bird with white dashes on the back of its neck and darker brown wing patterns. It is similar in appearance to the Spotted Dove.-Distribution:The Picazuro Pigeon is found in Argentina,...
"), "Cintura Fina" ("Slender Waist"), "O Xote das Meninas" ("The Girls' Schottische", written with Zé Dantas, and "Juazeiro", "Paraíba", "Mangaratiba", "Baião-de-Dois", "No Meu Pé de Serra" ("There In My Homeland"), "Assum Preto" ("Blue-back Grassquit"), "Légua Tirana" ("Tyrannical league"), "Qui Nem Jiló" ("Like Solanum gilo", written with Humberto Teixeira. Other successful collaborations resulted in "Tá Bom Demais" ("It's Very Good") (with Onildo de Almeida), "Danado de Bom" ("Very Good") (with João Silva), "Dezessete e Setecentos" ("Seventeen And Seven hundred") and "Cortando o Pano" ("Cutting Cloth") (both with Miguel Lima).
Discography
- A dança da moda, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1950)
- A feira de Caruaru, Onildo Almeida (1957)
- A letra I, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1953)
- A morte do vaqueiro, Luiz Gonzaga and Nelson Barbalho (1963)
- A triste partida, Patativa do AssaréPatativa do AssaréAntônio Gonçalves da Silva, popularly known as Patativa do Assaré, was a Brazilian popular / oral poet, improviser of oral verse, composer, singer and guitar player...
(1964) - A vida do viajante, Hervé Cordovil and Luiz Gonzaga (1953)
- Acauã, Zé Dantas (1952)
- Adeus, Iracema, Zé Dantas (1962)
- Á-bê-cê do sertão, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1953)
- Adeus, Pernambuco, Hervé Cordovil and Manezinho Araújo (1952)
- Algodão, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1953)
- Amanhã eu vou, Beduíno and Luiz Gonzaga (1951)
- Amor da minha vida, Benil Santos and Raul Sampaio (1960)
- Asa-brancaAsa BrancaAsa Branca is a song written by Luiz Gonzaga and Humberto Teixeira in 1947. It has been covered by Zé Ramalho in his 2003 album Estação Brasil, also see Forro in the Dark with David Byrne. It is about the droughts that often afflict the sertão of the Brazilian Northeast:The asa-branca of the title...
, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1947) - Assum-preto, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1950)
- Ave-maria sertaneja, Júlio Ricardo and O. de Oliveira (1964)
- Baião, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1946)
- Baião da Penha, David Nasser and Guio de Morais (1951)
- Beata Mocinha, Manezinho Araújo and Zé Renato (1952)
- Boi bumbá, GonzaguinhaGonzaguinhaLuiz Gonzaga do Nascimento Júnior , better known as Gonzaguinha, was a noted Brazilian singer and composer. He was born in Rio de Janeiro and he was the son of Luiz Gonzaga , the "king of baião"...
and Luiz Gonzaga (1965) - Boiadeiro, Armando Cavalcanti and Klécius Caldas (1950)
- Cacimba Nova, José Marcolino and Luiz Gonzaga (1964)
- Calango da lacraia, Jeová Portela and Luiz Gonzaga (1946)
- O Cheiro de Carolina, - Sua Sanfona and Sua Simpatia - Amorim Roxo and Zé Gonzaga (1998)
- Chofer de praça, Evaldo Ruy and Fernando Lobo (1950)
- Cigarro de paia, Armando Cavalcanti and Klécius Caldas (1951)
- Cintura fina, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1950)
- Cortando pano, Jeová Portela, Luiz Gonzaga and Miguel Lima (1945)
- De Fiá Pavi (João Silva/Oseinha) (1987)
- Dezessete légua e meia, Carlos Barroso and Humberto Teixeira (1950)
- Feira de gado, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1954)
- Firim, firim, firim, Alcebíades Nogueira and Luiz Gonzaga (1948)
- Fogo sem fuzil, José Marcolino and Luiz Gonzaga (1965)
- Fole gemedor, Luiz Gonzaga (1964)
- Forró de Mané Vito, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1950)
- Forró de Zé Antão, Zé Dantas (1962)
- Forró de Zé do Baile, Severino Ramos (1964)
- Forró de Zé Tatu, Jorge de Castro and Zé Ramos (1955)
- Forró no escuro, Luiz Gonzaga (1957)
- Fuga da África, Luiz Gonzaga (1944)
- Hora do adeus, Luiz Queiroga and Onildo Almeida (1967)
- Imbalança, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1952)
- Jardim da saudade, Alcides Gonçalves and Lupicínio RodriguesLupicínio RodriguesLupicínio Rodrigues was a great composer of sambas from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He was the main exponent of a style of samba called Dor-de-Cotovelo. The term, literally "elbow pain", translates as "heartbreak".Rodrigues left his compositions to be recorded by many Brazilian composers...
(1952) - Juca, Lupicínio Rodrigues (1952)
- Lascando o cano, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1954)
- Légua tirana, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1949)
- Lembrança de primavera, Gonzaguinha (1964)
- Liforme instravagante, Raimundo Granjeiro (1963)
- Lorota boa, Humberto Teixeira e Luiz Gonzaga (1949)
- Moda da mula preta, Raul TorresRaul TorresRaul Montes Torres was a Brazilian caipira artist.Torres came from a family of poor Spanish immigrants...
(1948) - Moreninha tentação, Sylvio Moacyr de Araújo and Luiz Gonzaga (1953)
- No Ceará não tem disso, não, Guio de Morais (1950)
- No meu pé de serra, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1947)
- Noites brasileiras, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1954)
- Numa sala de reboco, José Marcolino and Luiz Gonzaga (1964)
- O maior tocador, Luiz Guimarães (1965)
- O xote das meninas, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1953)
- Ô véio macho, Rosil Cavalcanti (1962)
- Obrigado, João Paulo, Luiz Gonzaga and Padre Gothardo (1981)
- O fole roncou, Luiz Gonzaga and Nelson Valença (1973)
- Óia eu aqui de novo, Antônio BarrosAntónio BarrosAntónio Monteiro Teixeira de Barros is a former Portuguese footballer who played as defender.Barros gained 8 caps for the Portuguese national team.- External links :* *...
(1967) - Olha pro céu, Luiz Gonzaga and Peterpan (1951)
- Ou casa, ou morre, Elias Soares (1967)
- Ovo azul, Miguel Lima and Paraguaçu (1946)
- Padroeira do Brasil, Luiz Gonzaga and Raimundo Granjeiro (1955)
- Pão-duro, Assis Valente and Luiz Gonzaga (1946)
- Pássaro carão, José Marcolino and Luiz Gonzaga (1962)
- Pau-de-arara, Guio de Morais and Luiz Gonzaga (1952)
- Paulo Afonso, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1955)
- Pé de serra, Luiz Gonzaga (1942)
- Penerô xerém, Luiz Gonzaga and Miguel Lima (1945)
- Perpétua, Luiz Gonzaga and Miguel Lima (1946)
- Piauí, Sylvio Moacyr de Araújo (1952)
- Piriri, Albuquerque and João Silva (1965)
- Quase maluco, Luiz Gonzaga and Victor Simon (1950)
- Quer ir mais eu?, Luiz Gonzaga and Miguel Lima (1947)
- Quero chá, José Marcolino and Luiz Gonzaga (1965)
- Padre sertanejo, Helena Gonzaga and Pantaleão (1964)
- Respeita Januário, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1950)
- Retrato de Um Forró,Luiz Ramalho and Luiz Gonzaga (1974)
- Riacho do Navio, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1955)
- Sabiá, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1951)
- Sanfona do povo, Luiz Gonzaga and Luiz Guimarães (1964)
- Sanfoneiro Zé Tatu, Onildo Almeida (1962)
- São-joão na roça, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1952)
- Siri jogando bola, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1956)
- Tropeiros da Borborema, Raimundo Asfora / Rosil Cavalcante
- Vem, morena, Luiz Gonzaga and Zé Dantas (1950)
- Vira-e-mexe, Luiz Gonzaga (1941)
- Xanduzinha, Humberto Teixeira and Luiz Gonzaga (1950)
- Xote dos cabeludos, José Clementino and Luiz Gonzaga (1967)
External links
- Rei do Baião (Portuguese)