Choro is the first authentic urban Brazilian musical genre, existing since the end of the XIX century. In the last century, after several declines and revivals in Brazil, it spread to other countries and can now be heard on almost every continent. It is a unique blend of European classical and salon music with African rhythms. Choro is also a way of life. Members of different communities visit each other to participate in roda (jam sessions around a table), which contribute to an intense cultural and personal exchange. Roda is usually a highly democratic event where there is no competition. Sometimes big names play with beginners, and everyone is treated equally. If you enjoy playing in a roda, you probably have a healthy ego. A true chorão (choro player) goes to the roda not to show off, but to be part of the group.
Although it is mostly traditional Brazilian repertoire that is played in a roda, modern choros can also be heard, and - who knows? - maybe soon some choros from Germany as well! That's why we have created a fake book including all the compositions on this album. Give it a try!
The concept for the album and most of the compositions belong to Germain-Ukrainian singer and composer Rosa Morena Russa (Kateryna Ostrovska), also one of the founders of Rodas Hamburguesas de Choro. Her companion on the other side of the ocean for this project is guitarist and sound engineer João Ferraz, who produced the album and did most of the recording, mixing and mastering.
The beautiful bandolim (mandolin) sound is conjured by the great Luis Barcelos, who also wrote the arrangements for "Sagladinha" and "Matze, meu amigo". The arrangement of "Luar nas ondas" as well as the editing of the fakebook was done by Lucas Porto. The bridge to the Eastern European musical tradition is the song "Rancho dos três pelicanos", arranged and played by one of Germany's top Klezmer musicians, Christian Dawid.
Some fun facts about the album and the compositions:
- Many of the pieces have maritime names, as they were written in a beach chair on a cruise ship, where the composer was engaged as a performer (e.g. "Equadoriana" was composed while crossing the equator).
- Matze is a nickname of Matthias Haffner, an esteemed colleague and friend who also participated in the recording.
- Rancho dos três pelicanos" was inspired by three pelicans waddling on the beach in Namibia.
- Migoskotostra (from the Greek µ???s??t?st?a) is a fly swatter. It was composed while the founders of Rodas Hamburguesas, Kateryna, Rémy and Stella (originally from Ukraine, France and Greece respectively) were playing on the beach on Nisyros Island. Thus you can hear the Greek Tsifteteli rhythm in the middle part, which is similar to the Brazilian Maxixe rhythm.
- The "migoskotsostra"- calls during the piece are the counterpart of the traditional calls in a famous choro by Raul de Barros "Na Gloria".