Samba Batucada

Samba Batucada

·        Batucada is a sub-style of the Samba that is an African influenced Brazilian percussive style. It is a percussion ensemble. The Batucada is well known for its repetitive rhythms and its fast tempo



Repinique

·        Instruments Used:

o   Repinique: high-pitched tom-tom

o   Surdo: large drum with 50cm diameter. It is the bass drum that provides the downbeat of the rhythm

o   Tamborim: small drum played with a stick

o   Bells: Cowbell and Agogo bells

o   Maracas

o   Caixa: a thin snare drum

o   Cuica: single headed drum with a stick mounted inside the drum body. It is played by rubbing a damp cloth along the stick while pressing the head of the drum with a finger. The closer to the stick the finger is pressed, the higher pitched sound is produced. the Cuica can often sound like a human voice

o   Timba: a long drum that produces low tones. Played with one hand on the head of the drum and one hand beating the body of the drum

o   Pandeiro: similar to a tambourine but it can be tuned. played using the hand, just like a tambourine

o   Reco-Reco: a hollow wooden instrument with a ridged surface that is scraped with a stick. It is more commonly known as the Guiro

o   Apito: a small wooden whistle

Tamborim



Caixa





 


Reco-Reco

 

Timba

Surdo

Agogo Bells

Cowbell

       













 Samba Batucada Performers:

o   Rhythms of Resistance

o   Saraganhad

o   Francisco Lopez

o   Mestre Hector Alexander

Rhythms of Resistance

 

Celia Cruz-La Vida Es Un Carnaval

Tone Colour

·         Percussion (accompaniment)-idiophones-hit with mallets and hands

o   Cowbell

o   Congas

o   Bongos

Celia Cruz

o   Drums (hit-hat esp.)

o   cymbals

o   guiro

o   maracas

o   timables

·         Brass (accompaniment and melody)-aerophones-blown

o   Trumpet

o   Trombone

·         Vocals-aerophone

o   Women vocals (main melody)

o   Male (backing vocals)

·         String (accompaniment)-chordophone-played with hands

o   Piano

Texture:

·         The texture is homophonic

·         The melody is ‘shared’ between the main vocals and the brass section. The percussion and strings section have the accompaniment through the whole song

·         The texture is quite dense and remains the same throughout the song

Duration:

·         the tempo is moderately fast

·         the time signature is 4/4 (simple) and does not change

·         the brass section has a repeated ostinato that is played just after the chorus when the vocals drop out. This rhythm is not syncopated, however the short pre-chorus after this rhythm is syncopated.  This particular rhythm is played with very short note duration and is accentuated.

·         The percussion accompaniment is syncopated the whole way through the song.

·         At 1.51 the main vocals are spoken to engage the audience; they respond with ‘WA!’  after every main vocals phrase

·         At 2.24 the cymbal plays a syncopated rhythm

Pitch:

·         Major

·         The melody moves in steps compared to the accompaniment which jumps around a little

·         The range of the vocal melody and the brass accompaniment is not at all broad

·         The word ‘carnaval’ is repeated many times in the song which is to be expected because the song means ‘life is a party’.

·         The lyrics translated into English: ‘ay, there’s no need to cry, life is a carnaval and its better to live singing. Ay, there’s no need to cry, life is a carnaval and you’re pain will leave while singing’. These lyrics are sung in the chorus and are repeated about 5 times throughout the song

Dynamics & Expressive Techniques:

·         The dynamics are loud throughout and do not change

·         The brass play accented rhythms (0.1) generally but play longer broader rhythms (0.20) as well

·         The rrrrr sound is produced by vibrating the tongue up and down. This technique is very common in Latin music and it is produced by Celia Cruz in this piece (1.20)

·         A glissando is played at 1.39 by the trombone

Structure:

·         Introduction

·         Verse

·         Pre-chorus

·         Chorus x2

·         Instrumental section

·         Verse (separated by a pause)

·         Pre-chorus

·         Chorus

·         Instrumental section

·         Bridge

·         Call and response

·         Instrumental

·         Call and response

·         Bridge

·         Outro

Salsa

·         Salsa is mainly derived from Cuba; however it has strong influences from Latin and North America. It is generally defined as being a modern style of the Cuban Son (Spanish and African rhythms combined but originated in Cuba), Son Montuno (a style of the Cuban Son, mix of European and African influences) and Guaracha (genre of popular Cuban music with fast tempos. It became a favourite form of music in the brothels of Havana).

·        In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Cuban music within Cuba was evolving into new styles mainly from the roots of Son and Rhumba. Cuban popular music (especially Mambo) became very famous across the USA while the New York scene continued to develop.

·        Many other genres of Cuban music developed, this affected Latin music. Most Latin musicians were Puerto Rican, and they invented the style now known as salsa.

• The Salsa began in Cuba but is now universally known in all parts of the world. After originating in Cuba, the Salsa spread to New York City, Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries where it further developed.

·         The word ‘salsa’ specifically refers to the style of music that was developed in the 60s and 70s by Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants to the area of New York City

·         Traditional Salsa  Instruments:

o   Bongos

Cuatro

Guiro

o   Conga

o   Timbales

o   Claves

o   Cowbell

o   Maracas

o   Guiro

o   Tres/cuatro

·         Instruments from Outside Influences (mainly European)

o   Piano

o   Trumpet

o   Trombone

o   Double bass/bass guitar

o   Flute

o   Saxophone

o   Vibraphone

o   Violin

Cuban Music

Cuban Music

·         Cuban music is mainly influenced from Spain, Africa and America.

·         Cuban Music mainly originated in the cabildos; a form of social club among African slaves.

·         Popular Cuban music styles include:



Cuica



o   Salsa

o   Rumba



o   Mambo

Traditional Cuban Instruments:

·         Claves

·         Maracas

·         Thumb piano

·         Bongos

·         Congas

·         Cuicas



Buena Vista Social Club



Cuban Artists:

·         Celia Cruz

·         Buena Vista Social Club

·         Ibrahim Ferrer

·         Polo Montanez

·         Haila Maria Mompie

Cuba is an island located just below the United States as shown:

Clocks ft. Buena Vista Social Club

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is an all male choir from South Africa. They have been together for 40 years now and are a music group that have combined Christian Gospel music with that of traditional South African rhythms. Their choir group consists of tenor, alto and bass harmonies.

They became a group in the early 1960s in Durban South Africa. Joseph Shabalala founded the group and named it Ladysmith Black Mamabazo. Ladysmith being the hometown of Joseph; Black referring to an ox, the strongest farm animal and Mamabazo meaning axe in Zulu. The axe is symbolic in the way that it represents the group being able to ‘chop down’ any challengers. The main goal of LadySmith Black Mambazo is ‘to bring this gospel of loving one another all over the world’ as spoken by Joseph.

Analysis of ‘Homeless’ by LSBM

Texture:

• ·      Texture throughout the song is homophonic, however the call sung by the front man makes the texture monophonic in parts. The response then makes the texture homophonic once again.
• ·      In the ‘chorus’; ‘homeless, homeless, moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake’. The caller and responders sing together which thickens the texture once more.

Duration:

• ·      There is no strong pulse in this song; the rhythm is ‘free’.
• ·      Repetition is used a lot between the call and response. (1.55)
• ·      At 2.22, a stronger pulse is heard through the response as they use different vocal techniques.
• ·      The tempo of this song is quite slow (largo) and doesn’t dramatically change. At 2.29 the accompaniment increases in speed very slightly.
• ·      The lyrics ‘homeless, homeless. The moonlight sleeping on a midnight lake’ are repeated by both the caller and the responders.
• ·      The note values of the responders are generally longer than the caller; a little more sustained.

Tone Colour:

• ·      All male choir; tenor/alto/bass
• ·      Sound production: aerophones
• ·      The choir in general, sounds airy and deep
• ·      There are many vocal techniques used in ‘Homeless’. E.g. 0.36 the tongue is vibrated up and down in the mouth to create a kkkkkrrrrrrllll sound. Often in the background there are almost short yells, which contrasts with the singing as it is fairly sustained and smooth. At 2.26 the caller sings but the responders reply with a beat box effect (not singing) and clicks of the mouth.
• ·      These vocal techniques create contrast under the main melody