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48 LATIN AMERICAN MASTERPIECES

Samba ∙ choro ∙ bossa nova ∙ tango ∙ rumba ∙ mambo 1930-1962

The geopolitical definition of South America entails making the scope of this exposé very precise, because it concentrates on music forms that were born in territories where Latin languages were spoken, namely Portuguese and Spanish, with the exclusion of French. So here we won’t find the music genres of the French Antilles, and even less those of the Anglo-Saxon islands of the Caribbean, which are referred to elsewhere in the Frémeaux catalogue by Bruno Blum and Jean-Pierre Meunier, with well-documented references. Keeping within the limits of recordings that are in the public domain, this anthology successfully deals with an exceptional heritage that demonstrates the burgeoning musical styles that became the glories of 20^th century popular music right up until 1962. A mention of some of these styles is quite sufficient to prove the creativity that stemmed from the music of Latin America: habanera, danzón, choro, samba, tango, rumba, mambo, cha-cha-cha, etc.

Musical nationalism

At the end of the 18th century, the name Americans was given to all Creoles irrespective of their colour. It formed a continental identity set against the Spanish and the Portuguese. If there’s one art that defines mentalities and a national soul, it is music. And so it’s possible to take up the definition given by historian Pierre Nora of these “places of memory,” and to draw up an inventory of the places where national identities are incarnated, in both the material sense and also in a more abstract manner. In songs, people sing of the beauty of their native land, its landscapes and emblematic cities, without forgetting the gods; the everyday lives of the people are cited, their places of work (Me Voy Pal Pueblo), festive evenings (Sábado Em Copacabana), in stadiums for a football match (1X1) or at a table in a bar (Conversa de Botequim; Cafetín de Buenos Aires). And if the scratches of love are mentioned (Tenha Pena de Mim; Eso No Va Comigo), irreverent or sly humour, if not sarcasm, are never far away (Conversa de Botequim, La Engañadora, El Bodeguero).

Musical nationalism found its translation in the emergence of new genres that eventually become the symbol of a nation. While the samba above all represents Rio de Janeiro, it still remains, for Brazilians and for foreigners, the emblem of a whole country; and what can be said of the tango, which was literally born in Buenos Aires?

Africa in Brazil and in Cuba

The unspeakable weight of the history and cultural unity of the continent leaves one no choice but to discuss the fertility brought by the Spanish and Portuguese, and insist on the stigmata of slavery. So our illustrations in sound are reminders of Africa’s accents. African diasporas left traces in Argentina, Peru and Colombia; yet it was in Cuba and Brazil that they remained the most vivid, with the presence of two great African ethnic groups that were linked to slavery: the Bantus and the Yorubas. The Bantu people came from southern Africa, namely Angola, Mozambique and Cameroon, with Bantu being the term used for the common stem of all those countries’ languages. The Yorubas came from Nigeria, the Congo, or Togo and Dahomey, (today’s Benin), which were referred to as the Slave Coast of West Africa. While we’re at liberty to note that the rhythms of Cuban and Brazilian music genres are quite close to one other, we can still observe that the music of Brazil has more the shape of Bantu music: the batida provided by the tamborim in the samba, for example, has several similarities to the rhythms of Angola. While Yoruba music preserves a large part of the religious tradition in the Candomblé, which was extremely active in Bahia, it is still less present in the urban music of Brazil. The reason is quite simple: the Candomblé was repressed with such violence in Brazil that its music remained confined to places of worship, the terreiros. On the other hand, the music of Cuba’s cities more frequently used a Yoruba canvas, because the Santeria was not nearly as widely hunted down as the Brazilian Candomblé. A number of drums would exist in Cuba, but were not absorbed by urban music in Brazil. Examining Exaltação A Mangueira (a samba sung by Jamelão) in comparison with all the Cuban titles from Sabu Martinez’s ensemble, provides us with indications.

Common traits

These music genres from the New World are translations of various episodes in history and the interpenetration of European, Amerindian and African cultures. They are therefore Creole. They have integrated the fusion of European instruments (guitar, violin, clarinet...) with African and Amerindian percussion; and they borrowed from dances held in salons at the same time as they were liberating bodies from the image of black culture. Again, one can measure their mixed origins by focusing on the songs, which can pass from delicate romanticism to a raucous expressivity that became more and more meaningful over time. We can take a few examples from Brazilian music: the samba, through its rhythms and songs, borrows from negritude, whereas the choro is more European, yet it can be said that numerous interpenetrations make this a question of two sides of the same coin; besides, musicians like Pixinguinha or Jacob do Bandolim could play both in parallel.

Habanera and Bolero

In diversity, a common trait in the music appeared at the end of the 19th century: it was the habanera. This represented what the Spanish referred to as “ida y vuelta”, the to-and-fro between Europe and Latin America. The habanera was frequent in European music (Bizet, Ravel...), and in Cuba it established itself in the danzón, among others, before innervating the tango and the choro. Beginning in the forties and until 1960, the bolero would become an important historical phenomenon whose social importance was unheard-of. It touched every layer of society during those decades, but we cannot do without it even today, as publisher Anne-Marie Métailié smilingly reminded us in saying she was still surprised to see her Latin-American authors foundering in the pathos of the bolero whenever they were subject to existential doubts.

From one title to another

CD1 is devoted to Brazilian music (even if two titles – Tem Pena de Mim and Tico Tico No Fubá – are present on CD2) and the tango. As for CD2, it presents the music of Cuba and also leaves a large space for the bolero, before concluding with a piece of music from Paraguay, sung in Spanish although it belongs to the culture of the Guarani. So the 48 titles we have here are a mental geography as much as the geography of the continent, and it enables us to measure the
differences in sensibility while revealing the immo­derate taste for beautiful melodies and a fullness of polyrhythms very distant from European and even American standards. Choosing 48 titles was something of a gamble, and those “compulsory figures” imposed a choice that included not only compositions that have become unavoidable (Chega de Saudade, El Manisero, La Bamba, Tico Tico No Fubá…), but also songs that are considered to be of lesser value outside of their own country, although they are just as beautiful.

Teca CALAZANS and Philippe LESAGE

adapted into english by Martin Davies

© 2025 FRÉMEAUX & ASSOCIÉS

Discographie

48 CHEFS-D’ŒUVRE D’AMÉRIQUE LATINE

CD1

1) Deve Ser Amor (Vinicius de Moraes – Baden Powell)
Herbie Mann (flûte et flûte alto), Baden Powell (guitare), Gabriel (contrebasse), Juquinha (batterie)
Atlantic AT – 5025 / 1962

2) One Note Samba (Antonio Carlos Jobim – Newton Mendoça)
(Titre original en portugais : Samba de Uma Nota Só)
Herbie Mann (flûte), AC Jobim (vocal, piano, arrangement), Baden Powell (guitare), string section
Atlantic / Fermata LPA T 5017 / 1962

3) Desafinado (Antonio Carlos Jobim – Newton Mendoça)
João Gilberto (vocal, guitare), direction musicale Antonio Carlos Jobim
Odeon 14.426 / 1958

4) Infuencia Do Jazz (Carlos Lyra)
Tamba Trio (Luiz Eça : piano, Bebeto Castilho : flûte et contrebasse, Helcio Milito : batterie et percussions)
Philips DC 440.615 PT / 1962

5) Consolação (Baden Powell)
Herbie Mann (flûte), Baden Powell (guitare), Gabriel (contrebasse), Papão (batterie)
Atlantic AT – 5025 / 1962

6) Chega de Saudade (Vinicius de Moraes – Antonio Carlos Jobim)
João Gilberto (vocal, guitare), direction musicale AC Jobim
Odeon 14.360 / 1958

7) Manhã de Carnaval (Antonio Maria – Luiz Bonfã)
Agostino dos Samba (vocal, c/orquesta)
RGE 10173 – A / 1959

8) Noites Cariocas (Jacob do Bandolim)
Jacob & seus choroe˜s (Regional de Canhoto + Metais)
RCA Victor BBL 1072/ 1960

9) Sabado Em Copacabana (Dorival Caymmi)
Dorival Caymmi (vocal, guitare), orquestra e arranjo Luiz Arruda Paes
Odeon 13964 / 1955

10) Exaltação A Mangueira (Eneas Brito da Silva – Aloisio Augusto da Costa)
Jamelão (vocal) e Orquestra
Continental 17.196 / 1955

11) Na Baiá do Sapateiro (Ary Barroso)
Dorival Caymmi (vocal, guitare)
Odeon MOFB 3078 / 1958

12) Maracangalha (Dorival Caymmi)
Ary Barroso (piano), musiciens non identifiés
Odeon MOFB 3078 / 1958

13) Marambaia (Rubens Campos – Henricão)
Elza Soares (vocal), Astor Silva (arrangement)
LP A Bossa Negra – EMI Odeon / 1961

14) 1 x 0 (Pixinguinha – Benedito Lacerda)
Pixinguinha (sax tenor), Benedito Lacerda (flûte) e Regional
Victor 80 0442 – A / 12 juin 1946

15) 1 x 1 (Edgar Ferreira)
Jackson do pandeiro - musiciens non identifiés
LP Sua Majestade – O Rei do ritmo / Circa 1962

16) A Ginga do Mané (Jacob do Bandolim)
Jacob E Seus choroe˜s : Jacob (violinha), Dino (violão 7 cordas), Cesar (violão), Carlinhos (cavaquinho), Jonas e Gilberto (ritmos)
LP Primas e Bordoes BBL 1190 / 1962

17) Conversa de Botequim (Noel Rosa – Osvaldo Gogliano “Vadico”)
Noel Rosa (vocal, guitare) e Conjunto Regional Odeon
Odeon 1125 – B/ 24 juillet 1935

18) Cafetin de Buenos Aires (Enrique Santos Discépolo – Maraino Mores)
Anibal Troilo (bandoneon) y su orquesta tipica, Edmundo Rivero (canto)
RCA Victor 68 – 0976 – A/ 8 juillet 1948

19) Para Vos, Hermano Tango (M. Batistela – Edmundo Rivero)
Edmundo Rivero, canto con guitarras
RCA Victor 63. 00. 16 B/ 1950

20) La Cumparsita (Gerardo Matos Rodriguez)
Anibal Troilo – Roberto Grela y su Cuarteto Tipica
RCA Victor AWL 3464 / 1962

21) Taquito Militar (Mariano Mores)
(milonga)
Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgan : piano, Enrique Mario Francini : violon, Pedro Laurenz : bandoneon, Ubaldo de Lio : Guitare, Kicho Diaz : contrebasse)
CBS 8 454 / 1961

22) Adios Muchachos (Sanders – Vedrani)
Quinteto Real
Même référence et même formation que plage 21

23) Adios Nonino (Astor Piazzolla)
Astor Piazzolla (bandoneon), Simon Bajour (violon),
Jaime Gosis (piano), Horacio Malviceno (guitare électrique),
Kicho Diaz (contrebasse)
LP Piazzolla Interpreta a Piazzolla
RCA Victor AVL 3383/ 1961

24) Tanguissimo (Astor Piazzolla)
Même formation que plage 23
RCA Victor AVL 3383/ 1961

CD2

1) Sueño Azul (V. Torrialba)
(salve merengue)
Alberto Beltran con René Hernandez y Su Orquesta
Tropical TRLP 5141 / ca 1962

2) Tribilin Cantore (Sabu Martinez)
« Sabu » L. Martinez (conga, bongo, vocal), Arsenio Rodriguez (conga, guitar, vocal), Raul « Ceasar » Travieso (conga, vocal), Israel Moises « Quique » Travesio (conga), Ray « Mosquito » Romero (conga), Evaristo Baro (bass), Willie Capo et Sarah Baro (vocal)
LP Palo Congo
Blue Note 1561 / 1958

3) El Manisero (Moises Simons)
Don Azpiazu and his Havana Casino Orchestra, avec refrain vocal d’Antonio Machín
78 rpm Gramophone K – 6237 / 1930

4) Rapsodia Del Maravilloso (Sabu Martinez)
Même personnel et même référence que plage 2

5) A Gozar Con El Combo (Israel Lopez)
Cachao et son ensemble : Richard Egües (fl), Nino Rivera (très), Orestes Lopez (p), Virgilio Vixanc (bs), Guillermo Barreto (dr), Tata Guïnes (tumabadora), Cachao (bass), Gustvo Tamayo (guiro), Innocento Viva (tp), Rogerio Iglesias (bongo), Emilio Penales (TS)
Le Chant du Monde / LDX – S 4249 / Circa 1961

6) El Ritmo de Mi Cuba (Silvio Contreras)
Bienvenido Grande y su Sonora Matancera
Seeco / 1954

7) La Enganadora (Enrique Jorrin)
Enrique Jorrin et son Ensemble
Le Chant du Monde LDX-S 4249/ Circa 1961

8) El Bodeguero (Richard Egües)
Orquesta Aragon
RCA FPM 187 / 1956

9) Mambo n°5 (Perez Prado)
Perez Prado y su Orquesta Tropical
RCA Victor EPA 5022 / 1958

10) Mambo n°8 (Perez Prado)
Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra
Philips B – 21.328 / 1952

11) Tenha Pena de Mim (Cyro Monteiro – Babahu)
Elza Soares, Astor Silva (arrangement)
LP A Bossa Negra / 1961

12) Eso No Va Comigo (Pablo Pelegrino)
Toña La Negra con el conjunto de Pablo Pelegrino
Tumbao / 1958

13) Besame Mucho (Consuelo Velásquez)
Lucho Gatica c / Roberto Ingles e Sua Orquestra
Odeon X – 3445/ 1953

14) Dos Gardenias (Isolina Carrilho)
Antonio Machín c / orquesta
EP Odeon (EMI) DSOE 16.201 / 1958

15) Tu Me Acumbraste (Frank Dominguez)
Olga Guillot c / oquesta Riverside
Puchito Records MLP 519 / 1958

16) Aquellos Ojos Verdes (Nilo Meendez -Adoldo Utrera)
(Version brésilienne : João de Barros)
Trio Irakitan
Odeon 14.580 / 1959

17) Frenesi (Alberto Dominguez)
(Version brésilienne : Haroldo Barbosa)
Trio Irakitan
Odeon 15-580 / 1959

18) Quizas Quizas Quizas (Osvaldo Farrès)
Bobby Capo c/orquesta Seeco
Seeco SCLP 9055 / 1956

19) Si Me Pudieras Querer (Ignacio Villa)
Toña La Negra c / conjunto de Pablo Pelegrino
Tumbao / 1958

20) Fina Estampa (Chabuca Granda)
Los Morochucos
LP Music Of Peru
Parlophone PRC 1217 / 1962

21) La Bamba (trad)
Conjunto Tierra Blanca de Chico Barcelata
LP Vera  Cruz Columbia HL 8138 / 1957

22) Tico Tico No Fubá (Zequinha de Abreu)
Sivuca ( accordéon) c / Canhoto e Seu conjunto
78 rpm Decca 2604 / 1952

23) Me Voy Pal Pueblo (Mercedes Valdes)
Trio Los Panchos
78 rpm Columbia CB 2. 053 – B / 1955

24) Recuerdos de Ypacaraí (Demetrio Ortiz- Zulema de Mirkei)
Gregorio Barrios c / orquesta
Odeon 8683 – A / septembre 1955