The Berimbau: Soul of Brazilian Music

by Eric A. Galm

Overview

The Brazilian berimbau, a musical bow, is most commonly associated with the energetic martial art/dance/game of capoeira. This study explores the berimbau's stature from the 1950s to the present in diverse musical genres including bossa nova, samba-reggae, MPB (Popular Brazilian Music), electronic dance music, Brazilian art music, and more. Berimbau music spans oral and recorded historical traditions, connects Latin America to Africa, juxtaposes the sacred and profane, and unites nationally constructed notions of Brazilian identity across seemingly impenetrable barriers.

The Berimbau: Soul of Brazilian Music is the first work that considers the berimbau beyond the context of capoeira, and explores the bow's emergence as a national symbol. Throughout, this book engages and analyzes intersections of musical traditions in the Black Atlantic, North American popular music, and the rise of global jazz. This book is an accessible introduction to Brazilian music for musicians, Latin American scholars, capoeira practitioners, and other people who are interested in Brazil's music and culture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496800909
Publisher:	University Press of Mississippi
Publication date:	06/30/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Eric A. Galm is professor and chair of the Department of Music and codirector of the Center for Caribbean Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. His work has appeared in edited collections such as Performing Brazil: Essays on Culture, Identity, and the Performing Arts; Global Soundtracks: Worlds of Film Music; and Encyclopedia of Percussion. He was recognized as an Honorary Citizen of Itabira, Minas Gerais, for his research and service to regional musical traditions, which was supported by a Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation research grant.
Eric A. Galm is professor and chair of the Department of Music and codirector of the Center for Caribbean Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He is author of The Berimbau: Soul of Brazilian Music, published by University Press of Mississippi, and his work has appeared in edited collections such as Performing Brazil: Essays on Culture, Identity, and the Performing Arts; Global Soundtracks: Worlds of Film Music; and Encyclopedia of Percussion. He was recognized as an Honorary Citizen of Itabira, Minas Gerais, for his research and service to regional musical traditions, which was supported by a Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation research grant.