This Brazilian instrument – originally from Africa and made of a bow, a steel string and a gourd (cabaça) – has one of the most characteristic sounds I've ever heard. It is originally and mainly used in the rodas de capoeira, for both its rhythmic and melodic sound. Since my first encounter with one as a child, its heady chant has always kept a special place in a part of my heart. And, quite surprisingly, I’ve re-encountered its distinctive tone in several music styles, following my musical discoveries and genre exploration.
It is this trajectory that I’ve wanted to retrace in this playlist, starting with the master Naná Vasconcelos and instrumental-focused tunes, to MPB songs, until more recent electronic productions sampling the peculiar vibration of the string on the cabaça.
