Cametá, a historical little Amazonian town on the shores of the river Tocantins, is the birthplace of the scorching music known as “Siriá”; a cross pollination between the music of the inhabitants of the quilombos, a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by escaped slaves of African origins, and the indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest. It is a breathing, pulsing, emphatic beat, and the modernised version of this local music, created by Mestre Cupijó, has been igniting street parties and traditional festivals across the state of Pará in Northern Brazil for decades. And at last in 2014, the combustible sound of Siriá will be celebrated internationally as the feverish, tropical sound of the summer!

Foretelling his talent to flow between cultures, Cupijó was named after a local river when he was born in 1936, into a family of musicians. His father, Mestre Vicente Castro, was also known as Mestre Sicudera, the musical director of Centennial Euterpe, one of Brazil ́s oldest bands, founded in 1874. 

At 12, Cupijó started to play the clarinet. He also became proficient at the piano, mandolin and guitar, although the instrument that came to personify his sound was the alto saxophone. Waltz, bolero, cha cha cha and an assortment of dance hall music became part of Cupijó's repertoire, but it was Carimbó and Siriá, the music played by the black communities of Pará, that had the strongest impact on the young musician.

To grasp the soul of this music, Cupijó went to its source and lived with the quilombolas (maroon) community of the Amazon. Upon his return, enriched by this life-changing experience, he founded the band "Jazz Orquestra os Azes do Ritmo" with the goal of reinventing Siriá and modernising Samba de Cacete, Banguê and other folkloric music of the state of Pará. Airwaves from the Caribbean and Latin America had also brought the cumbia sound of the mighty Colombian orchestras, Merengue from the Dominican republic and Cuban music to the Amazon, all of which had an impact on the music of Northern Brazil, Mambo especially! Mestre Cupijó took these influences and mixed them in with the ingredients he had studied in the Quilombos. That fusion – as we are witnessing on this record – had explosive effects.

His fresh new sound became the soundtrack to Cametá's legendary Carnival and soon his troupe were invited to other festivals along the river. Transportation to these concerts was via small boats, where three or four musicians would share a vessel with their instruments tucked between their legs. In those days there were no posters or radio adverts to promote the shows in any way, yet Cupijó’s shows became notorious. In an interview one of his band members explains: "Whenever there was a party – on a Saturday for example – and it was known that Mestre Cupijó would play, the news would spread incredibly fast, just by word of mouth. We didn’t understand how that was possible, but it certainly was amazing."

After the initial wave of enthusiasm, the first two LPs were recorded with rudimentary equipment in a dance club in Cametá. However, it was the third attempt, recorded in a studio in Belém, which would trigger a phenomenal success. "Caboclinha Do Igapo" and "Mambo do Martela", included on this record, became instant hits. A year later, "Mingau de Açai", one of Cupijo ́s most popular tunes, took the region by storm. In total six LPs were recorded by Mestre Cupijó.

He then created "Concurso de Musicas Carnavalesco de Compositores Cametaenses”, a contest for carnival music composers. The songs composed expressly for these contests in the 70s are still performed today during carnival season. In addition to evolving the Pará music culture in this way, he also owned a makeshift soundsystem, "Musicolor", to spin the discs of local artists before his own shows to the frenzied crowds. Mestre Cupijó proved himself a philanthropist as well as a conductor for the people’s music, and acted as a provisional lawyer for the city of Cametá, specialising in help for the poor. He also had a short spell in politics and was elected by a vast majority to the station of Municipal Councillor of Cametá.
Master Cupjó, the pillar of Pará's festive culture, and a humble pop icon who was ushered prominently into the country’s history books, passed away on 25 September 2012, at the age of 76.

We at Analog Africa are ferociously proud and honoured to have the chance to present these carefully selected tracks from Mestre Cupijó’s six studio albums. We hope that his music captivates you with the magic and bewilderment that is has us. We recognise his compositions as true anthems of life and vitality, vibrantly encouraging all to drink and dance until sunrise! Let go of your inhibitions and immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Mestre Cupijó........ Segura!!!

Mingau de Açai - Mestre Cupijo (OUT NOW)

Analog Africa No.15 – ANGOLA SOUNDTRACK 2
*Hypnosis, Distortions & Other Sonic Innovations 1969-1978* 
Catalogue No. AACD 075 (1xCD)/AALP 075 (2xLP) 
CD with 44-Page Booklet / LP with 16-Page LP Size Booklet


In 2010, against all odds, Angola Soundtrack Vol.1 was awarded the German Record Critics’ Prize in the category "Black music". This victory was all the sweeter for its triumph over the predicted winner, Aloe Blacc´s multi platinium record, "Good Things".

Many were surprised that the award was handed to a compilation that covered obscure music, but it didn’t surprise the team behind Analog Africa who believed such award should have come much earlier. 

Since discovering the music of Angola 15 years ago, styles such Kazucuta, Rebita and Semba have become an addiction for Samy Ben Redjeb, the compiler, who proclaimed a serious warning in the first edition liner notes: 

"Listening to these tracks may cause addiction and provoke heavy rotation!"

The unique blend of incomparable musicianship, passionate delivery and regional rhythms that make these tracks so combustible are no accident.  An exceptional set of circumstances existed in the history of Angola before Independence that created the giant leap in the style and standard of bands and recordings of the time.

When Portuguese repressive measures prevented the small Turmas, street musician groups, from being able to perform in Carnaval celebrations in 1961, a Portuguese civil servant, entrepreneur and Angolan music fan named Luis Montês was already in a position to capitalise on Luanda’s need for a live music scene. His self-designed “Kutonocas”, Sunday afternoon live music festivals, delighted a Luandan population hungry for a communication between the city and musseques (townships). It also forced groups to adapt to a different style of playing that would accommodate large stages and broader audiences. They equipped themselves with electric guitars, and fed on the musical influences from Cape Verde, Congo and the Dominican Republic, while staying patriotically true to their own musical legacy and unique rhythms. 

The intimacy of those participating in this musical revolution meant they playfully and professionally wanted to trump each other’s style; communication between the groups was frequent as everyone studied each other’s records and concerts and players were under a lot of pressure to outdo each other due to the limited recording and performing opportunities.  Development of skill and ingenuity was a must, as well as addressing the highly politicised climate.  The optimism of Independence can be heard in these recordings; a common goal between the audience and musicians.

Upon reading the characteristically generous liner notes of this new Analog Africa release, you will be given more hints of the crucial melting pot that allowed this short period to have such an outstanding productivity.  Featuring 44 pages acquired in coordination with the National Library of Luanda and the art magazine “Note E Dia”, Analog Africa head honcho Samy Ben Redjeb has managed to collect newspaper clips, extremely rare pictures of the bands on stage and printed interviews from the 70s. 

The stunning pages of passionate photography and artistic design also include interviews with many of the original artists and their families, biographies of the three labels that made it all possible, and of Luis Montês, who was the pulse of the live music scene in Luanda.

This compilation represents the best of the short lived recording industry in Angola, a brief moment of history between 1969 and 1978, when three recording companies produced approximately 800 limited records, mostly singles. They are rare jewels, each song with a significant story and feel behind it. You will hear exciting music blazed with the anticipation of emancipation, tracks fuelled with a sense of unity, community, importance and immediacy.

This addictive, outlawed music from Angola shakes and grooves with the smoothness of staccato machine gun fire.  Do yourself a favor and submerge yourself  into some of the most the addictive music created by mankind! 

Avante Juventude - Os Anjos

Akalé Wubé songs from the album "Sost" available for streaming.

Alègntayé (feat. Genet Asefa)

Kidus à Cent Dix

Blundetto & Camilo are back in their favorite game, tracking music for your ears. Celebrate 2015. Aight.

This Is A New Year

02 1969 Organ

Lata Ramasar - The Greatest Name That Lives

MDOU MOCTAR - TAHOULTINE

BIXIGA 70 (2011)

01. Grito de Paz (Mauricio Fleury / Ben Lamar) 04’26”
02. Luz Vermelha (Mauricio Fleury) 04’26”
03. Tema di Malaika (Mauricio Fleury) 04’07”
04. Mancaleone (Marcelo Dworecki / Kika) 04’58”
05. Zambo Beat (Décio 7 / Kika) 06’16”
06. Balboa da Silva - homenagem a Nilson Garrido (Cris Scabello) 04’19”
07. Desengano da Vista (Pedro Santos - EMI) 06’45”
08. Balboa Dub (Victor Rice / Bixiga 70) 04'25
09. Dub di Malaika (Victor Rice / Bixiga 70) 02'53"
10. Dub Vermelho (Victor Rice / Bixiga 70) 05'02"
(Tempo Total 47'40")

Décio 7 - bateria;
Marcelo Dworecki - baixo;
Cris Scabello - guitarra;
Mauricio Fleury - teclado e guitarra;
Rômulo Nardes - percussão;
Gustavo Cecci - percussão;
Cuca Ferreira - sax barítono e flautim;
Daniel Nogueira - sax tenor;
Douglas Antunes - trombone;
Daniel Gralha - trompete.

Produção musical: Victor Rice, Decio 7, Cris Scabello e Mauricio Fleury - Produção artística: Thiago Cury - Gravado no estúdio Traquitana e Mixado no estúdio Copan por Victor Rice - Masterizado no

Grito de Paz (Mauricio Fleury, Ben Lamar e Bixiga 70)

"A Misturada” by Os Muiraquitãns 
Taken from the Various Artists compilation ‘Jambú e Os Míticos Sons Da Amazônia’ (out 21 June 2019 on Analog Africa)

The city of Belém, in the Northern state of Pará in Brazil, has long been a hotbed of culture and musical innovation. Enveloped by the mystical wonder of the Amazonian forest and overlooking the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, Belém consists of a diverse culture as vibrant and broad as the Amazon itself. Amerindians, Europeans, Africans - and the myriad combinations between these people - would mingle, and ingeniously pioneer musical genres such as Carimbó, Samba-De-Cacete, Siriá, Bois-Bumbás and bambiá. Although left in the margins of history, these exotic and mysteriously different sounds would thrive in a parallel universe of their own.

Perched on a peninsula between the Bay of Guajará and the Guamá river, sculpted by water into ports, small deltas and peripheral areas, Belém had connected city dwellers with those deeper within the forest providing fertile ground for the development of a popular culture mirroring the mighty waters surrounding it. Through the continuous flow of culture, language and tradition, various rhythms were gathered here and transformed into new musical forms that were simultaneously traditional and modern.

Historically marginalized African religions like Umbanda, Candomblé and the Tambor de Mina, which had reached this side of the Atlantic through slaves from West Africa – especially from the Kingdom of Dahomey, currently the Republic of Benin – left an indelible stamp on the identity of Pará´s music. They would give birth to Lundun, Banguê and Carimbó, styles later modernised by Verequete, Orlando Pereira, Mestre Cupijó and Pinduca to great effect. The success of these pioneers would create a solid foundation for a myriad of modern bands in urban areas.

Known as the “Caribbean Port,” Belem had been receiving signal from radio stations from Colombia, Surinam, Guyana and the Caribbean islands - notably Cuba and the Dominican republic - since the 1940s. By the early 1960s, Disc jockeys breathlessly exchanged Caribbean records to add these frenetic, island sounds to liven up revelers. The competition was fierce as to who would be the first to bring unheard hits from these countries. The craze eventually reached local bands’ repertoires, and Belém’s suburbs got overtaken by merengue, leading to the creation of modern sounds such as Lambada and Guitarrada.

Another important aspect in understanding how the musical tradition spread in Belém, are the aparelhagem sonora: the sound system culture of Pará. Beginning as simple gramophones connected to loudspeakers tied to light posts or trees, these sound systems livened up neighbourhood parties and family gatherings. The equipment evolved from amateur models into sophisticated versions, perfected over time through the wisdom of handymen. Today’s aparelhagens draw immense crowds, packing clubs with thousands of revelers in Belém’s peripheral neighbourhoods or inland towns in Pará.

With bustling night clubs providing the best sound systems and erotic live shows, gossip about the whereabouts of legendary bands, singers turned into movie stars, supreme craftiness, and the creativity of a class of musicians that didn’t hesitate to take a gamble, Jambú is an exhilarating, cinematic ride into the beauty and heart of what makes Pará’s little corner of the Amazon tick. The hip swaying, frantic percussion and big band brass of the mixture of carimbó with siriá, the mystical melodies of Amazonian drums, the hypnotizing cadence of the choirs, and the deep, musical reverence to Afro-Brazilian religions, provided the soundtrack for sweltering nights in the city’s club district.

The music and tales found in Jambú are stories of resilience, triumph against all odds, and, most importantly, of a city in the borders of the Amazon who has always known how to throw a damn good party.

02 1969 Organ

Linear Labs