..down Brazil way.

I was watching a TV programme about Brazil. Mostly Samba, of course. And Bossa Nova. Then they showed some musicians from the rural northeast. The line up was accordion, TRIANGLE (!) and big drum.

This was Forro (pr. faw-HAW ). I'd never seen any other musical form which used a big triangle played cajun style, but I bet regulars can tell me more.

BJ

Chris Miller enlightened me about Forro music a couple of years back. I think he may have some recorded music.

Link 1 takes you a NYT story and multimedia slide show on Forro music. Although the cultures grew up separately, the parallels to SW Louisiana music and dance are interesting.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/travel/07culture.html

The TV programme showed piano accordions, but the article shows button boxes. Another parallel with zydeco?

BJ

if you watch a FORRO' dancehall with no sound and just see accordion and triangle and some dirty dancing.. it could appear as zydeco.. heheh.

That disappears when you hear the rhythms and singing..

Fascinating music indeed.. get yourself some OLD Luis Gonzaga or the CD Songs for Maids and Taxidrivers ( a compilation ).. great fun.

G.

In reading about forro I found several references to the similarity to Zedeco

By the way their instruments are tempered tuning : )