PAUL FOLEY welcomes a dramatic account of the men and women involved in the pivotal moment of the 5th Pan African Congress
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Sao Paulo’s finest
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BIXIGA 70
The Blues Kitchen, Manchester
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HALXabke9hc
BIXIGA is a vibrant multicultural suburb of Sao Paulo. Unlike Rio or Salvador, Sao Paulo is a melting pot of Afro-Caribbean and immigrant communities. This diverse population is very much reflected in its music.
For over a decade the exhilarating sounds of Bixiga 70 have been bringing the music of their neighbourhood to the world. Touring as a nine-piece combo incorporating horns, percussion, keys and guitar, they defy classification with a very distinct sound which is very much their own.
They certainly recognise the importance of their musical heritage and there are hints of Tom Ze, Os Mutantes and a nod to revolutionary sound of the ’60s Brazilian tropicalismo but their vibe is very much from the back streets of Sao Paulo.
Showcasing their new album Vapor, the band have taken their music to another level. Eschewing the usual Brazilian music tropes, the collective move seamlessly between furious horn-driven rock fusion on songs like Na Quarta-Feira to a more ethereal sound on Loa Lua where Pedro Regada’s whirly keys are reminiscent of Keith Emerson in his heyday.
On the band’s first single from the new album, Malungu, the wonderful Simone Sou controls the whole thing with her impeccable percussion. She leads the brass section in a wonderful cacophony of sound. A mention also for Valentina Facury whose fabulous percussive rhythms extoll their West African origins.
Bixiga 70 are very much a loud, brassy band with Daniel Verano on trumpet and Pedro Moreira on trombone beautifully duelling for prominence while Daniel Nogueira, tenor Saxophone and Cuca Ferreira on baritone sax give strong back-up. Cristiano Scabello’s electric guitar and Marcelo Dworecki’s bass hold the whole thing together.
I would love to see the band on a huge festival stage where, unleashed by the constraints of a small concert hall, they could give full vent to their explosive sound. But on a dark, drizzly night in Manchester, Bixiga 70 is just the right antidote to blow away the worries of the world and allow their audience to wallow in the sheer enjoyment and excitement of a band at the top of their game.
The new album Vapor is released by Glitterbeat
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