Comprador e Imagem, Part II: Goiânia Rocks While Maintaining Tradition

The second stage of the Comprador e Imagem project took the international group inland to the city of Goiânia, in the state of Goiás. Goiânia is one of the fastest growing urban centers in Brazil. It has also become the focal point for Brazilian rock. Several labels, specially the influential Monstro Records have turned Goania into Brazil’s rock powerhouse. "Indie labels like Monstro Discos, Two Beers or Not Two Beers and Insetus flourished and have been crucial to support the local scene," says David McLoughlin of BM&A. "Fabricio Nobre, owner of Monstro Discos (where he still releases 7” coloured vinyl), also runs various music festivals and organized the ABRAFIN association. The main styles are alternative, indie rock and heavy metal."During the afternoon, the local organizers took the Comprador e Imagem group to the Complexo Memorial do Cerrado Pe Pereira, which is part of the Instituto do Trópico Subúmido (Universidade Católica de Goiás). The complex is an extensive area about 10 km south of Goiania. It includes a museum, a replica of a quilombo (settlements formed by the descendents of slaves that escaped from slave plantations ), a native Indian village and a traditional cerrado rural community with examples of the ancient tools used by settlers, including an alambique (a distillery). There are also botanical gardens with cerrado plant species.

At the Complexo Memorial do Cerrado Pe Pereira, Goias folk group Sons de Cerrado treated the Comprador e imagem grou to a private concert and later to a delicious meal of local dishes. Sons de Cerrado researches and recreates the traditional music of the region. The group has released several CDs, including the latest one titled Alumeia, o Cerrado que a velha canta.

For the evening, the local organizers planned two sets of showcases at Centro Cultural Martim Cererê, located at Rua 94-A, Setor Sul – Goiânia. The concerts were held at its two small theaters called Pyguá and Yguá. Each venue is located in a former water tank that used to belong to the state’s water system. The Yguá stage offered an eclectic mix of MPB, folk and electronic music. The second stage, Pyguá was dedicated to rock music.

One of the most fascinating facts about the event was the audience. A relatively young audience formed by rock music fans was indeed open minded and gave the same attention to all kinds of music, proving that young music fans are receptive to new sounds if they are offered the opportunity. It breaks the stereotypes of the cookie cutter models many American marketers use.

The artists featured at Centro Cultural Martim Cererê were Roberto Correa, Barfly, Cláudia Vieira, Yglo, Juraíldes Cruz, Violins, Control Z, and Moveis Coloniais.

Roberto Correa gave a fascinating concert of solo guitar based on his research of Brazilian folk music. He used two different kinds of Brazilian guitars, the viola calpira and the rare pear-shaped viola de cocho, an instrument found in the state of Matto Grosso. Another highlight was Juraíldes Cruz. Several of the members of the Comprador e Imagem group mentioned they really enjoyed rock bands Violins and Moveis Coloniais.

The second day in Goiânia, Tuesday, was dedicated to seminars. The presentations were similar to the ones in Sap Paulo, although Comprador e Imagem group adapted some of its material to make it more interesting and valuable to the audience.

After lunch, there was a performance at Sebrae by musicians who recycle discarded industrial material to make musical instruments. Their performances also relate to environmental issues. In the afternoon, several producers and labels made brief presentations to the Comprador e Imagem group.

The evening showcases were primarily rock focused. They took place at the Bolshoi Bar. The bands featured were: Abluesados, Johnny Suxxx, retro band Sapatos Bicolores, and MQN.

SEBRAE Goiás produced a double CD recently which focuses on the current music scene in the state. Titled Brasil Central Music, the album includes one CD dedicated to MPB and pop and another disc that focuses on rock. More information is available at the web site listed below.

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.