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Jongo Lê
(49' 56") Label: daqui: Les nuits atypiques de Langon, France,1999
All tracks composed and performed by Celso Machado
Note: French and English liner notes.
Lyrics in Portuguese included in the French liner notes.
See French press for reviews and Glossary
for definition of terms.
Jongo Lê may be purchased through harmoniamundi.com/
Jongo Lê was nominated for the Canadian Juno Awards in the best global recording category in 2000.
1. Feliz, Felicidade 4' 54''
The Joy of Being Happy
Music: Celso Machado, Lyrics: Marcia Abujamra
voice, guitar, surdo, pandeiro, tambourine, and ganzá
2. Jongo Lê 3' 22''
Music: Celso Machado, Lyrics: from the folklore of Taubaté
voice, guitar, surdo, atabaque, ganzá, and soprano guitar
The lyrics have been extracted from O Jongo, a research study of the folklore of the Taubaté region (state of São Paulo), carried out by Maria de Lourdes Borges Ribeiro. Jongo is a dance, drumming and chanting ritual of African origin (now widely practised by Brazilians of all origins), where the Jongueiros take it in turn to challenge each other in the art of ponto; a kind of ironic and humourous rhythmic improvised chant. The Jongo is often held during festivals for saints as a way of paying for favours received and is also commonly held on May 13, the anniversary of the emancipation of slavery (1888).
3. Despedida 5' 15''
Goodbye
Music: Celso Machado, Lyrics: from the folklore of Sergipe
voice, guitar, palmas (clapping), and vocal rhythms
The lyrics of this canto de chegança have been extracted from a research study of the folklore of the Lagarto region (state of Sergipe), carried out by Eunice Tavares Dantas, Angélica Maria Vieira de Araújo, and Paulo Ferreira. Chegança is the name given to a Portuguese dance from the 18th century which celebrates the maritime life.
Dawn is breaking in the east
It is time for farewell
I am leaving by the sea
4. Odé Oxóssi 5' 04''
Candomblé chant arranged by Celso Machado
voice and guitar
The title of this Candomblé (Afro-Brazilian religion practised by the Jeje-Nagô of Bahia) chant refers to Odé Oxóssi, orixá (saint) of the hunt and of the forest. Celso uses a combination of kanjira (south Indian tambourine) and Moroccan sintir percussive techniques on the guitar body while simultaneously playing a very complex rhythm and melody.
5. Origem 4' 33''
Origin
Music: Celso Machado, Lyrics: Marcia Accioly
voice and guitar
A lament: Those who are born Caetés, remain Caetés.
A young Caetés Indian girl feels homesick for her sertão
(ocean and country-side home) when she sees a flower made of cement leaning
towards her.
6. Ladeira do Quebra-coco 3' 52''
Slope of the Broken Coconut
Music and Lyrics: Celso Machado
voice, guitar, surdo, ganzá, tambourine, and triangle
This Coco is completely crazy. A pleasurable ramble in the rhythmic style of the nordeste emboladas.
7. Baião Fulêjo 2' 08''
Billy goat Baião
Music: Celso Machado, Adapted for pipa by Qiu Xia He
Qiu Xia He: pipa, Celso Machado: guitar
8. Frêvo até na China 3' 06''
Music: Celso Machado, Adapted for pipa by Qiu Xia He
Qiu Xia He: pipa, Celso Machado: guitar, surdo, caxixi, and snare drum
9. Axé Gnawa 4' 12''
Music & Lyrics: Celso Machado
voice, sintir, palmas, agogô, ganzá, and nay
A salutation to the Gnawa. (axé means vital energy in the nagô
language).
guiding star, light my way, light the Gnawi
10. Fantasia Brasileira 4' 44''
Brazilian Fantasy
Music: Celso Machado
solo guitar
Celso imitates the sound of a batucada (samba percussion group) by gradually loosening the top string while playing and finally pulling it down across the others to turn the guitar into a percussive instrument. This idea came to him while changing a guitar string.
11. Senzala 3' 03''
Music & Lyrics: Celso Machado
voice, nconfi, kalimba, whistle, and khalal
This chant is what Celso imagines the slaves may once have sung in the Senzala (slave house on a plantation). He dedicates this song to Congolese master musician and griot (story teller), Albert Nkibi, who is the maker of the nconfi played here. Celso met him and purchased the nconfi at the 1997 Nuits Atypiques Festival in Langon, France.
12. Sol da manhã 5' 43''
Morning Sun
Improvisation by Qiu Xia He & Celso Machado
pipa & guitar