Coco
Traditional dance style from the North and Northeast, its origins are not clear: slaves could have brought it from Africa, or it could be the result of a mix between native and African cultures. Although more cultivated along the coast, coco might have appeared in the countryside, following the rhythm produced when the coconuts were broken so as to extract the nuts. The singing is accompanied with a tambourine or the beat of feet on the ground. Also known as samba, pagode or zambê (when it is played with that kind of drum), coco is usually performed within a circle of singers and players who go round clapping their hands. The music starts with the tirador de coco, the person in charge of staring the verses, which are then answered by the choir. The pattern is verse-chorus, in 2/4 or 4/4 compass.
There are numerous variations of coco in the northeast, like agalopado, bingolé, catolé, de roda (one of the most primitive), de praia (beach style), de zambê (zambê style), de sertão (countryside style) and desafio (challenge), among others. One of coco’s most popular forms is embolada, whose short, melodic phrases, repeated over and over, steadily and fast, gain humorous lyrics (usually improvised). The goal is to keep the rhyme going.
One of coco’s greatest celebrities was Jackson do Pandeiro (from Paraíba, NE). His career started out in Pernambuco (NE), in 1953, when he recorded Sebastiana, the first of a forthcoming series that would make coco famous in the rest of the country. Later on, Other artists like Bezerra da Silva, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil and Alceu Valença also recorded cocos. The style would be re-discovered in the 90s when manguebeat groups like Chico Science & Nação Zumbi and Cascabulho incorporated it into their music, shedding light upon contemporary coco acts like Selma do Coco, Lia de Itamaracá and Zé Neguinho do Coco.
Songs
Sebastiana – Jackson do Pandeiro
O Canto da Ema – Gilberto Gil
A Cantiga do Sapo – Alceu Valença
Coco Dub – Chico Science & Nação Zumbi
Jack Soul Brasileiro – Lenine
A Rolinha – Selma do Coco
Coco – Quinteto Violado
Coco de Improviso (Edson Meneses, Alventino Cavalcanti e Jackson do Pandeiro) – Jackson do Pandeiro
There are numerous variations of coco in the northeast, like agalopado, bingolé, catolé, de roda (one of the most primitive), de praia (beach style), de zambê (zambê style), de sertão (countryside style) and desafio (challenge), among others. One of coco’s most popular forms is embolada, whose short, melodic phrases, repeated over and over, steadily and fast, gain humorous lyrics (usually improvised). The goal is to keep the rhyme going.
One of coco’s greatest celebrities was Jackson do Pandeiro (from Paraíba, NE). His career started out in Pernambuco (NE), in 1953, when he recorded Sebastiana, the first of a forthcoming series that would make coco famous in the rest of the country. Later on, Other artists like Bezerra da Silva, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil and Alceu Valença also recorded cocos. The style would be re-discovered in the 90s when manguebeat groups like Chico Science & Nação Zumbi and Cascabulho incorporated it into their music, shedding light upon contemporary coco acts like Selma do Coco, Lia de Itamaracá and Zé Neguinho do Coco.
Songs
Sebastiana – Jackson do Pandeiro
O Canto da Ema – Gilberto Gil
A Cantiga do Sapo – Alceu Valença
Coco Dub – Chico Science & Nação Zumbi
Jack Soul Brasileiro – Lenine
A Rolinha – Selma do Coco
Coco – Quinteto Violado
Coco de Improviso (Edson Meneses, Alventino Cavalcanti e Jackson do Pandeiro) – Jackson do Pandeiro
Related artists
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