Music
Is it possible to classify São Paulo's music in one rhythm only?
Thanks to the blend of people living in the state, São Paulo's music mixes country music, classical music, Brazilian pop, rock, rap, chorinho and samba. Yes Sir, we have samba!
"Those who say that São Paulo doesn't know anything about music are lying; samba is in the poet's veins and heart. São Paulo is the synthesis of Brazil", João Nogueira (singer and composer from Rio de Janeiro).
São Paulo is an authentic potpourri. There are many composers and singers: Luis Tatit, Itamar Assumpção, José Miguel Wisnik, Arnaldo Antunes, Paulo Vanzolini, Edvaldo Santana, Walter Franco, Rita Lee, Renato Teixeira, Demônios da Garoa and Adoniran Barbosa. Each one with his own style, but all of them from São Paulo. Would you like to have them divided into categories? Here we go:
Modinhas: Paraguassú (Roque Ricciardi) and Marcelo Tupinambá (Fernando Lobo).
Country music: Mário Zan, Cornélio Pires, Tonico e Tinoco and Alvarenga and Ranchinho.
Waltz: Erotides de Campos.
Choro: Zequinha de Abreu.
Guitar players: Garoto (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha) and Canhoto (Américo Giacomino).
Classical music: Carlos Gomes, Guiomar Novaes, Madalena Tagliaferro, Antonietta Rudge.
Orchestra: Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo (Symphonic Orchestra of the State of São Paulo).
Although many musicians were not born in São Paulo, they transformed São Paulo into their main stage. During the 60's, TV music festivals played an important role in the promotion of many artists. The festivals of former TV Excelsior, in São Paulo, the first channel engaged in promoting them, took place at that time. The song "Arrastão", by Edu Lobo and Vinicius de Moraes, sang by Elis Regina, won the first prize in 1965. In 1966, TV Record, also in São Paulo, started broadcasting Brazilian music festivals. That year's winners were Chico Buarque, with the song "A Banda", and Geraldo Vandré and Teo de Barros, with the song "Disparada", sang by Jair Rodrigues.
You may be wondering if there is a special artist who represents São Paulo. Here we go again: Adoniran Barbosa. A talented musician who translated a specific time and particular places of the city; not to mention the Italian accent mixed with the Brazilian one, which resulted in Adoniran's unique music.
It does not matter whether the artist is from São Paulo or not. The power of São Paulo's cultural industry and music recording market makes it possible for the city to promote artists and works from all over the country. It was like that with Bossa Nova, Tropicália, Jovem Guarda, heavy metal, rock, rap, samba, among many other musical styles. That's São Paulo. There is no room for prejudice.