Schuyler Whelden: I’m Schuyler Whelden. Juliana Cantarelli Vita: And I’m Juliana Cantarelli Vita. SW: This is Massa, a podcast about Brazilian music and culture. JCV: Schuyler and I are musicians and music scholars. In each episode, we dive into a specific genre, song, artist, or issue in Brazilian music to try to understand how it works and what i…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the sub-genre known as forró eletrônico. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Songs: Som da Massa, “Transcontinental Baião” Limão com Mel, “…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the sub-genre known as forró universitário. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Songs: Falamansa, “Xote da Alegria” (Spotify) (Youtube) Flá…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of themes of migration from the Brazilian Northeast. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Songs: Luiz Gonzaga, “Asa Branca” (Youtube) (Spotify) Marinês, “Rainha do Xaxado” (Spotif…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the dance tradition called baião, as well as its continued usage in popular music. They are joined once again by accordionist and forró historian Julinho Mendes. Transcript available at http…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their series on the Brazilian music genre known as forró with a discussion of the dance rhythm called xaxado. They discuss the musical characteristics of the genre and show a number of examples. They are joined by special guest Julinho Mendes, an accordionist (sanfoneiro) and forró historian. Tr…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden continue their discussion the popular music genre forró with an exploration of the history and musical features of the dance tradition called xote. They are joined once again by accordionist and forró historian Julinho Mendes. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and In…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden begin their series on the Brazilian music genre known as forró with a discussion of the festas juninas (June festivals), one of the most popular yearly traditions, especially in the Northeast region. They discuss the saints honored at these festivals, the food and atmosphere, as well as the musical tradi…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the poetry of maracatu de baque solto from the zona da mata region of the northeastern state of Pernambuco. The discuss the structure of the sambada and the poetic forms marcha, galope, samba em dez, and samba curto. They are joined, once again, by anthropologist and historian Dr. Chris Estrada. …

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the music tradition maracatu de baque solto from the zona da mata region of the northeastern state of Pernambuco. They are joined by maracatu practitioner Mestre Bi and anthropologist and historian Dr. Chris Estrada. Transcript available at https://essefoimassa.com/. Follow us on Twitter and Inst…

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss issues of gender in the music tradition maracatu de baque virado. They are joined by Dr. Amy Medvick, who holds a PhD from Tulane University in Latin American Studies. They also interview Mestra Joana Cavalcante, who is the leader of the maracatu nation Nação do Maracatu Encanto do Pina, as well …

Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the musical tradition known as maracatu de baque virado, or maracatu de nação, from the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. They describe the typical instruments and rhythms, the traditions, origins, and performance contexts, as well as a number of songs. They also discuss how 20th and 21st centu…

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the tradition of candomblé nagô. They talk through the instruments used at the Ilê Axé Oxóssi Guangoubira terreiro in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. They highlight some of the orixás (dieties) that are worshipped and the sequence in which they are worshipped. They also speak with re…

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss and explain some of the common instruments and rhythms associated with the Afro-Brazilian religion candomblé, particularly in the form known as ketu, which is widely practiced in the Brazilian state of Bahia. For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/ Foll…

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden discuss the music of the Afro-Brazilian religion called candomblé and how it has informed and inspired popular musicians in Brazil. For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/ Follow us on: Instagram | Twitter Songs discussed: Fabiana Cozza, “Kabiecilê” (Youtube) (…

In this episode, Juliana Cantarelli Vita and Schuyler Whelden introduce themselves and their plans for the podcast. They also discuss Raimundo Sodré's 1980 composition "A Massa," which was an inspiration for the name. For transcriptions and links, visit: https://www.essefoimassa.com/ Follow us on: Instagram | Twitter Songs discussed: Nação do Marac…