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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCAYMMI, Dorival(b 30 April 1914, Salvador, Brazil; d 16 August 2008, Rio de Janeiro) Composer, singer and guitarist whose long creative life has lent continuity to generations of Brazilian musicians. Born and brought up in Bahia, which features in much of his music, but has since lived mostly in Rio, getting his first break there as a last-minute replacement for Ary Barroso (then the doyen of Brazilian music, composer of 'Brazil' and 'Bahia') in the film Banana da Terra '38 with Carmen Miranda (Ary asked too high a fee). In the 1940s Caymmi became one of the first Brazilian composers to interpret his own songs, and to break with the orchestral tradition and accompany himself on the guitar: he has a very deep voice with a strong vibrato and a muscular, original guitar style. He is a slow writer and says he has written fewer than 100 songs (almost always both words and music), but many of these became classics, appealing across class barriers. Common themes are the sea, and Bahia (especially through images of female beauty). Classics incl. 'O que é que a Baiana tem?' ('What Is It That The Bahian Has?'), his first success; also 'O Bem do Mar' ('Love Of The Sea'), 'É Doce Morrer no Mar' ('It Is Sweet To Die At Sea'), 'Saudade de Itapoã' ('Nostalgia For Itapoa') and 'Acalanto', a lullaby written for his daughter Nana. 'Oração de mãe Menininha' ('A Mother's Prayer') and 'Das Rosas' ('Of Roses') were international hits, unusually for a singer whose folkloric themes and style appeal mostly to local audiences. All three of his children became prominent musicians: Nana (b 1940) one of Brazil's finest singers (albums incl. Nunca Mais on Planet), Dori (b 1943) a composer and arranger (albums Brasilian Serenata on Qwest/WB, Dori Caymmi on Elektra/Musician with Don Grusin and Carlos Vega), Danilo (b 1948) a composer and flautist. There are four volumes of the Dorival Caymmi Songbook (Caymmi songs by other voices), and a recent live performance by Dori, Nana, Danilo e Dorival Caymmi. He remains the best interpreter of his own work, notably on Caymmi In Bahia '79, a live performance (voice and guitar only) of 29 of his best-known songs. |