Between the Folds of Luiz Gonzaga’s Sanfona
Between the Folds of Luiz Gonzaga’s Sanfona
Forró Music in Brazil
This chapter focuses on the fascinating life story of the Brazilian accordionist Luiz Gonzaga, while examining Brazil's national musical and political context that allowed this extraordinary musician to come forth as the creator of a new accordion-driven music and dance genre called forró. With his “unwieldy” instrument in his hands, the bohemian Gonzaga shaped a quintessentially Brazilian music—one that, unlike the urban samba and the cosmopolitan bossa nova, stands for the rural roots of the nation. Part of Gonzaga's success was due to his ability to create a credible onstage persona, to portray a “country bumpkin” identity with a unique performance style and musical accent—the accordion undoubtedly underlined his hinterlandishness. His creativity and originality made him into one of Brazil's most successful recording artists.
Keywords: Brazil, accordionists, Luiz Gonzaga accordion, musical instruments, forró, Brazilian music
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