Antonio Adolfo – Grammy Nominee Talks About His New Album & The Golden Age Of Carnaval Songs
In his decades-spanning career, Brazilian pianist, arranger, producer and educator Antonio Adolfo has traveled the world, recorded and performed with legends, and received numerous Grammy nominations. We asked him to tell us about his LP, CARNAVAL – The Songs Were So Beautiful.
Carnaval (Carnival) is also an old tradition in Brazil, where the festivities are very popular and become more “spectacular” each year. Despite the evolution of this jubilee, the songs created for the event have lost their beauty each passing year, or even disappeared.
The “golden age” of Carnaval songs corresponds to the period between the beginning of the last century, mainly between the 1920s and 1950s, with its beautiful songs, many of which were exposed through musical competitions, where the most beautiful songs were chosen. As such, some of them have become great classics of Brazilian music.
Since I was very young, I have been passionate about Carnaval songs, mainly with typical rhythms like marchinhas, marchas-rancho, sambas and frevos. I often went with my family to see the Carnaval groups called “Blocos” celebrating in the streets or to the children’s dance parties in the clubs during the 1950s. In addition to having fun with the festivities, the masks and costumes, confetti and streamers. I was fascinated when I listened to the bands playing and the people singing those beautiful songs.
And all of that always remained in my memory as an image of the past when there was great poetry in those Carnaval songs. I definitely cannot let this wonderful influence that enriched my heart pass by without recording my take of all of this today.
My new album Carnaval – The Songs Were So Beautiful is the result of this musical fruition, in which I embrace some of those beautiful melodies, bringing them to my musical universe today, accompanied by a team of wonderful musicians who accompanied me in recent years.
Listen to my new album on your favorite streaming service, and long live these beautiful Carnaval songs!!