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Rating: It's February, it's almost thirty degrees, only a few minutes left until the much-anticipated midnight on Saturday. One waits a year for this great and thrilling moment, the square overflowing with people bursts into vibrant excitement. On the street in front of his abode, everyone is ready: at the head, the flag bearer, then the trumpets, saxophones, trombones, tubas, followed by the snare drums, "pandeiros" (tambourines), and "surdos" (a type of bass drum). After the orchestra come the "passisti", the dancers with their minute sparkling costumes and their colorful "sombrinhas" (umbrellas).
It is midnight: the snare drums call him out, the "surdos" begin to mark the time for the brass to join in. The door opens, the crowd is ecstatic; there he is, "o homem da meianoite" (the man of midnight) handsome, elegant, and charismatic: a four-meter-tall puppet. He bows to the audience and starts to walk through the streets, accompanied by the lively orchestra and the "passisti" in their movements to this infectious rhythm...
We are in Olinda, named the cultural capital of Brazil for the year 2007, a UNESCO heritage city where every year one of the most beautiful carnivals in the world is celebrated on the Saturday preceding Mardi Gras, the official opening of four days of madness.
...it's four in the morning, there are still some survivors in the streets. Music can be heard in the distance, it's still him, "o homem da meianoite" dragging himself exhausted towards home with the orchestra now halved and disoriented following behind. A strong and acrid smell of urine and beer envelops us in the streets. We say goodbye, see you next year. We too head off to sleep, for tomorrow under the scorching sun awaits another day of madness.
The Orchestra de Frevos de Vassourinhas de Olinda is one of the most traditional frevo clubs, contributing for nearly a century to keeping this musical and dance tradition alive; a typically carnival and unique expression in the world that finds its points of reference in the cities of Recife and Olinda. The compositions are by various traditional authors, and each finds its moment and place to be played during the parade of the orchestra.
This CD was recorded in Belgium during a series of concerts held in Europe in 1996, its publication, however, is from the year 2000. The musicians are all amateurs or semi-professionals (it's tough to live just off music!). Half the inhabitants of Olinda are artists (among musicians, painters, craftsmen, etc.) without needing to attend academia, passion or the necessity to do something to make ends meet suffices.
In conclusion, I invite you all to spend the carnival here to listen to genuine and joyful music (the acoustic effect of the orchestras passing through the streets of the historic center is pure enjoyment for the ears). Bring sunscreen, lots and lots of energy, and a great desire to have fun.
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