Danilo Caymmi and Ricardo Bacelar Revisit Cangaço Songs
New album reimagines historic tracks recorded by former bandit Volta Seca.
1Revisiting Historical Roots
Musicians Danilo Caymmi and Ricardo Bacelar are releasing the album 'Volta Seca – Canções do Cangaço' this Friday. The project breathes new life into eight songs originally recorded in 1957 by Antônio dos Santos, known as Volta Seca, a former member of the infamous Lampião bandit group who joined at age eleven.
2Original Source Material
The 1957 source material, titled 'Cantigas de Lampeão', featured Volta Seca as the primary interpreter. These original recordings included narration by radio personality Paulo Roberto, who provided historical context about the daily lives of the cangaceiros. The new album seeks to honor this legacy while introducing these melodies to a modern audience.
3Creative Collaboration Process
The project emerged from Caymmi’s research into Volta Seca’s life and music. After two years of discussions regarding structure and arrangement, the duo recorded the album in April at the Jasmin studio in Fortaleza. The collaboration blends Caymmi’s vocal and flute work with Bacelar’s multi-instrumental production, including piano, keyboards, and percussion.
4Modern Musical Approach
While the original 1957 recordings heavily featured the accordion, Bacelar opted for a more organic, contemporary sound. The new arrangements emphasize acoustic instruments and wind sections, including saxophones and trombone, to provide musical sophistication. This shift moves the repertoire away from traditional folk structures toward a more nuanced, modern listening experience.
5New Composition Added
Beyond the eight historical tracks, the album includes a new song titled 'A Água Que Faltou no Céu'. Composed by Caymmi, Bacelar, and Luis Lima Verde, the track offers a poetic perspective of a cangaceiro seeing the ocean for the first time, imagining it stole all the water from the arid sertão region.
6Visual and Historical Context
The physical CD release incorporates historical photographs from the Lampião and Maria Bonita family archives. Additionally, the project features paintings by artist Cadeh Juaçaba and a biographical essay by filmmaker Luiz Carlos Prestes Filho. These elements aim to provide a comprehensive cultural context for the music and the history of the cangaço.
7Multimedia Integration
Director Gabriel Lage utilized archival footage captured by Lebanese-Brazilian filmmaker Benjamin Abrahão Botto for the album's music videos. Botto is historically significant for producing the only known film records of Lampião’s group in action. These visuals accompany the new arrangements, bridging the gap between 20th-century historical documentation and contemporary digital music platforms.
8Cultural Significance
This project serves as a bridge between Brazil's rural banditry history and modern musical expression. By reinterpreting these songs, Caymmi and Bacelar ensure that the cultural memory of the cangaço remains accessible. The album stands as a testament to the enduring power of folk narratives when treated with contemporary artistic rigor.
Original article: Folha de S.Paulo — Danilo Caymmi and Ricardo Bacelar Revisit Cangaço Songs