Dorival Caymmi passes

[seeline]

From Reuters UK -

Influential Brazilian singer-songwriter dies

Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:54pm BST

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian singer-songwriter Dorival Caymmi, who rose to fame in the 1930s by writing a hit song for Carmen Miranda and became known as the grandfather of bossa nova, died on Saturday. He was 94.

Caymmi, who like many of Brazil's musical greats was from the northeastern state of Bahia, died of multiple organ failure at his home in the Copacabana district of Rio de Janeiro, his granddaughter Stella Caymmi told GloboNews television network.

In a career that spanned more than 60 years, the deep-voiced Caymmi composed more than 100 songs and recorded nearly 20 albums. Dozens of artists, from the late Hollywood star Miranda to bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto, performed his songs.

Though Caymmi lived most of his life in Rio, the African heritage and rhythms of his home state Bahia were a dominant theme in his music. Classics like "O Que e Que a Baiana Tem? (What Is It That the Bahian Woman Has?)," "Voce Ja foi a Bahia? (Have You Ever Been to Bahia?)" and "Saudades de Itapoa" (Yearning for Itapoa) all evoked his homeland.

The state governors of Bahia and Rio declared three days of official mourning to honour Caymmi, who also inspired great Brazilian musicians such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called Caymmi's music a national treasure.

Caymmi is survived by his wife and fellow singer Stella Maris, and two sons [Dori, Danilo] and a daughter [Nana], all of whom are also prominent musicians.

Edited August 17, 2008 by seeline

[GA Russell]

RIP.

Clave, can you think of any of his songs that were recorded by any of the Verve artists?

[seeline]

João Gilberto recorded his songs "Rosa Morena," "Doralice" and "O Samba da Minha Terra" - and probably more, but I'm blanking right now. (am afraid I'm not a fan of Astrud's singing, so I can't comment there.)

Here's a quote from Jobim about Dorival -

"I met Dorival Caymmi way back in 48, 49. I was very eager, I wanted to be a musician no matter what, and tried to get acquainted with him; afterwards we became good friends. Dorival Caymmi is a genius, a person of such talent that if I think of Brazilian music I'll always think of Dorival Caymmi. He is an incredibly sensitive person, has a tremendous creativeness, and I say this from a musical viewpoint, without speaking about the poet and the painter. Because the painter... I have one of his paintings. I gave his son a flute and he gave me a painting of his, that is marvelous. The other day I asked Danilo Caymmi: Tell me, how can your father paint so well? He said: He studied. It's something! Because Dorival is really a great painter, it's not just for fun, no; and in his songs then he's the tops."

Brazilian music bloggers are all posting tributes, of course.

Edited August 17, 2008 by seeline

[seeline]

A performance clip:

[jazzbo]

Sad news. What a voice, now stilled!