Main content

Rio, the samba and Mart'nalia

Lucy Duran travels to the Rocinha slum area in Rio, where she visits a music school where children are taught to sing and play samba. She also meets samba star Mart'nalia.

As part of series of programmes celebrating the Brazilian carnival and its music, Lucy Duran travels to Rio, visiting Rocinha, which is Brazil's largest slum, or favela. Controlled by drug dealers, its 200,000 residents live in constant fear of violence. However, among all this, Lucy discovers a small music school where the children are taught to sing and play samba. She also goes in search of the African roots of samba, and meets a star of modern-day samba, Mart'nalia.

Available now

1 hour

Last on

Sat 21 Feb 2009 15:00

Music and featured items

  • Slums of Rio de Janeiro

    Lucy learns how people end up in slums and how they exist next to Rio's wealthy areas.

    Duration: 05:45

  • Music Played

    • Paulinho da Viola

      A voz do Povo

      Composer: Joao do Vale/Luiz Vieira

      • Acoustic Brazil.
      • Putumayo PUT234-2.
    • Nossa Bandeira

      MC Junior & MC Leonardo

      • OST Tropa de Elite.
      • EMI 5130022.
  • Children and Samba

    Lucy visits a school which teaches young children samba.

    Duration: 04:11

  • Music Played

    • Students of the Rocinha Music School, Rio de Janeiro

      Flor amorosa

      Composer: Calado

      • Recorded by the 大象传媒 in Rocinha, Rio.
    • Students of the Rocinha Music School, Rio de Janeiro

      Aquarela do Brasil

      Composer: Ary Barroso

      • Recorded by the 大象传媒 in Rocinha, Rio.
    • D茅o Rian

      Noites Cariocas

      Composer: Jaco do Bandolim

      • Rio by Night.
      • EMI CDEMS1488.
  • Lapa, the cradle of samba

    In Lapa Lucy learns the history of the area and how samba is coming back into fashion.

    Duration: 08:29

  • Music Played

    • Gilberto Gil

      Pela Internet

      Composer: Gil

      • Quant Gente Veio Ver.
    • Ant么nio Carlos Jobim

      Ela e Carioca

      Composer: Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes

      • Antonio Carlos Jobim e Convidados.
      • Verve 8266652.
    • Casuarina

      Song 1

      Composer: Anon

      • 大象传媒 recording made in the Carioca da Gema club in Lapa, Rio.
  • Samba revival

    Lucy talks to a samba band about the samba revival in Rio.

    Duration: 05:51

  • Music Played

    • Casuarina

      Song 2

      Composer: Anon

      • 大象传媒 recording made in the Carioca da Gema club in Lapa, Rio.
  • Roots of Samba and jongo

    Lucy is in search of the real roots of samba.

    Duration: 05:18

  • Music Played

    • Razoes Africanas

      Jongo de Serrinha

      Composer: Trad

      • Recorded by the 大象传媒 at the Trapiche Gamboa in Rio.
  • Razoes Africanas and jongo

    Samba group Razoes Africanas talk about their research into the style of jongo.

    Duration: 05:49

  • Music Played

    • Razoes Africanas

      Vou Pra Serra

      Composer: Jair Jongueiro

      • Recorded by the 大象传媒 at the Trapiche Gamboa in Rio.
  • Carnival float

    Lucy is in a warehouse where one of the biggest favelas puts together its carnival float.

    Duration: 05:07

  • Music Played

    • 惭补谤迟'苍谩濒颈补

      Nao encontro quem me queira

      Composer: Thiago Mocoto

      • Madrugada.
      • Biscoito Fino BF866.
  • 惭补谤迟鈥档补濒颈补

    Lucy meets samba star 惭补谤迟鈥档补濒颈补 and asks about her connection with samba and Africa.

    Duration: 05:46

  • Music Played

    • 惭补谤迟'苍谩濒颈补

      Pe do meu Samba

      Composer: Caetano Veloso

      • From a private recording belong to the artist made at a concert in Maputo, Mozambique in November 2008.
  • The cuica friction dum

    Lucy talks about the instruments which give samba its distinctive sound.

    Duration: 04:16

  • 惭补谤迟鈥档补濒颈补 1998 session

    惭补谤迟鈥档补濒颈补 introduces a song from the session she recorded in Mozambique in 1998.

    Duration: 03:35

  • Music Played

    • 惭补谤迟'苍谩濒颈补

      Pretinhosidade

      Composer: Mart'nalia/Mombass

      • From a private recording belong to the artist made at a concert in Maputo, Mozambique in November 2008.
  • Reflection on carnival preparation

    Lucy reflects on the carnival preparations they have seen during the programme.

    Duration: 04:29

  • Music Played

    • Antonio Carlos Jobim

      So Danca Samba

      Composer: Tom Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes

      • Brazil: The Essential Album.
      • Manteca MANTDCD201..

Broadcast

  • Sat 21 Feb 2009 15:00

Featured in...