Alencarinos (2013) - A Homage To Alencar 7 Cordas

Alencar 7 Cordas (1951 - 2011)

Alencar 7 Cordas (José de Alencar Soares) was born in Ipu, Ceará, in 1951, and settled in Brasilia in the early 1970s. A key element in the musical development of the city, Alencar 7 Cordas participated in the foundation of the Clube do Choro in Brasilia. He was a member of the ensemble Choro Livre for 25 years as guitarist and arranger and throughout his career he played alongside great names in Brazilian music. He was one of the pioneer teachers at the Escola Brasileira de Choro Rafael Rabello and later he created his own school, being responsible for the education of several musicians from different generations of Brasilia.

Since 2007 Alencar had been directing and integrating the Regional BemBrasil , with which he started recording a CD in 2011.

Alencar & Regional BemBrasil

On Sunday mornings the group met to rehearse under the regency of Alencar. Once the repertoire was prepared, two tracks were recorded. However, unexpectedly, on September 15, 2011, at the age of sixty, Alencar passed away from a heart attack. Facing the challenge of finalizing the album, the Regional BemBrasil invited Fernando César to make the arrangements and record the 7 string guitar in the remaining repertoire chosen for the album. Since then the Regional has been renamed Alencarinos, which also is the title of the CD produced and issued in 2013.

Alencarinos CD (2013)

I was pointed to the CD by Oscar Barahona, who generously provided info on Alencar 7 Cordas and the CD. There are 15 tracks on the disc, the first and last track have Alencar with Regional BemBrasil - the remaining 13 tracks are arranged and have the participation of Fernando César on the 7 string guitar. All tracks besides track 14 titled Alencarino (a composition by Onaldo Domingues) are composed by Alencar 7 Cordas. The Regional playing on all tracks consists of: Márcio Bezerra (clarinet), Lucas de Campos (violão), Pedro Molusco  (cavaquinho) and Junior Viegas  (pandeiro). The CD further has several guest performers in the various tracks, they are: Victor Angeleas (bandolim on 2, 8), Sergio Morais (flute on 3, 7, 14), Beth Ernest Dias (flute on 5), Joel Nascimento (bandolim on 6), Paulo André Tavares (violão on 7, 13), Leandro Braga (piano on 9), Jaime Ernest Dias (violão on 10), Odette Ernest Dias (flute on 11), Juninho Ferreira (sanfona on 12), Valério Xavier (cavaco on 12, 14), Leonel Laterza (voc on 13), Reco do Bandolim (ban on 14). Tracklist as follows: 1) Imitação, 2) Enfeitiçando, 3) Moluscando, 4) É do Pangaré, 5) Lucas 6, 6) Amardando, 7) Entre Mares, 8) No Macamba, 9) Imagem, 10) Valsa Choro, 11) Vou Levando, 12) Escalando, 13) Brasil 3 por 4, 14) Alencarino, 15) Choro BB.

You have the opportunity to listen to the music at the CD, here. The CD has also been uploaded in full length at YouTube, here. Unfortunately, the listing of tracks in the video does not follow the CD, but if you compare titles with info stated above, I hope you are able to dig out the participation of musicians on the various tracks. The CD Alencarinos is a great homage to the work of Alencar 7 Cordas. 

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Jo

choromusic.blogspot@gmail.com