Intuitive, Imprecise, Fundamental: The Afro-Sambas

Abstract

The article discusses, based on the repertoire of songs produced by Vinícius de Morais and Baden Powell and classified by them as “afro-sambas” and the album recorded by them from this repertoire: the influences of each one and how these influences were reflected in the compositions; the insertion of this repertoire particularly in the work of Vinícius and in his project of reconciling African and European cultures, also expressed in the musical Orfeu da Conceição, by him and Tom Jobim; the contradictions inherent to this repertoire, resulting from the composers’ origins and experiences; and finally, its influence on the nascent MPB