Review: Susana Raya

Subject: RE: Review: Susana Raya
From: Stringsinger
Date: 30 May 22 - 05:53 PM

Her performance embodies a musical sophistication not heard much today in a folk context.
Bossa Nova is a folk song expression by the combination of the African-Brazilian heritage of many Favellas, the poor slum sections of Rio. There is no reason why folk music has to be reduced to basic musical structures. African music is highly complex rhythmically, some of it
un-notatable (if that's word) and yet reflects a kind of folk culture.

I find a kind of musical sophistication when I hear unaccompanied traditional ballads that
subtly reflect earlier modal traces and the bending predictably of tones by singers or musicians.
For example, many Appalachian banjo players, fiddle players or singers who are part of the
sub-culture that came over from Northern Ireland or the Scottish Border will sharp the seventh note of a scale by a few cents. Many blues musicians will flatten the seventh note that suggests a carryover from African modes.

Subject: RE: Review: Susana Raya
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 May 22 - 01:50 PM

The link in the second post goes to
Ted Gioia's Happy Hour, no. 75,
in which Susana Raya is mentioned.

There also exists a you tube video of
Susana Raya playing Manha da Carnaval.

Subject: RE: Review: Susana Raya
From: Stringsinger
Date: 29 May 22 - 12:08 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4hj2ldaJXw

Subject: Review: Susana Raya
From: Stringsinger
Date: 29 May 22 - 12:03 PM

Ted Gioia found her. She's a fantastic Bossa nova singer and guitar player. I don't know
anything about her but I want her recording of Manha Du Carnaval.
Susana Raya, a musical name to remember.

Brazilian Bossa is a folk outgrowth of the black and Anglo culture In Brazil.
I haven't tried to google her yet.

Villa Lobos, the famous Brazilian composer was a street musician.

Folk music is bigger than the straight jacket put on it by the music business
or the academic world. It's foundational for meaning musical expression
in every country. When it's rich and vibrant, then great music whether
you call it classical or jazz or pop, it has a soil that's rich and sprouts
musical flowers that last for generations. The key is to own it.
As Americans or Brits or wherever it happens, if we own the music by. participating
in it as listeners, performers, singers, collectors and get others interested in it,
we are offering an invaluable service to society.