MM0011 – Banda de Pife Princesa do Agreste de Caruaru – PE (2009)
The bands of Pife, Zabumba, Esquenta Mulher – among other names as they are known – were the most important musical formation in the interior of the Northeast for a long time and lost the social function for other music, mainly from the emergence of mass culture, but in small towns and villages they are still important to the community, both for religious music and for fun.
In some cases, the “Banda de Pife” take strong artistic values - the case of Princesa do Agreste. These groups are very varied according to locality, as in the Northeast are in all states. The Banda de Baiana is very different from “Banda Cabaçal” from Ceará, and it is extremely important that people continue to exist, so that our cultural events can move on. Registration and disclosure can be a way to support and help as long as it ensures that profits return to the people who produced it.
Biu do Pife, a musician experienced in the music of Caruaru and in the Northeast, reached a 50 years mark on the road in 2008. He recorded in 1976 with Jackson do Pandeiro, and went for 20 years as head of Zabumba Cultural de Caruaru, where he recorded two LPs. He carries this tradition from the cradle: his father was already a performer and Pife builder in Bezerros, his hometown in rural Pernambuco, 107 km from Recife. Musicians as brilliant as Biu: Toinho, Maurício José, Gerson, Vitorino and Ari are also excellent and experienced. The dynamics and the interpretations are full of moments of great virtuosity. This is still #1 album of everything produced in seven years when it was founded by Biu. None of them live off their music. We hope this album can show a little of this wonderful culture and especially Pife Caruaru Brasileira, which was cradle of great artists, not only Pife, but all arts.