When the rise of a new form of pop music called pagode took Brazil’s nightclubs by storm in the late 90s, came as no surprise to our editors here at Connectbrazil.com, who had presented a white paper on the subject of Brazilian dance music only a few short years earlier. Based on a samba form mostly neglected by contemporary groups (Samba da Roda) this new Pagode combines infectious dance rhythms with a healthy dose of the trop pop influence of earlier trailblazers like Luis Caldaz. Groups sprang up overnight, and radio, hungry for the latest fad, encouraged an avalanche of new albums.
With their characteristic humor and musical versatility, É O Tchan (which began life as the group Gera Samba in the early 1980s) quickly captured the imagination and the ears of Brazil’s young and active middle class where thier CDs quickly sold millions of copies. Re-titled for the US and rest of Latin America, Dance Fever combines the best songs from the group's first two Brazilian releases, plus two songs - 'Tic Tic Tac' and 'No Boquinha Da Garrafa' - which have never appeared on other albums. This CD is overflowing with catchy songs and repetitive refrains that will put you in the best of moods. And the almost-reggae beat will keep you smiling through each of the 12 tracks, three of which are re-mixed especially for this release.
The heart of É O Tchan’s success lies in its musical roots of Salvador, Bahia. Growing up in a city long given to mixing musical influences from Brazil, Africa and the Caribbean, leader Beto Jamaica’s clever use of vocals, saxophone, guitars, electric keyboards and island rhythms keeps the music fresh and inventive, so its no surprise that the first four songs on this album were all major hits during the Brazilian Summer.
Clearly a leader in a crowded field, É O Tchan has impressive talent and more charisma than a sunny day under the palms, and their approach to world music is simple and effective: Everybody dances, right?
