DO ROMANCE AO GALOPE NORDESTINO

QUINTETO ARMORIAL were a five piece folk band from Brazil playing all acoustic music. It's just so impressive the way these guys play using traditional Brazilian instruments along with flute, guitar and violin. Just a unique sound at times, and Chamber Folk might be the best description of what's going on here. The interplay is mind boggling at times. I'm speculating, but I would imagine some of these songs, if not all were played live and practiced a ton. So when they went into the studio to record this, it was magic. They own these songs.

Released in1974 with traditional Brazilian cover art, this does impress me at times and there's some "wow" factors as well but there's no bass, drums or electricity. It just doesn't seem to matter here. Okay there's a snare drum, a marimbau drum and a zambumba drum and all used like percussion really. The rhythm is created usually by the violin and strummed guitar. I do like the way they layer the music and the way themes are repeated. I did write my usual review describing what I was hearing but there's too many unique sounds with these traditional instruments to know what I'm hearing at times.

Well worth investigating of course, and despite not being into folk, I do like most of this. These guys can play!