BAIÃO

HISTORY

• Baião is a 19th century folk circle dance from the North-

East of Brazil.
• Original instrumentation was the guitar (later accordion or
sanfona), triangle and zabumba (bass drum).
• In the mid to late 40s the baião and the forro (fast version)
were transformed and popularized by Luiz Gonzaga
(Brazilian singer and accordionist) who moved to Rio,
entertaining a growing population of emigrant North-
eastern labourers and performing on the radio.
• Luis Gonzaga developed Baião to a steady 2/4 beat
throughout and the dance prospered. It became as popular
as the samba in the 1950’s.
• The baião rhythm is integral to the genres
of forró, repente and coco (embolada)
INSTRUMENTS
 CHARACTERISTICS

• The Zambomba plays a repeated syncopated beat on beat 1 and Bass pattern
the 4th quaver of the measure.
• This gives it almost a clavé feel.
• It is counted in 2/4 time.
• The accordion plays the chords and follows traditional European
harmony. Typical accordion part

• They tend to use extended chords like 7th or 9th chords.

• The bass part of the accordion follows the Zambumba rhythm.
• The guitar plays the chords along with the accordion.
• The vocals are sung in Portuguese.
 Chord chart

MUSIC

Famous songs include: Abri a porta

and Ohla a Pisada

Typical groove