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October 10, 2014<\/p>\n
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In the tradition of Bessie Smith, Clementina de Jesus was one of Brazil\u2019s greatest symbols of black cultural\u00a0history<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong> Note from BW of Brazil<\/strong>:\u00a0Needless to say, today\u2019s post is an homage and an article that has been long overdue. The sound of Samba is as important to the cultural history of Brazil as Blues or Jazz are to the United States, Son is to Cuba or\u00a0Merengue is to the Dominican Republic. One could argue that it is simply not possible to fully understand Brazilian popular culture with studying the Samba and Clementina de Jesus embodied in her style and sound an important link of Brazil to Mother Africa, the nation\u2019s\u00a0slave past<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and the historical influence of African descendants. It\u2019s a shame that \u201cMother\u201d Clementina only began to record professionally so late in her life (her first solo LP was recorded in 1966) but as many of today\u2019s singers will affirm, the few recordings she left behind are a treasure chest representing a rare legacy in Brazilian History.\u00a0Her very voice and presence represented the struggle of black Brazilian women<\/span><\/a>. There is so much that could be said about the woman that many compare to the great American Blues singer Bessie Smith, but for now, enjoy this introduction and a few videos featuring the woman who was known as\u00a0Quel\u00e9 or simply Tina.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Call her\u00a0Quel\u00e9 or Tina, Clementina de Jesus was one of black Brazil\u2019s greatest voices<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Courtesy of Portal do Arruda<\/span><\/p>\n Clementina de Jesus \u200b\u200bwas born in the Carambita community, of Valencia, Rio de Janeiro, on February 7, 1902 (1). While still a young girl, she accompanied her mother, with the task of lighting her pipe, washing clothes, smoked. While washing, mother Am\u00e9lia sang\u00a0lundus<\/em>,\u00a0jongos<\/em>,\u00a0corimas<\/em>,\u00a0modas<\/em>,\u00a0incelen\u00e7as<\/em>,\u00a0pontos<\/em>,\u00a0chulas<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0cantos de trabalho<\/em>(work songs), that her daughter kept in her memory and would record 50 years later.<\/span><\/p>\n She moved with her family to the capital city at eight years of age to the neighborhood of Oswaldo Cruz. There she has closely followed the emergence and development of the Portela Samba School.<\/span><\/p>\n A diamond in the rough. This is how one could define this singer that began her professional career at 48 years of age, having worked for over twenty years as a maid in the house of the same family who liked to listen to her as she washed, ironed or prepared food, with the exception of the lady of the house who said her voice irritated her like a cat meowing.<\/span><\/p>\n Her hoarse, almost spoken song was outside of any aesthetic standard and to this day without any parallel among Brazilian singers. Soulmates, not for the repertoire but by the wild manner and the way of integrating voice and body, which freed themselves with all kinds of dance, she can be compared to African-American singers like Bessie Smith.<\/span><\/p>\n In this way African ancestry allowed her to establish a bridge of the rich folklore of the\u00a0terreiros<\/em>\u00a0(2)\u00a0<\/em>with urban and contemporary language. Clementina was the portrait of Brazilian syncretism. From the prayers in\u00a0g\u00eage<\/em>\u00a0e\u00a0nag\u00f4<\/em>\u00a0and songs in Yoruba that she heard from her mother and Catholic hymns that she sang in the church choir; from the points of (Afro-Brazilian religion)\u00a0Candombl\u00e9<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0sambas de roda<\/em>\u00a0(3) of the parties in which she participated.<\/span><\/p>\n In 1963 he was invited by Herm\u00ednio Bello de Carvalho, who had heard her earlier at a party, and took the stage at Teatro Jovem in Botafogo, opening the Menestrel movement, that united scholars with regular people.<\/span><\/p>\n The scholar who accompanied Clementina was the guitarist Tur\u00edbio Santos.<\/span><\/p>\n The impact was enormous, and inspired Carvalho to follow up. The musical Rosas de Ouro was created. In it, Clementina performed opposite to the Teatro de Revista singer Araci Cortes and had as accompaniment young talents such as as Paulinho da Viola, Elton Medeiros and Nelson Sargento, among others.<\/span><\/p>\n Clementina de Jesus \u200b\u200bdidn\u2019t go to school to learn vocal technique, but learned to sing, or rather, developed his song during day to day work. Tina or Quel\u00e9 or as she was called by her friends, recorded throughout her career 9 LPs and 3 mini albums and participated in albums of other artists such as Milton Nascimento.<\/span><\/p>\n This wonderful Afro-Brazilian also performed in Africa and Europe. She even sang the Marseillaise, the French national anthem in France itself. She didn\u2019t sell a lot of albums and as music critic Carlos Calado said, \u201cIronic and sad, but in some countries the imitation jewelry is worth more than the rough diamonds.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Considered the queen of\u00a0partido alto<\/em>\u00a0style, with the unmistakable timbre of her voice, she was honored by Elton Medeiros with the\u00a0partido<\/em>\u00a0\u201cClementina, Cad\u00ea Voc\u00ea?\u201d (Clementina, Where Are You?) and by Clara Nunes with \u00a0\u201cPCJ, Partido Clementina de Jesus\u201d in 1977 by the Portela composer Candeia.<\/span><\/p>\n Rainha Ginga, Quel\u00e9, Tina, ways to of referring to Clementina de Jesus, with the imposing title of royalty and with the affectionate corruption of her name.<\/span><\/p>\n The tenderness of an old smiling black woman. Everyone who was involved with her had the urge to call her\u00a0M\u00e3e<\/em>\u00a0(Mother), as the musicians of the musical Rosa de Ouro called her. A special sparkle in her eyes that captivated the humblest to Emperor Haile Selassie.<\/span><\/p>\n Tina or Quel\u00e9, died in July 1987 at age 85, leaving an emptiness but the memory of a race recorded for future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n Documentary about Clementina de Jesus shown free in Bahia<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Film tells the story of one of the most important black voices of Brazil.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
\n![\"Clementina](\"https:\/\/gatasnegrasbrasileiras.files.wordpress.com\/2014\/10\/clementina-de-jesus-capa.jpg\")
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