20 Palavras ao redor do Sol

Cátia de França

1979

Cover of 20 Palavras ao redor do Sol
Top 100

Why This Album Matters

Cátia de França's debut album, 20 Palavras ao redor do Sol, released in 1979, emerges as a singular and highly relevant work in Brazilian music. Its sound is profoundly enriched by a constellation of talents, including Zé Ramalho's musical direction, arrangements, and violas, the virtuoso accordions of Dominguinhos and Sivuca, and the striking vocals of Amelinha and Elba Ramalho. Lulu Santos' participation on electric guitar and Bezerra da Silva on berimbau add diverse and expressive layers to the work's musical tapestry. Beyond the stellar cast, the album stands out for its bold lyrical proposal, with songs that draw direct inspiration from the poetry of João Cabral de Melo Neto. This fusion of literary sophistication and musical richness positions 20 Palavras ao redor do Sol as an artistic landmark, revealing the originality and depth of Cátia de França's vision since her first phonographic recording.

Recording

The production of 20 Palavras ao redor do Sol involved a dedicated team, reflecting the project's artistic ambition. Cátia de França took on the musical direction, a role she shared with Carlos Alberto Sion and Zé Ramalho, who were also responsible for production direction. The sound engineering was carefully managed by recording technicians Manoel Magalhães and Eugenio Carvalho, with the support of Pedro Moura as studio assistant. Marcelo Falcão served as musical assistant, while Alencar handled the editing and Gilson de Freitas the musical arrangements coordination, ensuring cohesion and sound quality. The graphic design and illustration were handled by Rogério Cavalcanti, with photographs by Flavio D'Alincourt, completing the album's visual identity.

Songs

The songs on 20 Palavras ao redor do Sol have a peculiar compositional basis, drawing direct inspiration from the work of the poet João Cabral de Melo Neto. This approach lends the lyrics a distinct depth and narrative character, which interact with the album's sound. The arrangements, conceived by Cátia de França and Zé Ramalho, demonstrate an artistic collaboration that shaped the musical identity of each track. The instrumentation is rich and varied, with Cátia de França taking on vocals and acoustic guitar on all tracks. Zé Ramalho contributes the 12-string guitar, while Dominguinhos and Sivuca share the accordions, and Sivuca also participates with the electric piano, adding regional textures and harmonic complexity. Chico Julien's bass, the drums of Chico Batera and Elber Bedaque, Lulu Santos' electric guitar, and Bezerra da Silva's berimbau, complemented by the backing vocals of Elba Ramalho, Amelinha, Guadalupe, and Mônica Schmit, create a diverse and captivating sonic palette.

Legacy

Following its original release in 1979, the album 20 Palavras ao redor do Sol had its relevance reasserted with a re-release in 2019. This new edition celebrated the work's fortieth anniversary, making it available in LP format, on digital platforms, and even prompting a celebratory tour. The re-release underlines the enduring recognition of Cátia de França's work and its continuous importance to Brazilian music.

Rankings

Tracks

Credits

Music Director

Carlos Alberto Sion, Cátia De França, Zé Ramalho

Producer

Carlos Alberto Sion, Zé Ramalho

Recording Supervisor

Carlos Alberto Sion, Zé Ramalho

Musical Assistance

Marcelo Falcão

Edited By

Alencar

Lacquer Cut By

Jorge Emilio Isaac

Recorded By

Eugênio Carvalho, Manoel Magalhães

Graphic Design, Illustration

Rogerio Cavalcanti

Management

Gilson De Freitas

Photography By

Flavio D'Alincourt

Videos

AS 20 PALAVRAS AO REDOR DO SOL DE CÁTIA DE FRANÇA | ALBUM REVIEW

Som de Peso

Books

Álbum 3 – 1978 a 1993

Pedro Alexandre Sanches · 2024

Parte da série 'Álbum', que explora a história da música brasileira através de seus discos mais marcantes. Este volume, 'Álbum 3', cobre o período de 1978 a 1993, tornando muito provável a análise detalhada de '20 Palavras ao redor do Sol', um álbum seminal de 1979, pelo renomado crítico Pedro Alexandre Sanches.

1979

Célio Albuquerque, Emílio Pacheco, Mehane Albuquerque, Ricardo Pugialli, Vicente Dattoli, Klaudia Alvarez, Zeca Azevedo, Crikka Amorim, José Emilio Rondeau, Ruy Godinho, Bruno Thys, Talles Colatino, Jotabê Medeiros, Nelson Augusto, Ana Lu Germano, Daniella Zupo, Juca Filho, Marcos Sabino, Walterson Sardenberg Sobrinho, Fábio Cabral de Mello, Denilson Monteiro, Marcelo Pinheiro, Paulo Cesar Figueiredo, Marcelo Ferro, Mimi Rocha, Kamille Viola, Dalwton Moura, Chris Fuscaldo, Joyce Moreno, Luiz Américo Lisboa Júnior, Gilberto Porcidonio, Leandro Gomes, Ricardo Schott, Marcelo Cabanas, Luiz Felipe Carneiro, Wagner Cosse, Ayrton Mugnaini Jr., Nivea Souza, Rodrigo Faour, Alberto Villas, André Cananéa, Braulio Neto, Dacio Malta, Lorena Calabria, Bento Araujo, Maria Carolina Rodrigues, Roberto Muggiati, Cleodon Coelho, Rodrigo Nogueira, Márcia Tauil, Juarez Fonseca, Fábio Vizzoni, Rildo Hora, Moacyr Luz, Marlon Sette, Silvio Atanes, Ricardo Moreira, José Teles, Zé Edu Camargo, Beto Feitosa, Vinícius Cunha, Danilo Casaletti, Luis Lamarão, Mauro Ferreira, Rafael Pinto Ferreira de Queiroz, Cesar Cardoso, Felipe Tadeu, Hugo Sukman, Fred Góes, Miltinho, Iso Fischer, André Diniz, Marluci Martins, Etel Frota, Madalena Salles, Lucas Vieira, Carlos Evandro Lordello, Leandro Souto Maior, Inahiá Castro, Maurício Gouvêa, Fabian Chacur, Marquinho Carvalho, Mónica Vermes, Túlio Mourão, Tito Guedes, Leila Dantas, Silvio Essinger, Flávio Mendes, Manoel Filho, Thelmo Lins, Andréia Pedroso, Luiz Carlos Sá, Mariana Mesquita, Marcos Sampaio, Carlos Eduardo Lima, Carlos Fonte Lito, Lucas Reginato, Itamar Assiere, Leonardo Lichote, Guilherme Henrique, Cláudia Menescal, Ricardo Soares, Washington Santos, Mona Gadelha, Marcos Souza, Diogo Cunha · 2023

No livro '1979 – O ano que ressignificou a MPB', 100 LPs da época ganham histórias escritas por artistas e jornalistas, e resgatam a memória de um ano em que a música popular brasileira falou por si só. Em forma de prosa, resenha, reportagem ou entrevista, cada autor dá o seu estilo ao seu capítulo, o que indica uma provável cobertura aprofundada de '20 Palavras ao redor do Sol', álbum icônico de Cátia de França lançado naquele ano.

The 500 Greatest Brazilian Albums of All Time

Ricardo Alexandre · 2022

The election was spearheaded by journalist Ricardo Alexandre, creator of the Discoteca Básica podcast. Ricardo consulted 162 specialists including journalists, YouTubers, podcasters, musicians, record-shop owners and producers. The result was published as a 200-page hardcover book, with graphic design by Fernando Pires.

Analyses

Discogs

20 Palavras ao redor do Sol – Discogs

discogs.com