The ABC of Old Masters of Capoeira

M Azulão Baiano died, 82

May 15, 2016

Born in October 1934 in the town of Rapa Tição in Bahia today known as Ipiau. Great guitar player and repentista he was a theater actor and a circus artist once, on the candomblé drums Azulão Baiano, as he is known, sings in verse and prose the stories of his region. Recognized for his singing and his improvising in the 1950-s and 60-s, from his first classes in the backyard in Nazaré das Farinhas to the rodas in Itabuna, Ilhéus and the region, and classes in the academy Nossa Srª de Fátima, he made his name and his improvising where he could be encountered with the nickname of Barba Russa. An accident, when catching the animals, took Barba Russa from Capoeira Angola. Almost 40 years later we have the pleasure to have him stronger and happier as never, returned to the community and to the rodas of capoeira angola.
Besides being a poet, Azulão Baiano, a born guitar player, was in the army, the leader of the marching bands of the State, recorded two CDs, with music of our regional history, a lot of them taking back to the magic of candomblé.
Mestre Azulão Baino died on 15th May 2016 in the town of Ibicaraí, a town 35 km from Itabuna-BA at 82 years of age.
More here and here

M Azulão Baiano died, 82

About the Old Masters:

«[Besouro's] first contact with the world of capoeira took place with an old african called Alípio, who was a captive in the Pantaleão Mill. When planting sugarcane, the student heard and learned from the old man the teachings of capoeira. Uncle Alípio was a Babalawo [candomblé priest] and had been a slave when young, a son of a black woman who was brought in a ship from the port of São Jorge da Mina in Dahomey [Benin].»
Abib, 2009
«Mestre Pastinha and his students would put the strap [of caxixi] around the little and the ring finger. He talks about this in his book, and it can be seen on the photographies taken in his Academy.»
Shaffer, 1977
«Rafael I don't know with whom he learned, don't know. I knew him here when he was capoeira mestre. I didn't have much knowledge about him. But later he came here to Pero Vaz [..] He also had his academy in the city. I didn't have integration with him.»
M Waldemar, 1987
«The deceased Traíra was who took care of the roda. I went there, gave my order and went to have a beer. I was made.»
M Waldemar in Abreu, 2003
«That time there was a group [in São Braz]: it was me, Messias [M Messias, born in 1929], Zinho, Genesio, Lao, Tomazinho, Jaime, Chumbinho [..] So we had this group of boys who were all 16, 15-16 years old. And we used to get together on Saturdays and Sundays to do this capoeira. And Léo was the mestre.»
M Gato Preto, 1999

M Azulão Baiano died, 82