History of Samba Music

Energetic yet with a touch of sensuality, Samba music and dance has a large fan following all around the world. As a musical culture, it spread rapidly since its emergence. After its origination, Samba was introduced to the US in the latter half of 1920. This was the time when the superb, energetic beats caught the attention of everybody.

People from all over the world watch the Samba dance and sway to the music specially at the colorful and beautiful carnivals of Brazil. Those who have actually shaken a leg the Samba style would be aware about the beauty of the dance and the pulsating music. All Samba lovers can read about this history of Samba music and know about its origins.

History of Samba Music:
Samba finds its origins in Africa. It is believed that this emerged from a couple dance that was performed mainly amongst African Americans. There has been a considerable amount of speculation about the origins of this style. Experts also claim this musical style was developed from another style known as the Choro. In a typical Samba performance, the music is accompanied by singing and dancing.

The term Samba is derived from a Portuguese word, Semba. To the African American natives, the word was interpreted in many ways. For some, the word meant 'to pray'. Whereas in Brazil, Samba was also referred to a woman. The first documented reference of this word can be traced to a newspaper in 1838. Here, the meaning of the word was given as rhythm and dance.

It was in the 20th century when Samba was recognized as a distinctive genre of music especially in Rio de Janeiro. This was the time when slaves were brought into the land. At that time, the native dances were not considered appropriate by others. Authorities tried to control the spreading popularity of this style of music and dance. Even then, many modifications of this style continued. From a group dance, it moved on to become a partner dance. In the 1960s, many musicians came to the fore and popularized the typical Samba music. By the 1970s, it gained a strong foothold over the minds of people through the radio. In the early 1980s, it somehow faded away with the popularity of other types of Brazilian music, particularly rock and disco. But with the addition of musical instruments such as the banjo and tan tan, Samba as a musical style was soon revived. Samba was then fused with other musical styles such as rap and reggae.

Yet another style that has its roots in Samba is the Pagode. There have been many famous musicians who have made a mark in compositions of this style. This also saw the emergence of many other styles. Bossa Nova is another such style that has a heavy influence of Samba.

Despite the popularity of Samba as a musical style around the world, it has not found complete acceptance in Brazil. There are few who feel that Samba as a style in terms of music and dance is meant for the lower strata of the society.

Today, this fun and lively musical compositions and dance style continues to inspire people all over. There are many schools that are dedicated to this purpose. Samba has also been used successfully in Hollywood movies. Truly, music and dance can bind people from diverse backgrounds! That's the beauty of Samba!