SpokFrevo Orquestra
(BRA)
jazz, Brazilian music
The 18-strong band was founded in 1996 to expand the lively frevo music by accentuating improvisation, especially horn solos, modern jazz arrangements and refined harmonies. SFO sounds like Mingus Big
Band meeting Sivuca and Hermeto Pascoal.
Brazil abounds with rhythms. Frevo, described as carefree and joyful, is one of them. The 100 year old rhythm is associated mostly with Pernambuco in north-eastern Brazil. Spok Frevo Orquestra comes
from there and was, in fact, originally known as Banda Pernambucana. “Frevo is a unique rhythm. It differs from all the others. It has magic. It transmits happiness,” says the robust sounding
band’s musical leader, arranger and saxophonist Inaldo Cavalcante de Albuquerque aka Spok. He calls SFO a frevo big band. “Frevo is to Caribaribe what jazz is to
Mississippi,” the band’s artistic producer Zé da Flauta explains.