Banda Black Rio

Black Rio

Banda Black Rio formed in Rio de Janeiro in 1976 around the saxophonist Oberdan Magalhães, born on March 31, 1945, and was a leading group of the Movimento Black Rio. It had been the group Senzala and became Banda Black Rio at the end of 1976, signing with WEA, newly established in Brazil. WEA chief André Midani contacted Oberdan about a band for the black dance-party audience, and Dom Filó, the MC of the Soul Grand Prix dances, helped push the label that way. Before the album they played a showcase in the basketball court of Olaria Atlético Clube, with a lukewarm reception, and Midani went ahead anyway. The Jornal do Brasil report of 1976 by Lena Frias had already brought the movement wide attention.

Maria Fumaça (1977, Atlantic/WEA) was produced by Marco Mazzola, recorded at Level and Haway studios, 29:24, and sold more than 80,000 copies by Midani's estimate. Gafieira Universal (1978, RCA Victor, produced by Durval Ferreira) and Saci Pererê (1980) followed, along with guest and backing work for Raul Seixas, Carlos Dafé and Tim Maia, and the Bicho Baile Show with Caetano Veloso in 1978. Oberdan died on January 9, 1984, and the band stopped. In 1999 his son William Magalhães, a pianist and arranger, reformed it with new musicians after finding one of its vinyl records for $100 in London in 1989; Movimento (2001) came out on Universal and as Rebirth on Mr Bongo, Super Nova Samba Funk on Far Out in 2011 and O Som das Américas in 2019.

Rolling Stone Brasil ranks the album 38th among the 100 greatest Brazilian albums and the title track 79th among the songs. The documentary Black Rio! Black Power!, directed by Emílio Domingos, reached Brazilian cinemas in September 2024. In March 2026 CartaCapital marked fifty years since the formation and said a new album was announced for the anniversary. English Wikipedia compares them to Kool & the Gang and Earth, Wind & Fire; Billboard Brasil says the group was viewed as an enemy by the military dictatorship and by some sambistas.