By 1968 his main gig was working in Civil Engineering in Rio de Janeiro. He still managed to perform and participate as a composer at many of Brazilian famous Music Festivals. He was working with artists like Paulinho Tapajós, Elis Regina, Creuza Maria, the Golden Boys, and Evinha. In 1969 Arthur Verocai began his professional career as musician and arranger. He scored the music for the theater show "Is The Greater", and wrote his first arrangements for orchestra. He arranged records by the Terço, Jorge Benjor, Elizeth Cardoso, Gal Costa, Quarteto em Cy, MPB 4, Célia, Guilherme Lamounier, Nelson Gonçalves, Marcos Valle, and others. His music also appeared in the musical "The Life of Braguinha", alongside Elizeth Cardoso, Quarteto em Cy, MPB4 and Sidney Magal. By 1970 he was writing for other groups and regularly composing music for multiple TV shows and incidental music for TV series.
The 1972 self-titled album allowed Verocai to take his interest in instrumental music even further. "I always wanted to compose soundtracks in great style, as in the cinema, but this wasn't possible with television work," he says. "My opportunity came when I was recording this album. I created a rhythmic cell in the acoustic guitar with the harmonic line. I added bass and the non-conventional drums and the percussion with a very smooth orchestration in blocks (four trumpets and a flute) plus the delicate touch of the strings (12 violins, 4 violas and 4 cellos). At the end of the song, Oberdan Magalhães played and sang with his flute." The resulting track is "Sílvia".
"Presente Grego" is perhaps the funkiest track on the album. "This song was influenced by American soul and funk," says Verocai. "By 1972 many of the musicians of my generation were feeling the same influences. Because of our exposure to all many musical influences, we put a distance between us and the conventional recording styles. "Presente Grego" means "Greek gift." It is an expression that comes from the horse of Troy, a gift from the Greeks that hid the warriors that defeated the Troyans. Likewise, the military dictatorship, under the appearance of a good government, practiced censorship and oppression", he explains.
In addition to the funky soul elements the album features many solos from artists obviously well schooled in Jazz. Check the soloing in "Pelas Sombras" or "Karina", where saxes blow hard and true against the backdrop of Brazilian rhythms. "My musical preferences go from J.S. Bach and Villa-Lobos, to jazz musicians like Tom Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery and Bill Evans," explains Verocai. "I remember Edson Maciel, was invited to a studio session at 9 AM and was to perform a solo on "Karina." He asked us to wait for a while because he wanted to be inspired by some Cachaça (a Brazilian liquor made from distilled sugar cane juice). While rehearsing, he asked for a little more Cachaça to bring on some more inspiration. This happened twice until he found his inspiration and performed a tremendous solo!" remembers Verocai.
In the years after the album release Arthur Verocai became a music advertising executive, creating and producing albums for customers like Brahma, Fanta, Petrobra's, South America, Souza Cruz and was even honored with the Colunistas Prize in Advertising. Since 1983 he is the main proprietor of Studio "V" - House of the Sound and in 2002 he released a solo album "Arthur Verocai - "Saudade Demais" featuring a collection of his work as composer, including some unreleased songs.
Arthur Verocai's musical peer Ivan Lins has this to say about his great friend, "Arthur is a very dedicated musician. He has always been. Not only dedicated but very talented also. He made this record years ago just for the fun of it without much publicity. And now will strike back. That's great!"
Caboclo
Arthur Verocai Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Acorda o sol pela manhã
Planta algodão
Planta nuvens pelo chão
À noite, quando volta
Traz estrelas num bornal
Cofres do sertão
Que semeiam no quintal
Descendo do horizonte
Ele tira seu chapéu
Olhando um olho d′água
Que cuspia para o céu
Deitado na paisagem
Na folhagem enrolou
Pés de uma manhã
Passeando pela luz
O vento no seu rosto
Sopra leve, tira o sol
Como tira o pó
De um velho paletó
E pondo os pés na lama
Seu sapato feito só
De barro pra ser gasto
Quando então pisar na grama
The song "Caboclo" by Arthur Verocai describes a caboclo, which is a person of mixed African and indigenous Brazilian descent, and their daily life. The lyrics describe how the caboclo wakes up early in the morning to plant cotton and "clouds" on the ground. The metaphor of planting clouds suggests that the caboclo is sowing the seeds of their dreams and hopes for the future.
In the evening, when the caboclo returns home, they bring back "stars" in their bag and coffers from the sertão, which they sow in their backyard. The sertão refers to the barren and drought-prone region of northeastern Brazil, and the coffers may represent the caboclo's hard work and resourcefulness in finding resources in a difficult environment.
The caboclo is depicted as a humble and connected figure, who takes off their hat when approaching a source of water that "spits towards the sky". They are also portrayed as enjoying the simple pleasures of nature, like lying in the foliage and feeling the wind on their face. The song ends with the caboclo putting their feet in the mud and wearing shoes made of clay, ready to step back onto the grass.
Line by Line Meaning
Caboclo quando sai
This is referencing the Caboclo, or mixed-race people, when they leave their homes.
Acorda o sol pela manhã
Their presence is so powerful it wakes up the sun in the morning.
Planta algodão
They plant cotton, as it is a common crop in Brazil.
Planta nuvens pelo chão
They also plant clouds, representing their connection to the environment and ability to control nature.
À noite, quando volta
When they return home in the evening.
Traz estrelas num bornal
They bring the stars with them, symbolizing their connection to the sky and the celestial bodies.
Cofres do sertão
They bring treasures from the harsh, arid interior of Brazil.
Que semeiam no quintal
They plant these treasures in their own backyard, symbolizing their connection to their land and culture.
Descendo do horizonte
As they descend from the horizon.
Ele tira seu chapéu
The Caboclo takes off their hat as a sign of respect for the natural beauty around them.
Olhando um olho d′água
They gaze at a water spring, which spits water up into the sky.
Que cuspia para o céu
This phenomenon symbolizes the connection between the sky and the earth.
Deitado na paisagem
As they lay down on the natural landscape.
Na folhagem enrolou
They wrap themselves in the leaves and embrace the natural surroundings.
Pés de uma manhã
They walk barefoot in the morning, symbolizing their connection to the earth.
Passeando pela luz
They stroll through the light, basking in the natural beauty around them.
O vento no seu rosto
The wind blowing on their face.
Sopra leve, tira o sol
The wind is so refreshing that it takes away the sun's glare.
Como tira o pó
It's like wiping the dust off an old suit.
De um velho paletó
Symbolizing that the Caboclo is timeless and ageless.
E pondo os pés na lama
Stepping into the mud, which is the essence of the earth.
Seu sapato feito só
Their shoes, handmade from the earth.
De barro pra ser gasto
These shoes are made to be worn out, as the Caboclo will continue to walk barefoot and remain grounded in their culture.
Quando então pisar na grama
When they do put on shoes again, they'll walk through the grass with the same respect and connection to the earth.
Writer(s): Vitor Martins, Arthur Cortes Verocai
Contributed by Gabriella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.