Chico Science
Encyclopedia
Francisco de Assis França (March 13, 1966 - February 2, 1997), better known as Chico Science, was a Brazil
ian singer and composer and one of the founders of the Mangue Beat cultural movement. He died in a car accident in 1997 in Recife
, Pernambuco
, at the age of 30.
, in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil's Northeast
, as a little boy he would sell crabs that he caught himself in the city's mangrove swamps.
He became the lead singer and major creative driving force of the groundbreaking Mangue Bit
band called Chico Science & Nação Zumbi (CSNZ). Influenced by such musicians as James Brown, Grandmaster Flash
and Kurtis Blow
, their music cleverly fused rock
, funk
, and hip hop
with maracatu
and other traditional rhythms of Brazil's Northeast. Chico had a powerful stage presence that was compared by some to that of Jimi Hendrix
.
Before CSNZ, Chico was a member of the bands Orla Orbe and Loustal (the latter named after the French
comic book
artist and cartoonist Jacques de Loustal
).
Around 1991, Chico Science, along with singer Fred 04
of the band Mundo Livre S/A
, founded the Mangue Bit
cultural movement in response to dire economic and cultural stagnation in Recife and Olinda. CSNZ made their US debut at New York's Central Park SummerStage in 1995, opening for Gilberto Gil
, with whom he collaborated during the encore. While in NY, they also performed additional shows at CBGB's, SOB's and at Bryant Park as part of the JVC Jazz Festival, on a bill with the Ohio Players
.
Chico Science & Nação Zumbi toured several times in Europe and brought massive attention to the new generation of Brazilian artists in the 1990s. With only two full albums released during his lifetime 'Da Lama Ao Caos' ('From Mud To Chaos) and 'Afrociberdelia' (as well as a postuhumous double CD of remixes and live recordings "CSNZ'), his influence and vision became the foundation to a whole new generation of musicians in Brazil. Chico's genius was to celebrate the rich and fascinating local culture of his home state of Pernambuco and fused it with all the modern global trends of the 1990s - Computers, Mud, Misery, Cyberspace, Hip Hop and roots music co-existed peacefully in Chico's world.
In 1996, Chico Science contributed Maracatu Atômico along with Nação Zumbi
to the AIDS-Benefit Album Red Hot + Rio
produced by the Red Hot Organization
.
Nação Zumbi
have continued to record and tour internationally after Chico's death.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian singer and composer and one of the founders of the Mangue Beat cultural movement. He died in a car accident in 1997 in Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, at the age of 30.
Biography
Francisco de Assis França was born in the Rio Doce, neighbourhood of OlindaOlinda
Olinda is a historic city in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, just north of Recife and south of Paulista...
, in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil's Northeast
Northeast Region, Brazil
The Northeast Region of Brazil is composed of the following states: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia, and it represents 18.26% of the Brazilian territory....
, as a little boy he would sell crabs that he caught himself in the city's mangrove swamps.
He became the lead singer and major creative driving force of the groundbreaking Mangue Bit
Mangue Bit
The mangue bit or mangue beat movement was a cultural movement created circa 1991 in the city of Recife in Northeast Brazil in reaction to the cultural and economical stagnation of the city...
band called Chico Science & Nação Zumbi (CSNZ). Influenced by such musicians as James Brown, Grandmaster Flash
Grandmaster Flash
Joseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing....
and Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Blow
Kurt Walker , better known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the first commercially successful rappers and the first to sign with a major record label...
, their music cleverly fused rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
with maracatu
Maracatu
Maracatu is a term common to two distinct performance genres found in Pernambuco state in northeastern Brazil: maracatu de nação and maracatu rural . A third style, maracatu cearense , is found in Fortaleza, in the northeastern state of Ceará...
and other traditional rhythms of Brazil's Northeast. Chico had a powerful stage presence that was compared by some to that of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
.
Before CSNZ, Chico was a member of the bands Orla Orbe and Loustal (the latter named after the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist and cartoonist Jacques de Loustal
Jacques de Loustal
Jacques de Loustal is a French comics artist who uses a painterly style reminiscent of David Hockney.-Biography:...
).
Around 1991, Chico Science, along with singer Fred 04
Fred 04
Fred 04 is the leader, singer, guitarist and Cavaquinho player of Brazilian band Mundo Livre S/A. He is the co-author, along with DJ Renato L, of the Mangue Bit manifesto, "Caranguejos Com Cérebros" . He has a degree in journalism...
of the band Mundo Livre S/A
Mundo Livre S/A
Mundo Livre S/A, is a Brazilian manguebeat band, formed in 1984 in Recife, Pernambuco. It is also one of the founders of that musical style, which became popular in the 1990s. Fred Zero Quatro, the band's singer, was one of the authors of Caranguejos com Cérebro, one of the landmarks of the...
, founded the Mangue Bit
Mangue Bit
The mangue bit or mangue beat movement was a cultural movement created circa 1991 in the city of Recife in Northeast Brazil in reaction to the cultural and economical stagnation of the city...
cultural movement in response to dire economic and cultural stagnation in Recife and Olinda. CSNZ made their US debut at New York's Central Park SummerStage in 1995, opening for Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira , better known as Gilberto Gil or , is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment...
, with whom he collaborated during the encore. While in NY, they also performed additional shows at CBGB's, SOB's and at Bryant Park as part of the JVC Jazz Festival, on a bill with the Ohio Players
Ohio Players
The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their double #1 hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster".- Biography :...
.
Chico Science & Nação Zumbi toured several times in Europe and brought massive attention to the new generation of Brazilian artists in the 1990s. With only two full albums released during his lifetime 'Da Lama Ao Caos' ('From Mud To Chaos) and 'Afrociberdelia' (as well as a postuhumous double CD of remixes and live recordings "CSNZ'), his influence and vision became the foundation to a whole new generation of musicians in Brazil. Chico's genius was to celebrate the rich and fascinating local culture of his home state of Pernambuco and fused it with all the modern global trends of the 1990s - Computers, Mud, Misery, Cyberspace, Hip Hop and roots music co-existed peacefully in Chico's world.
In 1996, Chico Science contributed Maracatu Atômico along with Nação Zumbi
Nação Zumbi
Nação Zumbi is a Brazilian rock band formed by Chico Science. The musicians of the group continued as Nação Zumbi after Chico died in a car accident on February 2, 1997....
to the AIDS-Benefit Album Red Hot + Rio
Red Hot + Rio
Red Hot + Rio is a compilation album produced by Paul Heck as part of the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series intended to promote AIDS awareness. This installment is a contemporary tribute to the Bossa nova sound, especially the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim...
produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
.
Nação Zumbi
Nação Zumbi
Nação Zumbi is a Brazilian rock band formed by Chico Science. The musicians of the group continued as Nação Zumbi after Chico died in a car accident on February 2, 1997....
have continued to record and tour internationally after Chico's death.
Discography
- 1994: Da lama ao caosDa lama ao caosDa Lama ao Caos is the debut album of the Brazilian band Chico Science & Nação Zumbi. Released in 1994, the album presents a fusion of rock and roll and maracatu and contributed for spreading music of Pernambuco around the world...
- 1996: Afrociberdelia
- 1998: CSNZ (posthumous)