Abstract: Terra Trio [uma família musical com os pés na terra], by Ricardo Schott, celebrates the Terra Trio, describing their journey from 1966 to the 2000s. The work, rich in interviews and documentation, details the group’s performances and cultural influence, including partnerships with Maria Bethânia, has an engaging narrative and detailed context, although it does not stress certain historical periods such as the military dictatorship.

Keywords: Terra Trio, Brazilian music, and Maria Bethânia.

Ricardo Schott’s book, published by Sonora Editora in 2020, offers a tribute to the musicians and music of Terra Trio, a musical group consisting of Fernando Costa on bass, Ricardo Costa on drums, and Zé Maria Rocha on piano. The book, named after the group, aims to chronicle Terra’s journey from its inception in 1966 to the 2000s when they still occasionally reunite to play. The setting is Rio de Janeiro and the burgeoning cultural industry that was consolidating in Brazil. The book also features Maria Bethânia, a singer who was part of much of the group’s history, and Dona Emília, the mother of Fernando and Ricardo, who also adopted Zé Maria as her son. Dona Emília not only provided the author with primary sources (press clippings left as an inheritance), but also supported the daily rehearsals held at her residence, which happened to be above the Veloso bar, now the famous Garota de Ipanema, which was frequented by Tom Jobim and other masters of Rio’s musical bohemia. The foreword was written by Daniel and Xande, Dona Emília’s grandchildren, who addressed it to her in the form of a letter and assisted in organizing the material. In this sense, the book is also a tribute to this woman who was so present in the lives (and memories) of her children and grandchildren.

The editors, Marcelo Fróes and Michel Jamel, invited journalist Ricardo Schott to conduct the research and write the book. Mr. Schott conducted his research through conversations with the musicians and by consulting the extensive documentation of clippings about the group left by Dona Emília. Artists, journalists, relatives, and friends of Terra also made up the list of interviewees, complemented by information gathered from digital newspaper archives and the National Library. The information presented in the account of Terra Trio’s trajectory not only portrays the musicians’ work life but also helps to compose the musical scene of Rio’s southern zone. The book is presented in 35 short chapters spread over 312 pages, preceded by the foreword and introduction. A section of acknowledgments concludes the work.

The chapters are presented in the order in which the events occurred, from the Trio’s first public performances in the late 1960s, which always received positive feedback from the press, as Schott notes. In its early chapters, it provides some background on the Costa family history and the individual journeys of each group member, with a particular focus on Zé Maria’s arrival in the family. The book also depicts the vibrant bohemian nightlife of Rio de Janeiro, particularly the bars, nightclubs, and theaters of the southern zone, which, especially during the 1970s, provided a high demand for work for musicians in the city.

The book pays tribute to a number of illustrious personalities, including Fauzi Arap, Sidney Miller, Nara Leão, Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, Célia Vaz, Martinho da Vila, Eliana Pittman, Paulinho da Viola, Marisa Gata Mansa, Jamelão, and many others who had some influence or participation in Terra’s musical artistic work. The presence of the talented guitarist Rosinha de Valença with the group is also highlighted. However, the central story involves the singer Maria Bethânia, with whom Terra Trio shared the stage on numerous occasions and achieved considerable success. Shows like “Comigo me desavim,” the first of this partnership, are detailed, including the repertoire and the boys’ performance alongside the singer, who also made a significant impact in the Rio scene. This partnership was so enduring, even with some interruptions, that journalist Mauro Ferreira, in an article for the G1 platform (22/02/2023), suggests that “as there is still no biography of Maria Bethânia, the book Terra Trio […] partially fulfills the function by unveiling the backstage of anthological shows and records of the Bahian singer during the years of formation of the interpreter’s scenic identity.”

As Schott shows us, Terra, although it acted in television programs and recordings, was primarily a stage group. The only exclusive LP of the trio was “Terra à Vista,” released in 1969, at the beginning of their career, by Philips. The author highlights the characteristic release of live show recordings that marked the 1960s and 1970s. This type of endeavor was active in the partnership of Terra with Bethânia, with whom they had a first experience recording in the studio the show “Recital na Boite Barroco” in 1968. However, it seems that the practice was to record the shows in theaters or nightclubs, and with whatever equipment was available, as narrated by then artistic director of Philips, Roberto Menescal. In an interview with Ricardo Schott, Menescal recalls that “both Bethânia and Terra Trio benefited greatly from the audience’s reactions,” which justified live recording even with the technical limitations of the time (p.197). This is evidenced by the Rosa dos Ventos show performed at the Teatro da Praia in Rio de Janeiro and released on LP in 1971.

Music festivals and national and international tours are also part of Schott’s narrative, especially during the period when Terra was alongside Bethânia. However, what stands out most in the course of the work are the praises woven to the group, such as that of Nara Leão and Sidney Miller published on the back cover of the LP “Terra à Vista”: “Before, a trio was a trio. Today, a trio can be an orchestra, a solo, a choir, or the sum of all inventions by Fernando, Zé Maria, and Ricardo. The group’s immense versatility and creativity were influenced by well-known samba-jazz trios like the Tamba Trio, formed by Bebeto Castilho on bass, Luiz Eça on piano, and Helcio Milito on drums, as the author informs us.

Overall, one gets the impression that the trio had a relatively smooth journey during the “Difficult Times,” a chapter title, in which censorship chased artists, and the military dictatorship imposed itself. The narrative lightly touches on this period, conveying the impression that the musicians went through this era without major consequences, despite frequent censorship of lyrics. On the contrary, it not only shows the prosperity achieved by the notoriety of the public and critics but also financially.

Schott states that in one of the period reports he consulted, he found information that Bethânia and Terra Trio earned seven thousand cruzeiros per fee, which was a considerable sum at the time (p. 200). He also notes that the long tours with the Bahian singer provided the musicians with a reliable source of income.

Maria Bethânia and Terra Trio on “Música Brasileira” – TV Cultura (1969) | Image: TV Cultura/Canal MBReVerso

But music is not only about success. The difficulties of the profession are also felt, particularly when Schott narrates the trajectory of the singer Marisa Gata Mansa, with whom the Trio also shared the stage. If Bethânia was able to leave the nightlife and take up long seasons in theaters at one point, Marisa needed to remain in the nightlife to sustain her career, which, besides being a less prestigious environment, was much more taxing for the artist. To compound the situation, changes in the music market in the 1980s with a greater investment in pop and rock music, along with the introduction of mechanical sound equipment, drastically changed the scene and work opportunities. The musicians of Terra also began to invest in their careers separate from the group, which created a greater demand for work.

The author’s lighthearted and enthusiastic approach to the narrative, his concise chapters, illustrations, and QR codes that lead to a digital platform where one can listen to the recordings mentioned, set the tone of the book. It would be greatly appreciated if the book also included a listing with the discography that included Terra’s participation. The story recounted, as the author notes, is just one of the many possible narratives about Terra Trio and the musical practice of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s. In a country with a relatively short history, this is a valuable contribution. Ricardo Schott’s book effectively records the trajectory of Terra Trio and discusses a fascinating historical period for musicians who dared to pursue music as a profession in Rio de Janeiro. It is recommended for those, whether musicians or not, who are interested in learning more about the particularities of the musical trajectory of Terra Trio, as well as the generalities of that vibrant period in Rio de Janeiro. It could be said that Ricardo, Fernando, and Zé Maria were musicians who were ready, at the right moment, to experience and enjoy one of the most prosperous phases of cultural life in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Summary of Terra Trio [uma família musical com os pés na terra]

• • Prefácio – A Gênese do Livro
  • Introdução – Uma Família Musical com os Pés na Terra
  • 1. Montenegro 49, 3° Andar
  • 2. A Música Começou!
  • 3. Três é Demais!
  • 4. Um Trio Televisivo
  • 5. O Irmão Que (Ainda) Não Sabia Que Era irmão
  • 6. Conexão Rio-Minas
  • 7. Pelas Noites do Rio
  • 8. De “Os Ipanemas” a Terra Trio
  • 9. Primeiro Ato
  • 10. Alcançando os Astros
  • 11. Sentidos Aflorados no Palco
  • 12. Repertório de Sucesso, para Ficar
  • 13. Tempos Difíceis
  • 14. Chegando na “Boite”
  • 15. Vai Rolar Show da Bethânia, Quer Assistir?
  • 16. Hermínio, Nara, e Sidney no Caminho
  • 17. Estúdio e Disco à Vista
  • 18. “Da Vila” em Ipanema
  • 19. Bethânia e Eliana
  • 20. No Palco Como na Vida
  • 21. Rosa dos Ventos
  • 22. Quem Sabe Faz ao Vivo
  • 23. Frio na Rua, Calor no Palco
  • 24. Matando os Ouvintes de Amor
  • 25. Cena Muda na Vila
  • 26. Tinha Bethânia, Mas Tinha Marisa
  • 27. Chico, Terra e Bethânia (E Cia.)
  • 28. No Fim, Ainda Tinha Sucesso – E Muito
  • 29. Noite Alta, Céu Risonho e… Velas na Pista
  • 30. Marisa Independente
  • 31. Projeto Pixinguinha
  • 32. Cabeça para Fora
  • 33. Fechando o Ciclo
  • 34. Teu Caminho é de Paz e Amor
  • 35. O Terra Trio Continua
  • Agradecimentos
  • Bibliografia

Reviewer

Luciana Requião holds a PhD in Education from the Universidade Federal Fluninense (UFF) and a Master’s Degree in Music from the Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). She is a professor at the Angra dos Reis Instituto de Educação (IEAR/UFF) and at UNIRIO’s Postgraduate Program in Music. She has published, among other works, “Eis aí a Lapa…: processos e relações de trabalho do músico nas casas de shows da Lapa” (São Paulo: Annablume, 2010) e “Festa acabada, músicos a pé!”: um estudo crítico sobre as relações de trabalho de músicos atuantes no estado do Rio de Janeiro” (2016). ID: LATTES: http://lattes.cnpq.br/2687869588131721;  ID ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0351-0578; Instagram: lucianareq; E-mail: lucianarequiao@id.uff.br.

To cite this review

SCHOTT, Ricardo. Terra Trio [uma família musical com os pés na terra]. Rio de Janeiro: Sonora Editora, 2020. 312p. Review by: REQUIÃO, Luciana. Land in sight! Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n.17, May/June, 2024. Available at <https://www.criticahistoriografica.com.br/en/terra-a-vista-luciana-requiaos-review-of-terra-trio-uma-familia-musical-com-os-pes-na-terra-by-ricardo-schott/>.

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Crítica Historiográfica. Natal, v.4, n. 17, May/June, 2024 | ISSN 2764-2666.