Zezinho de Oxalá formed in Rio de Janeiro in 1964, led by singer and composer Zezinho Corrêa. The group took its name from the Candomblé orisha Oxalá, and their music drew directly from the rhythms and chants of that Afro-Brazilian religious tradition.
Their song 'Obaluaie, Um Rei' became particularly well-known, a tribute to the orisha of healing. Another track, 'Casa de Fé,' reflects their focus on spiritual spaces. The music wasn't presented as a fusion or innovation, but as a direct channeling of ceremonial sounds for recording.
While the existing history mentions facing prejudice for openly practicing Candomblé, the group's recordings provided a form of preservation and dissemination. They worked as a collective with members like percussionist Marquinhos de Oxóssi and vocalist Kátia Corrêa, maintaining a focus on the ritual music that inspired them.
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