This story is about the life of Chico Baião – an artist from Alentejo, who lived between 1951 and 2000. The artist left a huge musical mark in the 90s, especially in Alentejo, with the company of his band: “Ortigões”.
This story is about the life and work of Chico Baião – musician, composer and actor from Alentejo, who lived between 1951 and 2000. The artist left a huge musical mark in the 90s, especially in Alentejo, with the company of his band : the “Ortigões”.
Some tracks composed by Chico Baião, such as “Serpente de Fogo”, “Agora Tentar Deixar” or “Pés Quentes” are known throughout the country, but it was in the south where there was a greater impact.
It is an expository documentary, taking into account the contextualization, the moment to make known someone's story, their motivations and particularities. However, the story, due to the theme it supports, also brings a side of reflection. The main objective of this documentary is to honor and preserve the history of this artist. There is a need to leave a historical record about a rare character, for several aspects: character, convictions and talent for the arts. On the internet, apart from the albums recorded by “Ortigões”, there is not much more information about this figure of Portuguese music.
The band's musicality ends up being a reflection of the life of its singer, who was what we call “a man of the world”. Francisco Baião lived in several countries such as England, France, Germany and Belgium, where he had several jobs, which did not prevent him from continuing to connect with music. The sound of the album “Serpente de Fogo” (1999) ends up being a mix of Rock n' Roll, Folklore, Grunge and African sounds.
In Germany, more precisely in Berlin, in the mid-80s, he recorded an album, written and performed by himself in English. “Blues of this Moment” is also a reflection of the experiences he experienced while traveling around Europe. This is an album that very few people know about, as it has not yet been published on any platform.
The brilliant lyrics written by Chico Baião address the most varied themes, from the fight against drugs and alcohol, environmental problems such as “holes in the ozone”, respect for nature, racism, to more mundane themes such as love and the friendship. The lyrics are the result of the life experience and worldview of Chico Baião – a man who enchanted anyone he had the pleasure of sharing with him. The stories we will tell will be a portrait of this.
