Mestre Cupijó

Origin

Cametá, PA

Years active

1948–2012

Genres

siriá, instrumental music, folk

Instruments

saxophone, clarinet

Biography

Mestre Cupijó, the artistic name of Joaquim Maria Dias de Castro, was born in Cametá, Pará, and stood out as one of the great names in Brazilian instrumental music, being widely recognized as the reinventor of the siriá. The son of a maestro, he began his musical studies in childhood, initially playing the clarinet before moving on to the saxophone, an instrument that marked his artistic career and his inclusion in traditional and jazz groups of the region.

Alongside fundamental names of Pará culture such as Mestre Vieira, Pinduca, and Mestre Verequete, Cupijó was part of the generation responsible for transforming the traditional rhythms of the interior of Pará into radio hits. His great innovation was modernizing the siriá, speeding up its beat, incorporating wind section arrangements, and introducing Caribbean influences such as mambo and merengue. This unique sound projected the genre nationally and led to recordings of his works by renowned artists such as Fafá de Belém and Roberto Leal.

In addition to his intense activity in music and his phonographic production in the 1970s, Mestre Cupijó also worked as a civil servant, city councilman, and provisioned lawyer in his hometown. After his passing in Belém, his legacy continued to be valued through projects digitizing his records, the documentary "Siriá por Mestre Cupijó" directed by his niece Jorane Castro, and the creation of the musical group Baile do Mestre Cupijó.