The main rhythm of Recife’s Galo da Madrugada parade is frevo.
Frevo is the signature Carnival music and dance of Pernambuco, the Brazilian state that includes Recife. It is known for rapid, energetic instrumental playing, especially brass and percussion, and for acrobatic dance movements often performed with brightly colored umbrellas. The style’s speed and intensity suit Galo da Madrugada’s enormous street procession.
Galo da Madrugada was founded in 1978 and became Recife’s best-known Carnival block. Frevo is its principal musical identity, even though the parade may also feature other Brazilian rhythms and guest performers. This is why answers such as axé, maracatu and samba can sound plausible: all are important Brazilian popular styles, and large Carnival events often mix genres.
Frevo developed in Pernambuco in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, growing from marching-band traditions and the movement of urban Carnival crowds. The word is linked to the Portuguese verb ferver, “to boil,” evoking the bubbling excitement of the streets. UNESCO added frevo to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.