Trio Irakitan

The Irakitan Trio is a vocal and instrumental ensemble created in 1950 by Edson Reis de França (a.k.a Edinho), Paulo Duarte Gilvan Bezerril (Paulo Gilvan) and João Manoel de Araújo Costa Netto, or Joãozinho. Following the death of Edinho, in 1965, Antonio Santos Cunha, or Toni, joined the trio. He debuted in the trio with the album "A volta", released in 1967 by Odeon. All of the original members are currently deceased. The first name given to the trio was Trio Muirakitan, chosen by Luís da Câmara Cascudo (Brazilian anthropologist, folklorist, journalist, historian, lawyer and lexicographer). A muiraquitã is a green frog-shaped stone, very common in Amazonian rivers. Muiraquitãs are often used as pendants, amulets, and in other decorative capacities. Since at that time there was already a trio of the same name, Câmara Cascudo decided to create a neologism, renaming the group as Trio Irakitan. Including compilations and EPs, they released 78 albums over their successful 50-year career.