The New Beat: What Brazilian music are you listening to now?

Now listening to one of my favourite "world music" compilations, Brazil Now (1998), on EMI (Hemisphere) and on CD



One of the best. Available for a couple of $ on amazon.

 

Another excellent compilation, to my ears:



Yelé Brazil (1994), Hemisphere, a couple of $ on amazon as well.

 

The new Anat Cohen/Marcello Goncalves homage to Moacir Santos: "Outra Coisa" is brilliant!

 

Non-Stop To Brazil - Luiz Bonfa (Chesky) CD
with
Luiz (acoustic guitar), Gene Bertoncini (acoustic guitar - 3 tracks only) & Cafe (percussion)
Recorded 1989

"A lovely, evocative album."

 

Still with Luiz, and 3 decades earlier he recorded this 'easy listening style' 15 track album for Atlantic.



¡Amor! The Fabulous Guitar Of Luiz Bonfa - Luiz Bonfa (Collectables/Atlantic) CD
with
Luiz Bonfa (guitar), Don Elliott (mellophone, vibraphone, triangle), Tommy Lopez (bongo & conga drumes), Ralph Freundlich (flute)

Recorded 1958, released 1959

 

Sublime. Love this group.

 

Zizi Possi - Sobre Todas As Coisas

 

I bought this CD when it came out, and I will never part with it!



Carlinhos Brown, Alfagamabetizado (1996). (Yes, later a member of Tribalistas.)

I was getting disappointed with Milton Nascimento at the time, and then I found Carlinhos. And Tom Zé. Great musical memories.

 

Since I'm already here...

The year after Alfagamabetizado, I bought this album:



Daniela Mercury, Feijão com Arroz (1997).

I was stunned! Highly recommended as well.

 

Djavan - Seduzir

It has some 80s synths and production values but this was a favorite of mine in the early 90s when I was exploring Brazilian music more intently than I do these days.

 

Now playing:



Le Monde Musical de Baden Powell (1964).

Wonderful.

Alternate album cover:

 

Listening to these two absolutely fantastic compilations by David Byrne (yes, himself!) that are sometimes (but not often enough) mentioned here in the SH forums:






Various Artists, Brazil Classics, Vol. 1: Beleza Tropical (1989)

and

Various Artists, Beleza Tropical 2: Novo! Mais! lhor! (1998)

Label: Luaka Bop.

Both are totally worth searching for.

I initially bought them on cassettes! I'm a dinosaur.

And in, uh, my days, Volume 2 had a much more, uh, explicit album cover.

 

You're probably thinking of Brazil Classics 2, aka O Samba. Beleza Tropical 2 is a different, later album.

 

I'm still "digging" Tam, Tam Tam. The re-release from Trunk Records. Sort of where it all started, for Brazilian dance music.

 

I probably am. Thank you, Dave.

 

Sunday afternoon, at home by myself for a few hours, therefore I can play this album without getting on anybody's nerves (it's not easy listening but I am quite fond of it, especially since his passing).



Nana Vasconcelos , Saudades (1979).

 

I didn't post a pic so as to avoid bringing down Gortian wrath upon my head, but I'm sure you can google it to refresh your mental image.

I had most/all of the original series on cassette as well back in the day, before eventually upgrading to the CDs. I'd bet a lot of folks got their first in-depth exposure to Brazilian music through this series, and for that Mr. Byrne deserves kudos.

 

Now playing: Geraldo Azevedo, solo and live, Comigo Ao Vivo (1997).

 

Wave - Antonio Carlos Jobim (A&M) CD

Arranged & conducted by Claus Ogerman

Recorded 1967

CD Japanese Edition A&M/Verve-Universal

Love the music as well as sleeve!

 

Time for another Luiz Bonfa album!



Luiz Bonfa Composer of Black Orpheus Plays and Sings Bossa Nova with Lalo Schifrin & Oscar Castro Neves (Verve Originals) CD

Recorded late December 1962 - Original Released 1963

A 13 track album. The first 6 tracks feature Luiz on vocal.
"Bofa's singing, like that of Joao Gilberto, is unpretentious, never frantic, always soothing"

Tracks 7 to 13 feature Luiz guitar playing (no singing).
"His guitar playing, like his singing, is understated, serene and alluring"

There are beautiful orchestrated instrumental pieces on this one too, along with the occasional and very unique sounding (uncredited) female vocals without lyrics - "vocalise"?.

This record really impressed so much so I now fully intend to check out a few more Luiz albums that were issued in the Verve Originals series.

 

The new SHM-CD from Universal Japan. Boy does this sound good.

 

I just acquired copies of both of Painel de Controle's great late 70s albums (Desligla O Mundo and Chama a Turma Toda). Shockingly, neither one of these albums has ever been reissued!