A Musical Tour of the World: All Countries A-Z One Per Day

Thanks for the music, everyone.

Today's country is Botswana,

I'm going to start with the song Pleasure by Motswaferé. On her LinkedIn profile she describes herself as a Jazz singer.



Next: Black Butterfly by Mpho Sebina. At first this sounded unusual to me, with the instrumental parts of the song not quite fitting together. But, on repeated this song, in my opinion, delivers its subtle payoff. It's said that Sebina combines' hip-hop, soul, jazz, traditional Setswana music and folklore into her sound'

Sebina is Botswana born, but is now based in Johannesburg. Like many musicians around the world, she's quiet international. In lists of music from countries, it's very common that expatriate artists may be claimed by more than one country and Sebina is claimed by Botswana in some lists. So, I'll include her here. Hopefully I won't forget that she's been covered when I get to South Africa

Here's something more traditional, including music and dance. I'm not sure of the track's name, but it might be Siwawa.

I've heard that African guitar players have sometimes developed their own styles. I found two interesting guitar videos. This first video is said to be in the Baiji language, but I couldn't find that language in a list of languages of Botswana. I note that one guitar is a 12 string guitar with missing strings. I'm told that in the past some African musicians had missing strings on their guitars but couldn't afford to buy new strings, so they learned to work with what they had. I don't know if this is the case here. The track is identified on Youtube as Local Musicians Thomas and Metlha playing their own song in Baiji language.And finally, here is guitarist 'Ronnie' who has a guitar playing style that I have not seen before. Playing the track 'Happy New Year'. This video became an Internet sensation, but it is reported that Ronnie Moipolai died of an AIDS-related illness.

 

Just a note about tomorrow. Tomorrow we'll cover Brazil. The lead post will be posted by @Rick Robson. Due to time zone differences and an entirely understandable need to sleep, the lead post for Brazil will be some hours earlier than usual.

However, back to Botswana for today.

 

I've had a Spotify Traditional Music from Botswana playlist going in the background as I'm working. The following song popped up. It has a simple instrumental backing, and is very repetitive. But, I think it's really catchy. Sung in the Tshwa language.

Nakitshi by late Khoisan singer Qani.

 

An interesting selection as always; left the best until last for me, the guitarists (particularly Ronnie Moipolai of course); and Qani Xiite

a blog that she had
Qani Xiite - San Culture in Botswana

I'll add a track by Charma Gal aka Magdeline Lesolebe, who one source names as the country's most popular female artist


a "festive song" released at the end of 2017 with some contributions from an un-named male singer

Magdeline Lesolebe - Wikipedia

 

And these "Botswana Traditional Dancers" are so exuberant, I have to add them too


They appear to be US-based as part of the "Rhythms of the Kalahari".

This is the most information I could find about them, from a 2015 appearance
Rhythms of the Kalahari - Tswana Dance Performance & Talk Tomorrow, March 14 11:30am, at the Wayne Art Center

 

Enjoying this one a lot. Thanks!

 

Catching up on Bosnia and Herzegovina
with some hard rock from Buelo Dugme

 

Today's country is Brasil,

As already advanced by @HitAndRun, he kindly suggested me to be the opening poster for my country, a task that I accepted with pleasure.

Brasil is divided in 5 regions: North, Northeast, Central-West, Southeast and South. Each region has its own language accent, traditional culture, folk music, let alone when some states within each region are concerned. So, as expected, I'm going to limit myself to comment on my home region, I mean the Southeast's folk music (more specifically from Rio de Janeiro), including of course some Brasil's broader popular music.

Throughout this thread subject concerning my country I'm going to refer to Brasilian pop music (and maybe even some pop rock music as well) as MPB -- "Musica Popular Brasileira" -- a label created with the sole purpose of including under its umbrella all the Brasilian popular music, although excepting from this rule the more genuine Folk as well as some Rock music.

 

Even though I may be wrong, I pretty much assume Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil as being amongst the main MPB pioneers, along with Gal Costa, Elis Regina, Chico Buarque de Hollanda, Toquinho, and of course the "kings" of Bossa Nova Tom & Vinícius.

In fact, the sixties movement called "Tropicalia", especially for setting the stage to the new trends on the Brasilian popular music scene, is generally deemed as the first huge step on the MPB's development, although it began precisely as an ambitious progressivist artistic project which took profit of ambiguous lyrics to mock the dictatorship regime that reigned in my country back then. As a movement that was indeed founded by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil (including Gal Costa as a third member to it), it's pretty fair to say that Tropicalia, at its beginnings at least, incorporated the very first Psychedelic Rock influences into the Brasilian Pop music back then, an influence that added extra colours to a music already broadly dominated by Afro-Reggae, Latin, Samba (and of course other Brasilian traditional/folk influences).

I must admit that I'm not a fan of Caetano Veloso's music, but his initial career still sounds interesting to me, I enjoyed his '67 release ''Caetano Veloso'' (s/t), especially the tracks "Alegria Alegria" (of course), "Tropicalia", and the following one:

Caetano Veloso - Onde Andarás

 

I think Flora Purim is but one example of quite a few talented Brasilian musicians who for some reason remained completely obscure in Brasil. Flora Purim is a carioca musician (from the city of Rio de Janeiro) that had a brilliant career abroad, rising to fame in U.S. and Europe as a great Jazz/Jazz fusion singer, gaining prominence for her part in the 70's band Return to Forever with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke. But, throughout her career, her music also included a wider and more unique mix of styles, with her musical roots ever present though. I think her '94 album "Speed Of Light" is worth mentioning as a good example of that. I'm posting here two tracks off that interesting album:

Wings (Asas)



Rhythm Runner
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ol0Ck3cx3k

 

Milton Nascimento is actually a no-brainer on any Brasilian music thread, globally well-known as a great songwriter. IMO he's very eclectic -- I recommend listening to his '75 solo album ''Minas'' as one example of variety, but his eclecticism can also be attested as far back as during his early career. In the early 1970s, Milton (along with his friend and renowned Brasilian musicician Lô Borges) recorded a unique album called "Clube da Esquina'' that I think is worth checking out:

Clube da Esquina



Two tracks off the album Minas, that also feel to me as good examples of his progressiveness throughout that album too:

Idolatrada/Paula e Bebeto
YouTube

Trastevere
YouTube

 

Choro is a form of Brasilian folk music that has always been one my very favourites when it comes to Brasilian music. It was born in my hometown Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th century. Although a major part is instrumental music, their sung versions became very popular too, especially in Rio de Janeiro. And, ultimately, although Samba was born in Rio almost simultaneously, Choro is arguably the first Brasilian form of popular folk music born in my hometown. Worth of note its mix of regional folk with Afro-Brasilian rhythms, as it adds such a unique colours to it. Even a genuinely Brasilian string instrument called cavaquinho was especially designed in order to be added to the traditional European Mandolin and Viola guitars along with wind instruments and piano on a typical Choro ensemble.

I still enjoy this music quite a lot today, my favourite musicians of Choro have always been: Pixinguinha, Altamiro Carrilho, Jacob do Bandolin, Chiquinha Gonzaga e Ernesto Nazareth. Here I share a precious and remarkable excerpt of this music, featuring the well-known group Clube do Choro performing a beautiful string quartet choro:

Noites Cariocas (by Jacob do Bandolim) performed in São Paulo by Clube do Choro *



* Clube do Choro was formed as a successor of a formerly renowned choro group called "Época de Ouro", which, thanks to Paulinho da Viola (my favourite samba/samba-choro fusion composer ever) support, managed to resume their activities in '73, but immediately changed to the new group "Clube do Choro", whose purpose was to originate a whole nationwide movement for making that music genre popular again.

 

As I talked about the great Paulinho da Viola, here is an actually gorgeous version of Pixinguinha's famous song "Cochichando" by him and his own group, I really give kudos to them for that, IMO, its but one that stands out among thousands of other even more renowned cover versions of ''Cochichando''.

 

Some of the famous Choro songs that I also love:

Altamiro Carrilho - Poutporri (Pixinguinha)



Pixinguinha - Aguenta, seu Fulgêncio
YouTube

Hermeto Pascoal - Chorinho pra Ele (Little Cry For Him), off his album Slaves Mass
YouTube

 

Fantastic post @Rick Robson! And with five entries only scratching the surface of the brilliance of the music of this continent-sized country. I was lucky to be able to travel around Brasil for a month in 1997 and it may sound cliche, but I sensed the music was just in the air and everywhere. That is one country that really grooves.

For a country with a musical tradition as rich and vibrant as Brasil, I find it an impossible task to post a few examples of interesting songs. Instead, below are my 100 favorite songs from Brasil sorted by year. As you can see, almost half of them are from the seventies and a quarter are from the sixties, which I find the most interesting period musically speaking (and not just in Brazil). I wouldn’t mind getting some tips for great music from later decades and possibly some regional music. Oh! And as you can see, I do actually like Caetano's music a lot.

Finally, a special mention of the beautiful Chôros and Bachianas of Heitor Villa-Lobos.

1958 João Gilberto - Chega de Saudade
1959 Dorival Caymmi – O Mar
1959 João Gilberto – Desafinado
1959 Tom Jobm – A Felicidade
1960 João Gilberto – Samba De Uma Nota Só
1961 Maysa – Barquinho
1962 Vinícius de Moraes, Perry Ribeiro – Garota de Ipanema
1963 Jorge Ben – Mas, Que Nada!
1964 Adoniran Barbosa – Trem Das Onze
1965 Astrud Gilberto – Água De Beber
1965 Marcos Valle - Samba De Verão
1965 Maria Bethânia – Carcará
1965 Moacir Santos – Coisa n° 5
1965 Roberto Carlos – Quero Que Vá Tudo Pro Inferno
1966 Baden Powell & Vinicius De Moraes – Canto De Ossanha
1966 Luiz Arruda Paes – Upa Neguinho
1967 Caetano Veloso – Alegria, Alegria
1967 Chico Buarque & MPB-4 – Roda Viva
1967 Milton Nascimento – Travessia
1968 Caetano Veloso – Tropicália
1968 Gal Costa – Baby
1968 Geraldo Vandré – Pra Não Dizer Que Não Falei das Flores
1968 Gilberto Gil & Os Mutantes – Domingo No Parque
1968 Gilberto Gil – Domingou
1968 Os Mutantes – Panis et Circenses
1968 Tom Zé - São Paulo São Paulo
1969 Gal Costa – Divino Maravilhoso
1969 Os Mutantes – 2001 (Dois Mil E Um)
1969 Wilson Simonal – Pais Tropical
1970 Jorge Ben & Toquinho – Carolina Carol Bela
1970 Vinicius De Moraes, Toquinho, Maria Creuza – Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
1971 Chico Buarque – Construção
1971 Edu Lobo – Ponteio
1971 Roberto Carlos – Detalhes
1972 Chico Buarque – Caçada
1972 Gilberto Gil – Expresso 2222
1972 Jorge Ben – Caramba! … Galileu Da Galiléia
1972 Jorge Ben – Filho Maravilha
1972 Lô Borges – O Trem Azul
1972 Maria Creuza - Você Abusou
1972 Milton Nascimento - Clube Da Esquina Nº 2
1972 Milton Nascimento & Alaide Costa – Me Deixa Em Paz
1972 Milton Nascimento – Tudo O Que Você Podia Ser
1972 Novos Baianos – Brasil Pandeiro
1972 Novos Baianos – Preta, Pretinha
1973 Edu Lobo – Viola Fora De Moda
1973 Gilberto Gil – Só Quero Um Xodó
1973 Luiz Melodia – Pérola Negra
1973 Raul Seixas – Metamorfose Ambulante
1973 Raul Seixas – Ouro De Tolo
1973 Rita Lee – Vamos Tratar De Saúde
1973 Secos & Molhados – Sangue Latino
1973 Sérgio Sampaio – Eu Quero É Botar Meu Bloco Na Rua
1973 Tom Zé – Todos Os Olhos
1974 Caetano Veloso – Felicidade Foi Embora
1974 Cartola - As Rosas Não Falam
1974 Chico Buarque – Sinal Fechado
1974 Elis Regina & Tom Jobim - Águas De Março
1974 Milton Nascimento – San Vincente
1975 Gilberto Gil – Refazenda
1975 Mandrake Som – Berimbau
1976 Alaíde Costa – Catavento
1976 Cartola – O Mundo É Um Moinho
1976 Chico Buarque & Milton Nascimento – O Que Será (A Flor Da Terra)
1976 Djavan – Flor De Lis
1976 Jorge Ben – Ponta De Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)
1977 Caetano Veloso – O Leãozinho
1977 Miúcha & Tom Jobim – Samba Do Avião
1978 Caetano Veloso – Terra
1978 Chico Buarque & Milton Nascimento – Calice
1978 Maria Bethânia & Gal Costa – Sonho Meu
1978 Milton Nascimento – Maria Maria
1978 Zé Ramalho - Chão de Giz
1979 Caetano Veloso – Lua De São Jorge
1979 Elis Regina - O Bêbado e a Equilibrista
1979 Lô Borges – Equatorial
1981 João Gilberto, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil – Aquarela Do Brasil
1980 Joyce – Aldeia De Ogum
1981 Nazaré Pereira – Caixa De Sol
1982 Caetano Veloso – Queixa
1982 Gonzaguinha – O Que É O Que É
1982 Milton Nascimento – Anima
1983 Caetano Veloso - Você É Linda
1984 Gilberto Gil – Quilombo, O El Dorado Negro
1985 Ultraje A Rigor – Inútil
1988 Gonzaguinha – Tanacara
1989 Caetano Veloso – O Estrangeiro
1990 Margareth Menezes – Ifa, Um Canto Pra Subir
1993 Arnaldo Antunes – Imagem
1993 Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil – Cinema Novo
1993 Carlos Careqa – Acho
1993 Sérgio Mendes – Magalenha
1994 Cássia Eller – Malandragem
1995 Arnaldo Antunes – O Seu Olhar
1996 Cazuza & Bebel Gilberto – Preciso Dizer Que Te Amo
1998 Tom Zé – Curiosidade
2000 Adriana Calcanhotto – Devolva-Me
2000 Bebel Gilberto – Samba Da Benção
2003 Paulinho Da Viola & Marisa Monte – Carinhoso
2006 Marisa Monte – Infinito Particular

 

Another Brasilian that in my opinion deserves mention here is Zé Ramalho, albeit his approach has nothing at all of the well-known Bossa Nova glamour and sophistication nor the commonly appreciated Afro-brasilian rhythms and swings. His music, however, feels to me plenty of a seamlessly spirituous music appeal. He's a personal favourite over Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimento in my personal Brasilian artists selection. Some of my favourite tracks:

Here, Patrick Moraz, who some time played keyboards for Yes, plays in this Zé Ramalho's song called "Avohay".



Chão de Giz
YouTube

Admirável Gado Novo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_YpzKwB-EM

 

Speaking of Zé Ramalho, on his '75 album Paêbirú he did an interesting duo with Lula Côrtes, as well as on some other releases throughout his great career.

Zé Ramalho & Lula Côrtes - Paêbirú (Gatefold Vinyl 2xLP Special Edition)

 

Thanks Jamsterdammer, and yeah I also love some Chico Buarque's music, but he was a really great poet above all, as you can see in several of his music, Construção is one of my very favourites. Here is one that is a crown jewel in my book, well it includes a top-notch homage to the Choro music genre with a great instrumental intro and outro. Also pays homage to his all-time friends as well as to his ex-wife the renowned actress Marieta Severo:

Meu Caro Amigo

 

Clara Nunes is my favourite Brasilian female singer ever, she sang mostly samba but among them were also some good MPB songs. I was lucky to meet her right after one of her shows, even if as a breef greeting encounter, and I realised she was very receptive and kind. It's very regretful to tell that such a beautiful woman passed away in 1983, still at a young age during a seemingly simple surgery to treat varicose veins... and as such she had a brilliant career suddenly interrupted.

Clara Nunes - Conto de Areia

 

Clara Nunes & Paulinho da Viola - "O Duo de Ouro do Samba"



IMO, They remain as some of the most charismatic Samba musicians ever in my book, and gladfully still as such to so many Brasilians as well. The video above is an excerpt of a '76 show given live to Rede Globo Television's most popular sunday night program.

 

Excellent track! This reminds me that one of the things about music from Brasil is that to outsiders who don't speak the language, the music may sound very light and happy, but they don't realize that the lyrics can be dead serious and about subjects that are not light and happy at all! As Chico says at one point in this song "Mas o que eu quero é lhe dizer que a coisa aqui tá preta" (But what I want to tell you is that the situation is dark here). I actually love that paradox in a lot of music from Brasil. It is as if the artists want to vent their frustration, sadness or anger at what is going on, but their musical instincts just don't allow the music to be angry or sad. Or they make light of it on purpose to make it less painful and poke a little fun at it at the same time. One can always find consolation in music from everyday problems.

 

Roberto Carlos is IMO a great Brasilian songwriter who deserves a mention in any Brasilian music thread as well. I admit some bias though, as I have some kind of sentimental connection to his music, during my childhood my parents gifted me at least 6 LP's from his 60's and early 70's discography back then (I used to spin LP vinyls by myself during those early years), and a fair bunch of his songs' lyrics got forever stamped on my mind, although for some reason I grew up caring very little for music lyrics.

Here is one of his obscure songs today in Brasil, but that I used to sing along:

Roberti Carlos - As Flores Do Jardim Da Nossa Casa

 

Exactly! And the irony on that song lyrics is such that brilliantly reflects a pretty common Brasilian people habit of laughing of our own country's sad fates and disgraces.

 

Adriana Calcanhoto, a singer/songwriter that remains still very popular today, released my favourite version of Roberto Carlos' famous song "Por Isso Eu Corro Demais":

 

In my viewpoint, Secos & Molhados was a great 70's pop and pop rock band that deserves a mention here. Their '73 debut album and the subsequent'74 release are my favourites, but the latter edges the former, IMO, especially for shifting towards a more "Rockish" approach on some really enjoyable songs.

Curisously, their '73 s/t debut is called "O Retorno dos Secos & Molhados", it was one of my first LP's spun to death during my childhood, I still recall it being a long awaited gift from my parents.



This is a couple of my favourite songs off their second album:

Delírio



Medo Mulato
YouTube