Suggest Me Some Brazil

[A Lark Ascending]

Actually, I don't think hit "her prime" until about 5 years ago! (After she signed with her current label, Biscoito Fino.) She now has full creative control, which has worked tremendously in her favor. And she's established a small label of her own, which is also handled by Biscoito Fino.

I'd assumed she was a very popular singer with hit records in the 70s/80s - which is all I meant by prime. Certainly, the artistic control is producing some magical recordings.

[seeline]

She's had some hit records in the past, but I'm not sure if she was ever what we would consider a "star" - her album Álibi was a hit, I think, but apart from that, I'm not sure. (Will have to ask some friends for their take on this.)

She's always been "quirky" re. choices of material (includes a lot of songs written for her by her brother, Caetano Veloso), and her live shows are *not* the kind of thing that make promoters happy - lots of poetry recitation, etc.

I think David Byrne's PR for the whole Tropicália movement has given something of the wrong impression up here, in terms of us tending to believe that Caetano, et. al. are big stars in Brazil - which they're not. Well-known, yes, but I doubt any of them have ever had truly large audiences... Again, though, I need to ask around before making anything like a definitive statement on this!

Edited February 26, 2008 by seeline

[jimi089]

I think David Byrne's PR for the whole Tropicália movement has given something of the wrong impression up here, in terms of us tending to believe that Caetano, et. al. are big stars in Brazil - which they're not. Well-known, yes, but I doubt any of them have ever had truly large audiences... Again, though, I need to ask around before making anything like a definitive statement on this!

That's really interesting, thanks for sharing. It's difficult to filter these kind of issues from abroad.

[seeline]

I know! You might really enjoy this book by Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha -

(it's available in a lot of other languages, too.)

It's quite an accomplishment, and very easy to read - although their publisher needs to spring for a revised edition, since this one is over 10 years out of date... but the bulk of the material is just as accurate now as it was when it came out.

Edited February 26, 2008 by seeline

[jimi089]

Looks like we've got a Gal Costa reissue on the Dusty Groove label to look forward to in April.

Any Bola Sete recommendations? I heard some beautiful guitar playing that turned out to be him recently.

[seeline]

Have you checked the Bola Sete site? Sadly, almost everything he ever did is o.p. and - unless his family is able to buy rights to various recordings - likely to remain so. There's a nice discography section on the site... and I'd also recommend checking the Loronix blog...

Edu Lobo: Again, so much of his material is o.p. - do you have any of his early albums? (They've all been reissued at various times, and DG usually tries to stock them.) His 70s material is especially hard to find... very little of it has ever come out on CD, and then only in very limited pressings.

You might try eMusic.com for some of his more recent work, though. And DG has been stocking a recently-released live concert DVD (on Biscoito Fino).

[kh1958]

Looks like we've got a Gal Costa reissue on the Dusty Groove label to look forward to in April.

Any Bola Sete recommendations? I heard some beautiful guitar playing that turned out to be him recently.

There are still a couple of copies of Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival available from amazon sellers. After that, I'm partial to the combination of Bola Sete and Vince Guaraldi on Vince and Bola. Tour de Force is also good.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-8...p;x=20&y=17

[jimi089]

Thanks folks!

[Teasing the Korean]

First album from the shopping spree:

Brazilian Octopus (1970).

Lives up to its reputation. The first track sounds like Les Baxter in Rio during his funky "Que Mango" period. I can only hope that the whole album is this good...

[Teasing the Korean]

Next:

Metti una Bassa a Cena - Schema label comp of 60s/70s Italian bossa stuff.

Italian bossa is like if Vogue did a spread on Brazil.

Edited March 4, 2008 by Teasing the Korean

[ejp626]

Incidentally, buy this:

Possibly the best record I bought last year! It's a re-recording of songs he'd put down earlier. I've not heard that earlier record - but this one is heart-stopping.

Oh, and get Seeline to tell you about Monica Salmaso!

I have the original, which is probably one of the greatest Brasilian albums ever. I've never heard the re-record; it would be interesting to compare.

I have both versions and love them both. I can't really say one is better than the the other, only that they are different and I'm glad there are two versions,. No Vinicius deMoraes on the 2nd version but there is a guitar overture that is just terrific.

Oh, I've actually got the original in that amazing Baden Powell box that was kicking around for a while. I think I finally scored it off eBay or somewhere. I'll have to see how hard the new version is to find.

Do you have any J.T. Meirelles? I think I have 5 albums of his, of which I can put my hands on 4:

O Som, O Novo Som, Samba Jazz and Esquema Novo.

[Teasing the Korean]

Never heard of him/her. What era?

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Never heard of him/her. What era?

Mid sixties and Yes, pick up some Meirelles. I have two : "O Novo Som" and "O Som, Meirelles E Os Copa 5". Prefer the latter w/ Vinhas on piano. Then you'll need to grab Bossa Tres "Em Forma" post haste and then some Dom Um Romao and then ... if you give a moose a muffin.

I love that hard bossa sound that JimR put up so well in his thread. Now if I could only find the two from Trio 3D.

Grab this Vibe Vol 8 if you can as it has some killers and the only two cuts from Trio 3D that I've heard and fallen over the top with. Very nice comp done by French DJ Manu Boubli.

edit: I had a new Meirelles on Dubas that came out a couple years back that I got rid of fast!

Edited March 4, 2008 by Man with the Golden Arm

[Teasing the Korean]

Thanks, I'll add that to my list.

Third title now playing: Basic Principles of Sound Vol. 3

60s and 70s bossa sounds by Brazilians, Italians, and worhty gringos.

[jimi089]

Picked up a few discs in a recent Dusty Groove trip (you think it's bad having the temptation online - us folks here in Chicago have the store in our backyard!).

I picked up this Novos Baianos disc after hearing it on seeline's wonderful blog Spinning in Air (thanks seeline!).

It's really a gem, just great music from front to back. It exemplifies all the things I love about Brazilian music.

Also picked up this Clementina de Jesus album:

What a powerhouse vocalist. If you didn't know any better you might mistake her for a man due to her vocal range. Great stuff.

I also picked up a Lo Borges album sight unseen that is a bit of a clunker to my ears. Too much of an 80s/synth sound. Oh well, only set me back $9. I was hoping for something more along the lines of his participation in Clube Da Esquina.

Seeline, do you have any other Novos Baianos recommendations? I'm just loving this disc.

Incidentally, I found out during my trip that we can expect some Baden Powell reissues in April/May on CD: The MPS Sessions, Canto on Guitar, Images on Guitar, Poema on Guitar, Tristeza on guitar, and the album with Vinicius De Moraes, Afro-Sambas. My wallet just groaned thinking about it.

Edited March 25, 2008 by The Danimal

[seeline]

Clementina is amazing - you know, her singing career didn't start until she was getting up there. Check here for more - unfortunately, most all of the albums they list are o.p. right now (and have been for some time).

Novos Baianos: I first learned about them here, and haven't actually heard that much by them, so I'm not the person to ask. All I can tell you is that I want to hear more; also that guitarist Pepeu Gomes is fast becoming a fave of mine.

BTW, there are *lots* of Brazilian music vids on YouTube...

And thanks so much for your kind words re. my blog - glad you're finding new music through it!

Edited March 25, 2008 by seeline

[seeline]

Shameless plug for this album -

Great band, incredible repertoire (ranges from older sambas to serenade waltzes to contemporary pieces). Zélia is a rocker, and never thought she'd get green-lighted for this project. Incredibly, it became a hit.

Everyone involved is playing because they love the music, and it shows.

[jimi089]

Cool, thanks for the recommendation, I will pick that up.

I'm probably going to pick up some more Novos Baianos based on this album so I will report back!

[Man with the Golden Arm]

serendipity.

I just listened to this after a friend, who'd just gotten back from Brazil, sent me a Baby Consuelo teaser.

funky, frenetic, a bit o forro, a bit o Diblo maybe? the kind of thing that I'd put on at a porch party once the weather breaks. The guitarist IS amazing with a real streak of the Congo!

[jimi089]

After thoroughly digging Acabou Chorare (can't recommend it highly enough) by Novos Baianos I just purchased another one by them today - Vamos Pro Mundo. I'll report back if it's up to the level of Acabou Chorare.

Also bought Nara Leao's Nara '67 and Alaide Costa - Afinal. I'll report back about these as well once I've had a chance to listen.

[jimi089]

After thoroughly digging Acabou Chorare (can't recommend it highly enough) by Novos Baianos I just purchased another one by them today - Vamos Pro Mundo. I'll report back if it's up to the level of Acabou Chorare.

Also bought Nara Leao's Nara '67 and Alaide Costa - Afinal. I'll report back about these as well once I've had a chance to listen.

Well, Acabou Chorare is definitely on a different level than Vamos Pro Mundo - the latter is a fine album, but I'm honestly starting to believe that the former is a masterpiece. Just incredible, joyous, fantastic music.

The Nara Leao is great as is the Alaide Costa - the latter is a bit more arranged, with strings and accompaniments, and the former a bit more stripped down and bare. Two fantastic voices though and I've been enjoying them both.

[seeline]

I love Acabou Chorare - and meant to mention something earlier about some reunion efforts that came out a few years back. From what I've been told, it's best to stick with the discs from the 70s. (but I have to qualify that by saying that I haven't heard any of the recent material.)

Apparently Baby Consuelo (lead singer) is going by the stage name "Baby do Brasil" now (and has had an awful lot of plastic surgery).

[A Lark Ascending]

Any recent recommendations?

I just listened to the track from Os Novos Baianos on Spinning in Air and thought 'Yes!' Sadly, out of stock at Dusty.

I'm currently working through some new arrivals from Jovino Santos Neto, Hamilton de Holanda and a disc of Tutty Moreno, Teco Cardoso etc. Dusty Groove has so much that its hard to know where to begin!

[Dave James]

I didn't go through this whole thread, so if Ana Carolina has been mentioned before, I apologize for the redundancy. I saw some snippets of her on, of all things, The News Hour on PBS last night, and liked what I heard. As is usually the case when this happens, resistance if futile, so I ended up buying not one, not two but three of her CD's on eBay. She has a really interesting and very unique contralto voice, somewhat political lyrically, but she only sings in Portuguese, so who's going to be able to tell?

Up over and out.

[seeline]

I've been listening to some of Edu Lobo's early recordings over the past few days.

This one - Cantiga de Longe - is a must! (has Hermeto Pascoal, Airto and Claudio Slon on it, too.)