10 extraordinary Brazilian musicians you should listen to
by Eloisa Aquino*
If you’ve had your share of Bossa Nova, if you feel that you already know all the Tropicália big shots well, if you’re tired of samba, if you already listened all that matter from Clube da Esquina, or if funk ball is not your cup of tea, but you still want Brazilian sounds to rock your life, here are some picks of great musicians who deserve your attention. Not famous outside of Brazil, from different genres and generations, these guys made my life happier many a time. Enjoy.
Secos e Molhados – They are a band from the 1970s, a mix of glam rock and prog, inevitably and proudly gay, in a time that being all those things could land you in jail or worse, dead in the hands of the extreme right vigilantes. The band leader and singer, Ney Matogrosso, went to become a big star in a solo career, with a huge following of middle aged women. One of those Brazilian mysteries that is hard to explain: how a flaming gay singer becomes a hero in a openly homophobic environment? Now he makes (well) more traditional Brazilian music, and still has that incredible voice. Recommended album: “Secos e Molhados” (1973).
Luiz Melodia – Another classic not well known outside of Brazil. Carioca and black, he refused to make obvious samba and was difficult to classify. Influenced by American black music, his songs are soulful and rich. Recommended album: “Pérola Negra” (1973).
João Bosco – Some of the best popular Brazilian songs of the 1970s and 1980s were written by Bosco and his partner at the time, the lyricist Aldir Blanc. If you know or are learning Portuguese, Aldir Blanc’s lyrics are a hoot. Tragicomic is the word that comes to mind, and what a great storyteller. And Bosco as a songwriter just uses to perfection the traditions of Brazilian song in sambas, bossa novas, chorinhos, modas, and makes something personal, with a singing style influenced by old masters of samba and jazz. Recommended album: “Caça à Raposa” (1975).
Itamar Assumpção – In the 1980s, I lived in a strict diet of punk, Brit rock and Vanguarda Paulista (translates as “avant garde from São Paulo”. Pretentious sounding? Well, cocaine started to be big in SP those days…) From the bunch of really cool music from the period, I’d start with Itamar, an unconventional musician influenced equally by candomblé, samba, funk and reggae. Recommended album: “Intercontinental!“(1988).
Nação Zumbi – Last year Nação Zumbi celebrated the 15th anniversary of an album that changed the way a bunch of people regarded Brazilian music, me included. From that point on, we knew that the Brazilian music could be heavy as hell and still be roots as hell, like the a punch in the stomach that is “Da Lama ao Caos”. Chico Science, singer, band leader and creator of the influential movement mangue beat died prematurely, but the band goes on (boy, do Brazilians like movements or not? Are we just not able to make something without writing a manifesto?). Recommended album: “Da Lama ao Caos” (1994).
Zeca Baleiro – Prolific songwriter in the genre of Brazilian folk, a veritable troubadour. Recommended album: “Por Onde Andará Stephen Fry” (2005).
Los Hermanos – They play what can be called indie samba, or pop MPB. It doesn’t seem complicated, but nobody else is able to pull off so many pleasant sounds as the songwriting duo Camelo/Medina. Skip the first album, then listen to them all. Recommended album: “Bloco do Eu Sozinho” (2001).
Bonsucesso Samba Clube – Bonsucesso Samba Clube is just one among the bunch of awesome acts from Pernambuco, like Banda Eddie, Mundo Livre S/A, Otto, and DJ Dolores, that suck all they can from the traditional sounds of maracatu, samba, frevo, and forró and come up with something refreshing and exciting. It’s a bit random to chose BSC among those guys, they are all so good. Recommended album: “Bonsucesso Samba Clube” (2003).
Romulo Fróes – Fróes loves old sambas, the ones exuding banzo (something like “blues”), sad songs of soft melancholy. But he’s no stranger to punk, softcore and guitars. Experimental and pop at once. Recommended album: “Cão” (2004).
CéU – Following the tradition of great female singers before her, like Gal Costa and Marisa Monte, CéU delves into the sounds of MPB and bossa, adding elements of electronica, jazz, and hip hop. A unique voice. Recommended album: “CéU” (2005).
*This post was simultaneously posted at Eloisa’s blog, The Good Blood, a wonderful source for those who enjoy Brazilian culture.
20 Comments »
8 Pingbacks »
-
[...] here to see the original: 10 Extraordinary Brazilian Musicians You Should Listen to | Deep … Share [...]
-
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Scrubby Sheep, Scrubby Sheep and Chico Science, Marisa Monte. Marisa Monte said: 10 Extraordinary Brazilian Musicians You Should Listen to | Deep … http://bit.ly/bQHThB [...]
-
[...] Read this article: 10 Extraordinary Brazilian Musicians You Should Listen to | Deep … [...]
-
[...] Scharf presents 10 Extraordinary Brazilian Musicians You Should Listen to* posted at DEEP BRAZIL, saying, “This is a great overview of great Brazilian musicians that [...]
-
[...] 10 Extraordinary Brazilian Musicians You Should Listen to: This is a fantastic post about Current Brazilian Musicians and their music. “If you’ve had your share of Bossa Nova, if you feel that you already know all the Tropicália big shots well, if you’re tired of samba, if you already listened all that matter from Clube da Esquina, or if funk ball is not your cup of tea, but you still want Brazilian sounds to rock your life, here are some picks of great musicians who deserve your attention. Not famous outside of Brazil, from different genres and generations, these guys made my life happier many a time. Enjoy.” [...]
-
[...] the help of a few friends and readers who kindly offered texts of great quality (thanks Sylvia, Elô, Beto, Jim, Thaddeus). No designer, no photographer, no consultant worked with me so far. The day I [...]
-
[...] Buarque for free / Top 10 Brazilian albums of 2010 / Samba de roda, mother of Rio’s Carnival / 10 Extraordinary Musicians you should listen to / Brazilian music with English subtitles / If Mozart, Bono, Jimmy Page and Shiva were Brazilian… [...]
-
[...] / Hit Parade / Rapper Emicida / Rain Prophets / All Chico Buarque for free / Top albums of 2010 / 10 extraordinary musicians / Brazilian music with English subtitles / Roberto Carlos / Great Brazilian music podcasts / 7 [...]
Leave a comment!
Obrigada pela visita no meu blog!
e parabéns pelo seu, visitarei sempre!
bjos
Muito legal. Obrigado!
Excellent tips, Obrigado!
How about these 5 runner ups:
3 na Massa
http://www.last.fm/music/3+na+Massa
Móveis Coloniais de Acaju
http://www.last.fm/music/M%C3%B3veis+Coloniais+de+Acaju
Mart’nália
http://www.last.fm/music/Mart%27n%C3%A1lia
Eddie
http://www.last.fm/music/Eddie
Mombojó:
http://www.last.fm/music/Momboj%C3%B3
Cool tips, Alex. I loved Elô’s post and I hope to produce a few podcasts myself in the future. I will try to include some of your suggestions.
oh yeah! black music is the best.,`:
Ney Matogrosso,,..Secos & Molhados não poderiam ficar de fora, levei um bom tempo para acreditar que a voz de Ney não era de mulher, neste ano ele completa 70 anos de idade, será lançado um longa-metragem sobre sua história, uma parte da obra foi filmada em Bela Vista-MS, sua cidade natal, com certeza ele merece, bjs
É, José Carlos, o Ney é apenas o máximo. Uma das coisas mais fantásticas da minha vida foi vê-lo junto com Rafael Rabello no palco. De arrepiar.
Wow, Avatar, acabei de ver seu comentário no Nassif. Super gentil. Thanks!
http://www.advivo.com.br/blog/luisnassif/fotos-charges-e-tirinhas-9#more
Elô, for some reason I can’t get sound from the song player. How do I get it to play. The equalizer bars are dancing all over the place but no sound to my speakers. Bummer.
Ty, I checked it today and in my computer it works perfectly. I am using Firefox. I wonder if the problem might be with your browser or computer (maybe you have something installed that might be incompatible). Sorry that I cannot help more.
Thanks, Regina. I like so many have been using Microsoft products (Interenet Explorer) for years without giving it much thought.
After doing a little research at CNET, http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-10442_7-6656808-1.html?tag=rb_mtx;pf_left_nav, I see Firefox is a very good tool to use for a pc/lt internet browser. I currently have IE8 and now Microsoft is charging for IE9!
“Not famous outside of Brazil” !!!!
Como vc pode dizer isso de Joao Bosco???
Meu Deus…
Great job here Eloisa Aquino-But,this list should have included Elza Soares also known as the diva of Brazilian Samba music,unless as the list indicated it’s only men that are represented in it!
Dominique from New York…..
Oí Eloisa! gracias por la info, aunque creo que aún se pueden incluir algunos músicos más. ¿Qué te parece el gran loquito roquero del Nordeste brasileiro Alceu Valenca? (perdón por la falta de c con cedilha, no sé ponerla en las compus en español), y ¿qué opinas de Carlinhos Brown, que además ha impulsado escuelas de música en algunas fabelas? Y seguro que hay más músicos para todos los gustos. Alfonso Reyes, intelectual mexicano que admiraba a la nación brasileña, tiene una frase que dice que de seguro Dios se había esforzado mucho para crear a la raza del Brasil, ¡viva Brasil! qué bueno que exista esa gran cultura, un abrazo desde México D.F. p.d. No pude oír tus propuestas musicales, pero grax.
Gracias, Eugenia! No puedo contestar por Eloisa, pero me encantan los dos que mencionas. Tengo ganas de hacer un post con musica para bailar y Valença tiene que estar ahí.
Pena que no puedes escuchar las musicas. Intenta la pagina de Brazilian Jukebox – http://deepbrazil.com/brazilian-jukebox/.
Y abrazos a Mexico, un país que amo.
Regina
Great list! All of them are among my favorite musicians. Nice post, and even nicer comments, specially that one about some new Brazilian bands. I’m a musician – if you want to, you can listen to my “reversal samba” at http://www.dessambando.com – and I think that Alex’s comment it’s excelent ideia for a post. There is great things being done by independently musicians in Brazil, I leave here this suggestion. Really nice site!!!
Hmmm…Just saw the recent post about the new music in Brazil. Well, maybe then you should delete this comments. Sorry about that. Haven’t notice this was 2010′s post.
If you understand french, you’ll find one post a day on the blog http://bossanovabrasil.fr, fully dedicated to all kinds of Brazilian musics. Posts generally include a song and its description, some elements about musicians, and sometimes a link to lyrics and score. There are close to 1,000 posts already – a lot to discover.
Merci bien, Thierry. Great tip, is this website yours? I will definitely follow it from now on.
Where is Lenine?! ;)