1. Classical music: Villa-Lobos for sure, his guitar music most of all. Hector Miolin and Joseph Bacon made excellent recordings.
2. Acoustic guitar: We all know the jazz and bossa nova player Baden Powell, but John Fahey was rightly obsessed with Bola Sete, an acoustic blues player with licks from another planet. Even many well-informed "guitar specialists" don’t know his work.
3. MPB: There are so many wonderful figures, buy Brazil Classics 1, 2, and 3 for the best overviews; all the cuts are selected by David Byrne. Brazil Classics 1 would be one of my ten desert island discs and sometimes I feel it is my favorite CD period. Beleza Tropical 2 is a good follow-up disc. Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t think many of the MPB albums stand on their own, but the best cuts are unforgettable.
4. Copied by Beck: Os Mutantes ["We are Mutants"] is one of the best groups of the 1960s. When it comes to putting together a song in the studio, they rate just behind the Beatles and Brian Wilson. The "Best of" CD is a good place to start; Beck will never ever sound the same again.
5. Brazilian electronica: Start with Suba’s Sao Paulo Confessions, one of the subtlest techno albums. For a good collection of the music he inspired, try The Now Sound of Brazil, which includes cuts by Cibelle, Bebel Gilberto, Zuco 103, and others. This is a growing and vital genre.
6. Drum music: First prize goes to Olodum, they are best live, preferably late at night in the town square in Salvador, Bahia, which I have yet to experience. They play on Paul Simon’s "The Obvious Child," which can be downloaded on iTunes. Honorable mention to Timbalada and Ile Aiye.
7. Forro: To call it "jaunty and infectious accordion music" does not do it justice; Music for Maids and Taxi Drivers is one good introduction, plus anything by Luis Gonzaga.
8. Classical pianist: Nelson Freire remains underrated, here is a Chopin recital, better than Rubinstein.
There is more, and more, and more. Most of it I don’t even know. Here are some different recommendations.
The bottom line: Very few countries have better music than Brazil. If you take away the United States, Brazil might have the world lead. If you don’t know this stuff, you have much to live for. Please do put your further recommendations in the comments.
You know, being a Brazilian (currently living in Australia) and seeing a foreigner appreciating Brazilian music is truly great. I often wish I could show a friend a certain artist/album/etc to realise moments later they wouldn’t be able to grasp how good it actually is – partially because the lyrics are what makes the music so wonderful, but also because they wouldn’t… understand. Of course there is a lot of Brazilian music which doesn’t require for the listener to understand the language.. But even so, it’s hard for people to come across good Brazilian music without actually looking for it. More importantly, Brazilian music that isn’t the typical ‘Samba’ and things like Salsa or Tango which for some reason people think is Brazilian. You are absolutely right – Brazilian music is fantastic. It’s a pity not more people outside the country get to enjoy it as much.
[ Olodum, which is very similar - if not the same at times - to the music played during the famous Carnaval, is absolutely fantastic live. If you find anywhere to see it do NOT miss out. Keep in mind there are many Brazilians who live overseas who perform a smaller version of 'Carnaval' for audiences. I imagine you can find a group performing locally quite easily around February. Of course 'the real thing' is much better, but even a portion of it can still be amazing. ]
Marisa Monte – simply incredible. While, as Carolina says, the lyrics are essential to really getting the full effect, and especially in her case, her melodies are hauntingly beautiful – try Perdao voce and Agua tambem e mar to start.
Seu Jorge, Djavan, and so many others are also wonderful and not any of the compilations recommended – there is just too much of everything!
Adan – great add w/Seu Jorge…completely agree.
Electronic Bossa Nova – Fernanda Porto, Bossacucanova, Brazilectro series
Neo-Jazz: Sabrina Malheiros, Jazzinho
Of course, my favorite of all contemporary Brazilians is Bebel Gilberto.
We’ve enjoyed the +2 live to no end, best show we saw last year by a mile. It’s the band of Moreno [Veloso], Domenico and Kassin- Each member of the band stands in the center and makes his own album. Kassin’s will be out later this year, and we’re very much looking forward to it.
Their music is beck-like, in the way that it draws from an extensive musical culture to create something unique. Very much reccomended.
Not a pure Brazilian, but oh so influenced, is Arto Lindsay. Noon Chill is a big favourite.
And Tom Zé… Wonderful. Lyrics are crucial though (solitude, what a light dust”). Jeff Shepley December 28, 2006 at 5:12 pm
I approach this topic more from the perspective of living and partying in Brazil. Going to a baile funk in Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro was a highlight of my time there. Beer was 1 centavo (or about half a cent) but you HAD to pay with a one centavo coin, which are almost never given in change. I was paying 1 Real to get 1 or 2 centavo coins. Anyway, the favela funk of the likes of MC Marcinho and MC Leazinho is really fun music.
As I’m going to Salvador for Carnival in 2007, I’m trying to get acquainted with Axé as well (Chiclete com Banana, Ivete Sangalo, Babado Novo, etc.).
You don’t think many of the MPB albums stand on their own? Clube da Esquina 1 & 2, Domingo no Parque, Refazenda, Quanta, just about anything by Gilberto Gil, Elise Regina, Joyce, older Djavan and Ivan Lins immediately come to mind as excellent MPB works and if I gave it soem additional thought I could come up with a lot more.
Lenine is an excellent musician and if you’re not listening to him, you should.
As for acoustic guitarists, there are few better than Romero Lubambo, who also plays with the group Trio da Paz. His work with Luciana Souza is sepllbinding as is her voice. The late Raphael Rabello was another great guitarist as is Paulinho Nogueira and Juarez Moreira.
For sweet singers, check out Renato Braz and Milton Nascimento. For Brazilian jazz check out Banda Mantiqueira and Carlos Malta. For the uncategorizable you gotta listen to Hermeto Pascual. For choro, Rabo de Lagartixa is terrific.
Tom Nuttal, I have to disagree with you about Virginia Rodrigues. I really can’t understand the fascination with her. I saw her live and I’ve heard her CD’s. She sings with no sense of rhythm and her phrasing is nonexistant. It’s like she opens her mouth and a blob of sound comes out. Caetano really missed the boat with her IMHO.
Ana Carolina, Geraldo Azevedo, the Tribalistas & Seu Jorge are all in my current playlist.
Also, how about Sergio Mendes and his recent collaboration with the Black Eyed Peas?
There’s something spectacular about sung Portuguese.
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Tyler, I think you would appreciate the novels of Osman Lins, Avalovara and The Queen of the Prisons of Greece.
Can’t leave off earlier work by Jorge Ben – A Tábua de Esmeralda is on my list of best albums of all time.
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