Musica Do Brasil IV

[Alex_1]

The other three are gone, unfortunately. But I will be updating this thread regularly with information that you may want to check into if you're into the "Nova Bossa Nova" sounds. Coming soon: Brazilectro Vol. 3 and Brazilectro Vol. 4.

http://us.yimg.com/i/edu/ref/wf/f/br-lgflag.jpg

:D

[Dolemite]

jorge ben rocks the house

[Alex_1]

Jorge Ben is the man... old school style though.

But I guess I will review Brazilectro III. Surprised... I was just going to copy/paste the review I did for Amazon.com but they haven't published it yet.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000067F8P.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

This is a very very mellow release. It's different from Break & Bossa V that I harped about before. B&B vol V was great because it has the Bossa Italia sound, with tracks from Nicola Conte (the old Acura commercial/that new Joe Boxer add with guy dancing like an idiot), Les Hommes and others. Brazilectro is melancholy and on the slower jazz side. Artists include Janice, Os Ipanemas, Stratospheric, Praful, Loqate, Soulstice and Hacienda to name a few.

This is a double disc set, and while I do like the Brazilectro series, this one had a much darker feel to it. Whereas Brazilectro 1 and 2 had more uptempo tracks by S-Tone Inc., Clara Moreno and etc., this one hardly has that other than Hit the Road Jack by German group Mo Horizons... and I didn't liek that song very much (Or Come Touch the Sun for that matter).

I give this CD three stars out of five. Some tracks are great, excellent cover art. But it doesn't live up to the second release.

[folha]

wow, I love the cover. Seems I gotta go get it then:D

I just got down a disc called Morricone RMX, and Fantastic Plastic Machine is great there. They are a Japanese group that do some really Brasilian stuff.

And Alex, good to see this thread comes again. I almost wanna start one myself only that I got no new disc to review.:p

[Alex_1]

Originally posted by folha
wow, I love the cover. Seems I gotta go get it then:D

I just got down a disc called Morricone RMX, and Fantastic Plastic Machine is great there. They are a Japanese group that do some really Brasilian stuff.

And Alex, good to see this thread comes again. I almost wanna start one myself only that I got no new disc to review.:p

OF course - if you have music even old stuff just review it. That's what this thread's about.

Fantastic Plastic Machine are cool - a bit different but cool. I have one of their albums - not "Beautiful" but the one before that. It's pretty funky - beach music. haha

But Japan has a big big influence on the new Bossa Nova movement. Yoshinori Sunahara is big - but maybe the biggest ones are Kyoto Jazz Massive and Towa Tei. Towa Tei came out with "Future Listening" almost 8 years ago, and today it is still very good disc. The vocals feature Bebel Gilberto... her first "real" intro to the new movement. Kyoto Jazz Massive is great too - their big tracks are Calmaria and contribute to a compilation called "Crossbreed". Also there's Bossa Tres... Jazz. I'll expand a little later on today.

[Real Ray]

Two recent buys: Suba: "Tributo" and Trio Mocotó: "Samba Rock." Different genre, but Brasilian all the same.

[trickyfool]

I'm kinda ignorant when it comes to Brazilian music, but I had always enjoyed what little I heard. So, I picked up Carlinhos Brown's "Alfamagabetizado" a while back. Wow, that cd is fantastic. Now, I'm trying to get into more Brazilian stuff. What would you guys recommend for someone just starting out?? I know the hits and the classic songs but I'm wondering what cd's are must-haves......

Not Axe Bahia, I presume :D

Thanks

[Freestyle2000]

Since the first three brilliant renditions of this thread have gone to heaven, let's get this out of the way right now:

Getz/Gilberto may be the most perfect album ever. EVER.

Okay.

A-1, what did you think of the most recent Smoke City?

RS

[nicodemus]

I recommend Vinicius Cantuaria:

He's played with everyone from Brad Mehldau to David Byrne. His stuff is very cool. Kind of dark for Brasilian music but still great.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005A88A.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[dcsiouxfan]

I didnt see the other threads, so excuse me if this came up before. Would "The Girl from Ipanema" be considered a classic Brazilian song?

[folha]

I have seen that "Vinicius" one in store so I might try it. Tell me, it's more Bossa Nova or MPB?
dcsiouxfan, the other three are all gone since BS was hacked (I guess), so you won't find them. Of couse "The Girl from Ipanema" is a classic, and perhaps the most well-known Bossa Nova song ever. However, I don't think it's the best of it. There's a lot other great tunes that deserve this kind of attention as well.


Also, I like the second Smoke City album. It's a bit too pop but still, they make better pop songs than many others.

Alex, I need your advice. A show will be in Hollywood Bowl in Sep. but I hardly know any of the performers there. Tell me if it is worth seeing. Thanks!:)
List:
Ivan Lins
Leila Pinheiro
Dori Caymmi
Leny Andrade
Oscar Castro-Neves
Monica Salmaso

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by folha
I have seen that "Vinicius" one in store so I might try it. Tell me, it's more Bossa Nova or MPB?


Perhaps my brain just isn't working since its Monday morning, but what is MPB?

I would describe it as dark bossa nova.

[eneste]

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd800/d889/d88940qgj9f.jpg

I have to get my love in for one of the best bands of all time from any country, Os Mutantes! If you don't have any of their albums get the self-titled 1968 album.

[Alex_1]

First, about Smoke City. Heroes of Nature is their last one, and it's a great CD. But I didn't like it as much as their first cd "Flying Away". "Flying Away" was incredibly original, and Nina Miranda's vocals were fresh and full of life. Joga Bossa was a cute track, and Jamie Pan was awesome, along with the subtlety of Numbers.

Heroes of Nature on the other hand was a bit more "modern" IMO like folha said. You still have Christian Franck's guitar playing and Nina's vocals, but the sound isn't as original. They kind of remind me of "The Brand New Heavies" in a way... maybe bad analogy but really. I'd get "Flying Away" before Heroes of Nature... and maybe before you get Heroes of Nature, get "Songs from the Tin" by a group called "Da Lata". I'll bring up a review on them later on if you want... and they recently released a new remix cd.

Originally posted by folha

Alex, I need your advice. A show will be in Hollywood Bowl in Sep. but I hardly know any of the performers there. Tell me if it is worth seeing. Thanks!:)
List:
Ivan Lins
Leila Pinheiro
Dori Caymmi
Leny Andrade
Oscar Castro-Neves
Monica Salmaso

Wow! Honestly, I didn't think many would reply to this thread. But cool - here we go.

The biggest name in your list is actually Ivan Lins. He is a classic Bossa Nova Artists, jazzy, and was considered by many the "heir" to Jobim and Milton Nascimento in Brazilian music. His Live shows are supposed to be absolutely extraordinary. Leila Pinheiro has a wonderful, sweet voice. SHe's also of the older mode of Musica Popular of Brasil (MPB), and one of my favorite tracks by her is "Pra Iluminar". It has an awesome samba beat and just sort of glides.

The rest... Dori Caymmi - awesome. You're gonna have a blast at the show. Great collection of musicians/composers and singers. I'm very jealous!!

[Alex_1]

Originally posted by Real Ray
Two recent buys: Suba: "Tributo" and Trio Mocotó: "Samba Rock." Different genre, but Brasilian all the same.

Suba's awesome. Ha, but you already know I think that. ;) Tributo is pretty cool - but man, it makes you realize how much he is missed. "Are You Sleeping" is sooooo Suba, more so than any of the other tracks besides maybe the rendition of "Tantos Desejos". Can you imagine the sound that would be out now if he hadn't passed away? :sad: But Tributo is good - they have Boyz from Brazil (Hi-Fi Trumpet) and a ton of others on it. But Real Ray, you picked up two Ziriguiboom label releases - I usually get them all too. I didn't get Samba Rock though. How is it?

Originally Posted by Nicodemus
I recommend Vinicius Cantuaria:

He's played with everyone from Brad Mehldau to David Byrne. His stuff is very cool. Kind of dark for Brasilian music but still great.

Vinicius Cantuaria is amazing - but to be honest, this one wasn't his best release. "Sol Na Cara" was, IMO. He is very much dark, as you say, and more Bossa Nova style. His sound is acoustic and he is sort of a poet and reflects on nature - if you like this, you would probably also like Joao Gilberto's Voz e Voz (woman "shhhing" on the cover). Don't listen to Vinicius Cantuaria if you're looking to get energized for a big date or game. :D A little unknown fact, he did work on "Ondha Sonora", or "Red Hot + Lisbon" back in 1999. Very different CD - has Caetano, Marisa Monte, David Byrne etc.

I would usually describe Musica Popular Brasil as sort of a definition of Brazilian music in the late 70's, eighties. Gal Costa, Caetano more Nascimento, Djavan, etc. Rock was big there, and of course there's regular "pop" in Brasil too.

And yes, The Girl from Ipanema is probably the most popular Bossa Nova song. But is it the best - maybe not. Check out "Nova Bossa - Red Hot on Verve". It has that track and several other classic Bossa Nova's as they were originally recorded, including "Agua De Beber", Desafinado, Surfboard, Mas Que Nada, Waters of March and the original: A Felicidade" from the movie "Orfeu Negro". Joao Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Elis Regina... when you think Bossa Nova, usually you think of a song with their musicianship or voices.

[Alex_1]

Speaking of Vinicius Cantuaria, Just wrote an Amazon review on his first album... will post it here.

Sol Na Cara:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000322T.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

This is Vinicius Cantuaria's best US release. I first really got into him with the Brasil 2Mil compilation piece (first track here) and it was togetherness ever since. I first picked up his latest realease, Vinicius, followed by Tocuma, and oddly, I found the quality better as I went back in time to his earlier releases until I picked this one up.
His sound is very dark and soulful, this is an acoustic album. His style tends to use sound effects in the background, but there is a charm to his style that makes him very easy to listen to. A smooth voice and a nice message. He is a poet. This particular release has the translations in the cover sheet which also is a nice touch to those that cannot speak portuguese. Good touch IMO.

I'd pick this one up - definitely before the later two. And if you like this, pick up some of Joao Gilberto's acoustic releases - namely Voz e Viola.

[Alex_1]

One more review... one of my first real thumbs downs on Brazil compilations:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006BCBM.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

The artists on this release include Deja Move, Superpulse, Lauren, Kokomono and Michal and some of the tracks are solid. However it's hard to really label this. Maybe the "new" sound is just getting old, but most of the tracks hardly have that charming bossa feeling that you get from some of the wider known compilations. It isn't just about the Bossa being from Brazil, but it's about the sound and rythme and feel. To be honest, this CD is eerily similar to Brazilectro session 3. Melancholy, and not all that upbeat. Difference is that some of the tracks here on Brazil 5000 are just plain bad bossa... cliched, no identity and, no offense, but almost Americanly forced. I did enjoy the track by Lauren and Michal. But I could have pretty much done without the rest.

I'd recommend one of the other compilations, like Boss-A-Troniq or Brazilectro 1 and 2. Even Break N Bossa 5, or simply go back to Brasil 2Mil or check out Serve Chilled Vol. 3. All of those I'd recommend before this one. Unless you want something slow, I might hold off on this purchase - and even if you do want something slow, just pick up some real Bossa Nova - like Nova Bossa or Getz/Gilberto.

In otherwords, folks, this is "Bad Bossa". A bit too contrived, cliched, and sounds incredibly forced into melancholic molasses. Not a recommendation - just get Brazilectro 3...


I do tons of reviews like these on Amazon on comps and stuff, and if you want a "playlist", just say the word and I'll post one.

[nicodemus]

Originally posted by Alex_1
Speaking of Vinicius Cantuaria, Just wrote an Amazon review on his first album... will post it here.


Don't you know that all submitted reviews are the property of Amazon.com? Copyright infringing upon your own work (that you didn't get paid for)

[Alex_1]

Originally posted by nicodemus


Don't you know that all submitted reviews are the property of Amazon.com? Copyright infringing upon your own work (that you didn't get paid for)

:p No kiddin'! lol

[folha]

Thank you, Alex! I will definitely go see it then.

I saw Suba's disc a few days ago, but I couldn't decide to download it or buy it. There're a lot of remixs... But since you guys said those remixs are good, I will go get it. Yep, when holding the disc, I was really missing him.:(

And recently I just rented a documentary called "Calle 54" and I love it. It's about Latin Jazz, nothing really in the field of Bossa Nove, but it gets Elaine Elias in it. And a scene about her is really sexy there. You guys would love it.:D Anyhow, I highly recommend it to all of you.

BTW, one reason I visit Amazon is for the reviews. If they mention some song's names, it would be better. I could go d/l them first and see if it's worth buying.