Brazuca Sounds

In episode #5 we talk about the "malditos," a generation of MPB songwriters who never achieved the same popular status as their peers. Jards Macale, Jorge Mautner, Walter Franco, and Sergio Sampaio never took off as planned, either due to their difficult relationship with record labels, experimentalism, or even bad luck. "Malditos" can be roughly translated into English as &quo...

In episode #4 we talked about the 50 years release of Mutantes' fourth album, Jardim Elétrico, released in March 1971. After originally starting to record an English-language record in Paris, ultimately they quit the project and travelled back to Brazil. "Jardim Elétrico" was heavily influenced by the use of LSD, leading up to a series of internal conflicts, musical and personal. Rita Lee would ev...

In episode #3 we present the work of two incredible drummers, Dom Um Romão and Wilson das Neves (photo). Altogether they recorded many Brazilian classic songs, from Bossa Nova to MPB jams, such as Tom Jobim's "Wave", Jorge Ben's album "Samba Esquema Novo", and Gilberto Gil's "Aquele Abraço" (das Neves). Altogether they are credited for more than 800 records, and that is on top of their own solo re...

In episode #2 we present the work of Clara Nunes (photo), Bethânia, and Gal Costa and their connections with the Afro-Brazilian religions. We discussed how they introduced Candomblé and Umbanda into their music in a country dominated by Christians, regardless of whether it was samba, MPB, or Tropicalia. Follow our playlist on Spotify " Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds ". --- Send in a voice message: htt...

In episode #1 we present the work of three pioneers of Brazilian soul music from the 1970s: Cassiano (photo cover), Hyldon, and Wilson Simonal. We discussed how they dissociated themselves from samba, and how they inspired a generation of artists leading up the Black Rio Movement in the late 1970s. Follow our Spotify playlist " Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds ".   --- Send in a voice message:...