Brazuca Sounds

In episode #42, we continue our celebration of albums released 50 years ago in 1972 in addition to classics such as Transa, Clube da Esquina, Acabou Chorare, Tom Zé's self-titled, and Paulinho da Viola's Dança da Solidão. We will wrap up 2022 by listing a few more brilliant albums, from the iconic Arthur Verocai debut (cover) to releases of Lô Borges, Quarteto em Cy, Jards Macalé, Elis Regina, Elz...

In episode #33 we're celebrating the 80th birthday of Paulinho da Viola by discussing his phenomenal album "Dança da Solidão" (1972). Paulinho elevated samba into the mainstream in the 1970s, rejuvenating the most Brazilian-centric music genre. A brilliant guitarist, with an angelic voice, and poetic lyrics, he is o ne of the most iconic Brazilian musicians of all time. Paulinho da Viola was born...

In episode #40 we celebrate the life of Gal Costa by discussing her five best records: Gal Costa (1969), Gal (1969), Índia (1973), Cantar (1974) and Gal Tropical (1979). As an early bossa-nova singer moving from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro, Gal reached her golden era as part of the Tropicalia, a psychedelic-rock counter-culture movement in the late 1960s. In the 1970s Gal Costa explored different genr...

In episode #39 we finish our celebration of Tim Maia's 80th birthday by discussing 80 of his best songs (!!!). In this third and last episode, we talked about my favourite Top 20, from his Polydor-years classics to obscure gems like "Ar Puro" (82), "Verão Carioca" (77) and the mistankely overlooked ballad "Pelo Amor de Deus". We also discussed Tim Maia's mythology covering his fights and no-shows...

In episode #38 we resume our celebration of Tim Maia's 80th birthday by discussing 80 of his best songs (!!!). In this episode, we talk about his blend of soul, funk and forró, his multi-instrumentalist skills, and a lot of obscure gems including songs from his brilliant 1982 album "Nuvens". We also talk about Tim Maia unforgettable one-liners in Brazilian culture. Born on September 28th, 1942, Ti...

In episode #37 we celebrate the 80th birthday of the great Tim Maia by discussing 80 of his best songs (!!!). Born on September 28th, 1942, Tim Maia was a transformative figure in Brazilian music, a pioneer of funk, soul, disco, boogie, and black music in general. In this episode, we talk about his first singles, his songwriting in English, the adaptations of songs already written, and Tim Maia's...

In episode #36 we discussed the influences of Afro-Brazilian religions on the country's music. The podcast will showcase the countless references to Orixás from the Umbanda and Candomblé in Brazilian music, from various genres such as samba, funk, soul, samba-rock, and psychedelia. Some of the artists presented are Paulo Diniz, Jorge Mautner, Antonio Carlos & Jocafi, Os Tincoãs, Wando, Ronnie...

In episode #35 we celebrate Caetano Veloso's 80th birthday by discussing his songwriting credits. From Tropicalia, bossa-nova, MPB, samba, Eighties pop, carimbó, and everything else in between. One of the most iconic Brazilian musicians and songwriters of all time, Caetano Veloso was born on July 7th, 1942 in Santo Amaro, Bahia. This episode showcases music recorded by Os Mutantes, Gal Costa, Robe...

In episode #34 we continue our series celebrating albums released 50 years ago with the masterpiece "Acabou Chorare", released by Novos Baianos in September 1972. The album was listed as the best Brazilian album of all time by Rolling Stone magazine published in 2007. Inspired by several meetings with Joao Gilberto in the group's communal house outside Rio, the album focused on their...

In episode #33 we celebrate Gilberto Gil's 80th birthday by discussing his 1970s trilogy. Refazenda (1975), where Gil paid tribute to his Northeastern roots in Bahia after he came from his exile in London; Refavela (1977), a celebration of his African origins after a trip to Nigeria; and Realce (1979), influenced by the disco music and recorded in Los Angeles.

In episode #30 we discussed the psychedelic music coming out of Brazil by listing 10 fundamental albums. Brazilian psychedelia goes way beyond Tropicalia, with its influences not limited to rock but taken elements from Africa, samba, folk, and Brazilian regional rhythms. From percussionist master Pedro Santos to the Afrobeat ensemble Free Son to psychedelic bands such as Os Brazões, Karma, and Mod...

In episode #31 we continue our series celebrating albums released 50 years ago. Tom Zé's third self-titled album came out in May 1972, and although it is not his most famous album, it really opened the door to his more experimental endeavors later on in his career. This album confirmed that Tom Zé was probably the most irreverent and creative artist in Tropicalia and beyond, however in 1972 h...

In episode #30 we listed fundamental albums of samba-rock from Trio Mocotó, Bebeto, Luiz Vagner, and Marku. Samba-rock blended samba elements with the guitar and other electric instruments and is mostly associated with São Paulo in the 1970s - and expanded to cities such as Porto Alegre (as it has been known as "swing") and Rio de Janeiro (where they called "sambalanço"). More like a dance style t...

In episode #29 we talk about some of my favourite Brazilian albums released recently: Amaro Freitas' "Sankofa" (pictured), Pedro Sá's "Um" and Orquestra Afrosinfonicas's "Orín, a Língua dos Anjos". We also present some other jams such as Macaco Bong, Oruã, Juliana Linhares, Juçara Marçal and the Brazilian legends Mundo Livre S/A. This episode is a blend of MPB, jazz, afro beats, psychedelic pop, i...

In episode #28 we discuss the making of "Clube da Esquina" released in March 1972. Considered one the best albums of Brazilian history, Milton Nascimento decided to come up with a collective effort of musicians signed as a duo with 19-year-old prodigy Lô Borges. It is a double LP impossible to define in one genre: folk, MPB, rock, psychedelia, prog, classical, indigenous. Clube da Esquina is every...

In episode #27, we celebrate Brazilian female singers such as Flora Purim, Joyce, Célia, Wanderlea, and Claudia. We also bring some more obscure names such as Dila, Silvinha, and Elizabeth. Brazil always had a large tradition of female superstars, so for this episode, I've decided to put a spotlight on some great singers that are not as recognized as they should be.

In episode #26, we bring ten brilliant albums that more or less tell the history of samba in Brazil. Arguably the most popular music genre in the country, this podcast presents the great song-writers from the early era such Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho, and Dona Ivone Lara followed by the great composers of the 1960s and 1970s, Paulinho da Viola and Martinho da Vila, all the way to the samba divas s...

In episode #25 we discuss the making of Caetano Veloso's album "Transa" released in January 1972. This is his second album recorded in London, while in exile following his prison by the military regime in Brazil. However, unlike the obvious sadness of Caetano's self-title LP of 1971 ( Brazuca Sounds #17 ), Transa is the culmination of all his new influences living abroad. The reggae on Portobello...

In episode #24, we talk about the life and music of João Donato, Eumir Deodato, Egberto Gismonti, and Hermeto Paschoal. Each one of them achieved greatness beyond the Brazilian frontier and, in fact, they're all likely more successful worldwide rather than in their own country. These four artists blend Brazilian rhythm with psychedelia, funk, jazz, and experimentalism. As they all have a long...

In episode #23, we continue our conversation celebrating albums released 50 years ago in 1971. From the classics of Tim Maia, Gal Costa, and Marcos Valle, Ivan Lins, to obscure gems such as Antonio Adolfo e a Brazuca and the magnificent Claudia.

In episode #22 we discussed Chico Buarque's eighth album, "Construção", released 50 years ago by Philips in December 1971. Considered by many the best Brazilian album of all time, it was Chico's first studio record after returning to Brazil following a period living in Europe due to the Brazilian dictatorship. Perhaps not by consequence, it is Chico Buarque's more political r...

In episode #21 we discussed the album "Negro é Lindo", released by Philips in November 1971. It was Jorge Ben's third and last studio album recorded with Trio Mocotó as his backup band. An ending to a trilogy, the arrangements are more centered on the acoustic guitar, possibly the fruit of his partnership with Paulinho Tapajós, who directed Ben’s recordings between 71 and 75, includi...

In episode #20, we continue our conversation about Som Livre from Brazuca Sounds #19 . After releasing a generation of newcomers, such as Novos Baianos, and Alceu Valença , SOM LIVRE decided to invest in high-profile names like Rita Lee, Tim Maia, Jorge Ben, and Marcos Valle. Producer Lincoln Olivetti had a tremendous impact on Som Livre from the late 70s until the mid-80s when its iconic SOM LIVR...

In episode #19, we talk about the Brazilian biggest record label Som Livre. Founded in 1969 as a vehicle for Globo TV's soap opera soundtracks, it gradually started to release new talented artists such as Novos Baianos, Azymuth, Guilherme Arantes, until it quickly became a Brazilian phenomenon in record sales. We explored some of the great records released during Som Livre's first incarnation, und...

In episode #18, we talked about Brazilian psychedelic-folk artists out of the Brazilian Northeast states of Pernambuco, Ceará, and Paraiba. The region is mostly known worldwide because of Bahia (Caetano, Gil, Tom Zé, Gal Costa, Bethania), nevertheless, in the mid-to-late 1970s artists came from all over the wilderness, such as Alceu Valença, Zé Ramalho, Belchior, and Fagner. They all came to produ...