Last Updated on 29/11/2020
Although Brazil has been at the forefront of many, many exciting genres of music, British listeners have often paid it little attention. Accordingly, here are five of the largest titans of Brazilian music you should listen to. Desculpa qualquer coisa!
5. Elis Regina.
In 1982, Elis Regina sadly passed away, just 36 years old. Despite dying so young however, she would still manage to leave behind an immortal contribution to Brazilian music, bringing to life música popular brasileira, i.e. popular brazilian music. It would mark the first time an artist would tie together the past and present of both Brazilian and overseas styles, drawing from a mixture of samba, jazz, rock and blues sounds. Don’t worry, I know what you’re thinking. Will this be some sort of Frankenstein’s monster experiment gone wrong? The answer is definitely no. Right from the start, with Elis’ live rendition of “Arrastão” on national television, Brazilians went mad for her. In 1965, the song became the highest selling Brazilian single of all time. The public adored her so much, in fact, that she was one of very few who escaped exile for ripping into the Brazilian government, suggesting that her country was “being run by guerrillas” (it was then under military rule). Her powerful performances always warped her audiences into a frenzy and watching them it does not come as a surprise that many have likened Elis to Janis Joplin … not an entirely accurate comparison, but one that does have its merits.
For a flavour of Elis’ pop/jazz/samba fusion sound, listen to her first live album, 2 Na Bossa (1965), performed alongside Jair Rodrigues. It was the first Brazilian album to reach one million sales and also includes a few slow numbers, ensuring a nice ebb and flow throughout the whole recording. As is not the case with many artists, the more Elis then released, the more her work continued to grow both in terms of respect and recognition. Elis (1972), Elis & Tom (1974) and Falso Brilhante (1976) all make Rolling Stone Brazil’s 100 greatest Brazilian albums. What you’ll notice over all three releases is Elis’ ability to gel impressively with the right artists on a track, no matter how big or small, to create something beautifully unique. A truly talented woman.
4. Gal Costa.
The story goes that, whilst Mariah Costa Penna was pregnant, she’d spend days listening to classical music so that her child would leave the womb born a propa musichead. Gal Costa, that child, would go on to release countless albums, five of which make it onto the Rolling Stone Brazil’s 100 greatest Brazilian albums list. Only Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, two lifelong friends of Gal, have more. During the late 1960s, alongside other artists such as Os Mutantes, Tom Ze and Nara Leao, the three would participate in perhaps what ought to be considered Brazil’s most important music movement: tropicália. Mixing local and foreign music trends (much in the same way that MPB did), tropicália is well documented to have given Brazilians hope during their darkest, most desperate years under Military rule. Fueling the dying embers of bossa nova with the psychedelic sounds of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and with lyrics referring to the violent dictatorship of the time, the level of counter culture it inspired was on the same level, if not greater, than that of the 60s hippy movement in America and the 70s punk movement in England. Gal’s “Divino Maravilhoso” is quintessential tropicália both in terms of sound and theme, making references to work of the government’s death squads. Following the awesome playlist Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis (1968), featuring a who’s who of tropicália contributors, her first albums Gal Costa (1969) and Gal (1969) are the most intense and experimental. Even when not focused on political themes, Gal’s demeanor and sound are incredibly anarchic. Listening to “Pais Tropical” and then “Cultura E Civilizacao”, you can hear her voice oscillate from the heights of her sweet, honey-like tones to the depths of her dark, unhinged wailing.
With her tropicália days behind her, Gal still managed to maintain a characterful edge as she veered into MPB. Her live album Gal A Todo Vapor (1971) is much more subtle than her earlier work, yet still an incredibly gorgeous listen. It is broadly split into two halves, the first being stripped back and the second being much more rocky. Everyone ought to truly envy Gal’s range. It’s wider than my lockdown waistline. Three other albums you may want to put on shuffle are India (1973), Cantar (1974) and Gal Tropical (1979). They’re more on the poppy side of her discography, but when was that a bad thing?
3. Gilberto Gil.
Whilst still at school, Gilberto Gil was a member of the band Os Desafinados, whose name literally translates into English as “The Out of Tunes”. Training himself over his life to play guitar, drums, accordion and trumpet, I guess this makes Gilberto the most talented out-of-tune multi-instrumentalist to have ever lived. His career achievements, both inside and outside of music, are so eye-watering that they’d leave even Jordan Belfort satiated. Originally following a very similar career path to Gal Costa, it was Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses (1968) that first put him on the map. The praise and contempt he received for the album would then be compounded by two other releases, leading ultimately to his exile at the close of the sixties. Gilberto Gil (1968) is exceptional for its peppering of psychedelia, samba and Rogério Duprat composed orchestral arrangements. Songs such as “Marginalia II” and “Domingo no Parque” are just two examples of how wide-ranging tropicália’s sonic palette could be. And don’t think that Cérebro Eletrônico (1969) is any less exciting. It’s probably Gilberto’s most experimental work, with added synth greatly contributing to its extraterrestrial nature. “Cérebro Eletrônico” and “Aquele Abraço” are definitely worth listening to.
On his return back from exile in London, Gilberto would soon release Expresso 2222 (1972). Hits such as “Back In Bahia” and “Oriente” are a clear indicator that living in England listening to bands such as Led Zeppelin had a great impact on Gilberto. In his own words, he’d begin to place less emphasis on ‘volume and wildness’, and more on ‘precision and spareness’. This hints at a side to Gilberto that is so attractive. No matter where he went, his open mindedness would always leave him influenced and wanting to try new things. With samba as a foundation, he’d tap into reggae after befriending artists such as Jimmy Cliff, as well as jazz and disco after touring the US in 1978. Later hits such as “Superhomem, a Cancao”, “No Norte Da Saudade” and “Maracatu Atomico” would find homes in American jazz bars, Jamaican dancehalls and Wigan casinos respectively.
2. Jorge Ben.
Rod Stewart in typical obsessive fashion famously released the single “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” when in reality the title should’ve been “Do You Think I’m Samey”. The melody may have latched itself into the minds of millions, but it’s not his; it was lifted straight from the great Jorge Ben’s “Taj Mahal”. Listening to the Brazilian’s work, you’ll quickly notice that Jorge had an incredible talent for song writing. Despite only learning how to play the guitar aged 18, by 21 he’d have released his first album Samba Esquema Novo (1963). Rooted in bossa nova, but already injecting a youthful dynamic into the genre, it would be the first of many albums to capture Jorge’s jovial rhythms. You may recognise “Mas Que Nada” as it has since been covered hundreds of times by artists such as his wonderfully talented compatriot Elza Soares and more recently by the Black Eyed Peas. Other songs on the album worth listening to are “Por Causa De Voce, Menina” and “Balanca Pema”.
O Bidu (1967), which is not on Spotify, then saw Jorge move to Sao Paulo and be the first to electrify samba in an effort to capture the hustle and bustle of Brazil’s largest city. Despite preceding the tropicalía movement, it manages to capture its spirit, as confirmed by tropicalía stalwart Caetano Velosa who went on record stating that songs like “Si Manda” were exactly what he himself was going for. It’s clear to see Jorge’s development as, soon after O Bidu, Jorge Ben (1969) was released; a tropicalía classic. It’s more psychedelic than his previous work, and introduces a political streak to his discography. “Charles Anjo 45” is an homage to a figure resembling the Robin Hood of the favelas, with its english revise “Take It Easy My Brother Charles” also a great listen. We cannot forget about “Pais Tropical”, “Crioula” and “Cadê Teresa” which also became important hits. Jorge would reach his zenith during the mid 70s, adding elements of soul into A Tábua de Esmeralda (1974) and funk into Africa Brasil (1976), both unbelievable albums. If you’re in the mood for more of his acoustic-centred sessions, try Força Bruta (1970) or his fantastic collaboration with Gilberto Gil, Gil e Jorge (1975).
1. Joao Gilberto.
This man has to be at the top of the list. Being the pioneer of bossa nova, he is simply the daddy of latter-half 20th Century Brazilian music. Every musician in Brazil was inspired by him, including each of the four previously mentioned on this list. Not everyone gets the nickname “O Mito” (meaning “The Legend”), but then again, not everyone is Joao Gilberto. Joao’s career would blow up with his release of “Chega de Saudade”, a single he’d produce collaboratively in 1958 with lifelong friend Tom Jobim. Mastering a unique guitar style so early on in his life, his sedated, samba sounding rhythms resonated confidence and his whispery vocals an understated calmness. A jazz/samba fusion would then be cemented by his second and third albums O Amor, O Sorriso e a Flor (1960) and Joao Gilberto (1960). Joao would turn Brazil’s social axis on its head, exposing its metropolitan youth to a fresh wave of coolness and dash. Consistency then followed Joao throughout his career until his fame peaked with the release of Getz/Gilberto (1963), and what can be considered a bossa nova masterpiece. It is littered with deeply intimate hits, from the well-covered “The Girl From Ipanema”, to “Corcovado” and “Desafinado”. Joao’s guitar accompanied by Stan Getz’s saxophone, Tom’s piano and Milton Banana’s sparse percussion makes for some serene listening.
Perhaps the only album that can give Getz/Gilberto a run for its money as Joao’s best is his second eponymous album Joao Gilberto (1973), again not on Spotify. It contains a beautiful rendition of Tom’s “Águas de Março” and exciting features by Gilberto Gil as well as Caetano Velosa, but the song for me that hits the hardest is “Undiú”. It’s a lullaby that’s just so soft and eerily simple that I’m certain it beats any s**t that Julie Andrews could’ve come up with. The chord changes nearly make me cry, the b*****ds. Want a bit more spark? Try Brasil (1981). It’s again another collaboration with Caetano and Gilberto, capturing once again the sensitive, open-hearted features of the other two’s discographies. I highly recommend it; the harmonies between all three are sublime, especially on “Aquarela Do Brasil” and “Milagre”.
Make your own mind up on whether you dig our suggestions by listening to our playlist below.
