Let's talk about great Brazilian music

Music
#1

I can’t quite remember how it started but over the last couple of months I’ve got really into loads of Brazilian stuff from the 60s and 70s – Joao Gilberto, Jorge Ben, Caetano Veloso – artists with enormous catalogues that until recently I had no idea about at all. Anyone got a good knowledge of this sort of stuff that can point me in the direction of some of your favourites?

I think Jorge Ben is topping the list for me at the minute. Africa Brasil and A Tabua De Esmerelda are both fucking amazing albums.

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Introductions!
#2

Os Mutantes is a must when it comes to Brazilian music, I reckon.

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#3

I’m not a huge expert on the subject, though.

#4

I’m gonna post the bits I have been enjoying too so people like me who don’t/didn’t know this stuff can give it a go:

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#5
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#6
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#7
#8
#9

I have started going out with a Brasilian recently who has introduced me to some really cool music. The stuff I’ve liked most so far is

Novas Baianos

Tim Maia

Jorge Ben Jor

Elizeth Cardoso

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#10

Sweeet, thanks!

#11

Was just about to post que beleza :+1:

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#12

Also I am finally appreciating what a great song Mas Que Nada is, rather than hearing it as ‘that Brazilian song’.

#13

I’ve nothing to add but I’m gonna be checking all this stuff out late. Great thread already.

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#14

Yeah - really love Jorge Ben Jor’s stuff. The first two Novas Baianos records are absolutely stunning (the others are great too).

#15

Caetano Veloso took me a little longer but I’m enjoying his stuff a lot at the minute.

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#16

Jorge Ben is an absolute boss and A Tábua de Esmeralda is one of my absolute favourite albums of all time. It’s pretty amazing following his trajectory from his early samba albums and up through Tropicália to the weird esoteric psychedelia of A Tábua and the funk-rock of África Brasil.

Another one I’d highly recommend is Acabou Chorare by Novos Baianos. It was rated the #1 Brazilian album of all time by Rolling Stone and it pretty much encompasses everything that I love about 60/70s Brazilian music - incredible energy, catchy hooks, colourful melodies and some beautiful guitar playing:

If you like spacey dramatic prog, Som Imaginário could be a good option.

One of the founding members of Som Imaginário (Milton Nascimento) also has a great solo career and founded a collective of musicians from the state of Minas Gerais called Clube da Esquina. They released a compilation album in 1972 which covers a ton of different styles from rock and roll to bossa nova, this being a highlight:

For all your post-punk needs, check out Legião Urbana:

And finally, for some brilliant modern day psychedelic rock:

I lived in Brazil for six months and wrote my undergrad dissertation on Tropicalia so could talk about this kind of thing for days. Looks like a lot of the good stuff’s already been covered though!

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#17

Awesome – thread delivering, thanks guys!

#18

These compilations I are pretty good. I got my copies off the gig promoter’s merch table when I saw the Fleshtones last month.

#19

i like this Jorge Ben one but don’t know any more, so i’m gonna dive into this thread in a bit

#20

Some top recommendations here. If anyone needs a good starting purchase, this is one of the best compilations of all time: