:: Reviewing Brazilian Music We Like Since September 7, 2002 ::
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A Nostalgic Trip One of Brazil’s most controversial bands ever must have been Os Mutantes. There were protest marches against their music back in the early 70s. They were accused of being a serious danger for the existence of … Continued
Quietly Moving On On Momento Bebel Gilberto changes the mood a bit, compared to what we heard so far from her. Without losing contact with the rest of the world, the charming singer features some of Brazil’s most … Continued
Master of the Art When hearing the name Baden Powell, people tend to think about the famous British founder of the Boy Scouts association (1908). But in Brazil it often happens that parents name their child after … Continued
Swing & Substance Born in Santiago, Chile (1963), Rick Udler grew up in the United States initially. In 1974 his family moved in São Paulo. It was at that time that Rick started on guitar. A few other moves … Continued
A Taste of the Tropics Rick Udler’s first album was released in 1996 and was a collaboration with singer Maria Alvim. Rhythm & Romance (MAL 71001) received praises from jazz critics all over. Mark Holston called it “an album … Continued
Sensitivity in Style Produced by Zeca Baleiro and recorded in São Paulo from October 1998 through June 1999, Ceumar’s debut album Dindinha is a joy to listen to. Her captivating voice and well-produced arrangements shine from beginning to … Continued
More Than Perfect Bossa The delicate bass introduction in “Tom Mais Que Perfeito” sets the tone for Todo Bossa, a gorgeous bossa album by bassist and composer Max Robert. Bass is followed by Keco Brandão’s gentle piano accompaniment in … Continued
One of This Year’s Best! Leonel Laterza (Uberaba, Minas Gerais) is one of several artists in the thriving Brasília music scene. With his debut album, Esmeraldas, Leonel marks a strong presence in the Brazilian popular music. Leonel began his … Continued
Can it be overwhelming when two exceptional artists join forces to release a new album? Most definitely not in this case. Mike Marshall and Hamilton de Holanda have come up with a dynamite duet album that is bound to leave listeners in pure ecstasy. On mandolin, mandocello and tenor guitar, Marshall gets plenty of enticement from Holanda, who clearly takes the top spot as Brazil’s number one 10-string bandolim player.
Introspective Cristina Braga (Rio de Janeiro, 1966) is a Brazilian harpist who started her musical career as a soloist of the Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira and Orquestra Sinfônica Pró-Música da Petrobrás. Since 1993, she has been the principal harpist with the … Continued
Cool Brazilian Jazz Back in August 2006, I had the privilege of reviewing a recent album by Grupo Comboio. Besides the original repertoire they performed in that album, the caliber of those artists also impressed me. As a Brazilian … Continued
Jazzing up with Jobim Hot in the footsteps of From the Heart, Mario Adnet returns with yet another gorgeous album. Celebrating what would have been Tom Jobim’s 80th birthday (January 25, 2007), Jobim Jazz combines Adnet’s meticulous arrangements with … Continued