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explaining musicbrazilian

A série Explaining Brazilian music for foreigners foi uma espécie de brincadeira que nasceu na minha página da rede social TUMBLR chamada POPS AND INDIES (apesar do endereço ser Elefante Bu). O que me chamou a atenção é que quase metade dos perfis que seguem a POPS é de estrangeiros. Fiquei a pensar em como poderia gerar um pouco de conteúdo para “conversar” com esse público que não fala português, mas aparentemente gosta da música. Foi quando surgiu a idéia de fazer pequenos textos que pudessem dar uma idéia dos artistas e movimentos musicais no Brasil. O título era algo literal que poderia chamar a atenção dessas pessoas e também divertir um pouco os compatriotas que também acompanham a POPS.

Então comecei a fazer pequenos textos traduzidos com a ajuda de ferramentas do GOOGLE, ou seja, nunca estarão inteiramente corretos. Mas com algumas ajeitadas aqui e acolá para ficarem ao menos decifráveis. Explaining Brazilian music for foreigners se transformou uma série. E foi quase sem querer. Quando percebi, tinha um monte desses pequenos textos. Mas as coisas no Tumblr ficam um pouco perdidas com o passar do tempo. A estrutura é de um blog, afinal. Foi quando pensei que seria interessante reunir toda a produção do Explaining numa revistinha em que você possa ver a foto e ouvir aquele artista.

A sequência dos capítulos é exatamente a mesma em que os textos foram gerados no Tumblr, daí a falta de uma cronologia ou separação de estilos. Mas, no fim, acho que isso tornou-se benéfico na construção de um mosaico da música brasileira. Veja, escute e se divirta.

by Djenane Arraes

The series Explaining Brazilian music for foreigners was kind of a

joke that was born in my TUMBLR called POPS AND INDIES (although the

address is Elefante Bu). What caught my attention is that almost half of the

profiles that follow the POPS are foreign. I wondered how I could generate a

bit of content to "talk" to this audience who does not speak Portuguese, but

apparently likes the song. That's when came the idea of making small posts

that could give an idea of artists and musical movements in Brazil. The title

was something literal so I could draw the attention of these people and also

give some fun to my compatriots who also accompany the POPS.

So I started translating the posts with the help of GOOGLE, and I

know the texts will never be entirely corrects this way. But with some

adjustments here and there, I think the texts are at least decipherable.

Explaining Brazilian music for foreigners became a series. It was almost by

accident. When I realized, I had a lot of these short texts. But things on

Tumblr are a bit lost with the passage of time. The structure is a blog, after

all. That's when I thought it would be interesting to gather all the production

Explaining and put it together. Then, you would be able to see the artists,

listen the music, read just a bit.

The sequence of chapters is exactly the same in which the texts were

generated on Tumblr, hence the lack of a timeline or separation of styles. But

in the end, I think it has become beneficial in building a mosaic of Brazilian

music. Look, listen and have fun.

TropicáliaRoberto CarlosChico BuarqueJorge Ben JorElis Regina

Legião UrbanaParalamas do SucessoLos Hermanos Nação ZumbiNara Leão

Raul SeixasClube da EsquinaPenélopeCartolaSecos & Molhados

Novos BaianosMarina LimaAutoramasMarisa MontePato Fu

CHAPTER 1

TROPICÁLIA

In the 1960s there were two rival groups in Brazilian music. The nationalist group defended Brazilian rhythms. The other liked rock, oh yeah! The nationalists didn't like rock because it was an imperialist music. The rockers didn't care because they were fashionable and successful. While the two groups fought (the nationalists made a march in the streets against the electric guitar), Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Tom Zé and other guys said, "Why can't we do both? It will be so nice if we mix brazilian music with rock'n'roll" And that's what happened: In the beginning, the people understood nothing. "What the hell is this? And why are these guys flounders on stage?" But, soon, people (and critics) get used and liked it. “Yeah, it's not that bad.” Everyone started doing tropicalist music, and still do it today, just with different names.

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CHAPTER 2

ROBERTO CARLOS

Brazilians love Roberto Carlos. He is a romantic singer who doesn't have a great voice (although it is tuned), he's not beautiful and has a complex because he doesn't have a leg (but if you mention it, his lawyers may seek you and sue you). So how is he so loved? Because Roberto Carlos is a great songwriter and can do popular love songs better than anyone. As Michael Jackson was the King of Pop, or Elvis Presley, the king of rock, Roberto Carlos is also a king. And he is not king of this or that. It is simply: King. Whether any other singer can do a much better job with his songs, he is still the king. Even if he does not make a decent song since the 1970s, he is still the king. Why? Well because of shit like this:

“My darling/ my Darling/ you have to believe me/ nobody can destroy a great love/ do not listen the evil alien/ and believe/ your stupidity won't you see that i love you...”

See?

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CHAPTER 3

If could explain Chico Buarque in a very easy way, I'd say he is the Brazilian Bob Dylan. These two appeared in music more or less at the same time, they sing badly, but they can write extraordinary songs. Bob was spokesman of the important political and social changes of the 1960s, and also Chico. The difference is that Chico do samba and made sharp criticism of the Brazilian dictatorship.

“For this bread to eat, for that floor to sleepThe certificate to be born, and the granting to smileFor letting me breathe, let me beGod bless you”

Chico Buarque wrote important plays, and also books that were adapted for the cinema. He also participated in some films during the Cinema Novo. In addition to the social and political criticism, Chico also got known for doing songs from feminine perspective. He could dialogue with women's souls. Today, Chico doesn't make songs as good as formerly, but his work is simply fantastic, high quality. And his green eyes are still wonderful.

CHICO BUARQUElisten

CHAPTER 4

I don't like, but people say Brazil is the country of football. Thus, there are artists closely linked to this sport literally or metaphorically. Jorge Ben Jor (Jorge Ben, early in his career) was a footballer when he was younger. But he was a much better musician than player. The music thanks. Jorge spoke much about football in the songs, but his style was not a matter of theme but swing. As the biggest footballer, he printed a new beat to the guitar that transformed samba into something new. No wonder that his first album called (in translation) Samba New Game, released in 1964. So wonderful!

JORGE BEN JORlisten

CHAPTER 5

ELIS REGINA

In jazz, it's common to discuss who was the best singer. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday... well, there are a lot of discussions and opinions especially on these three personalities. But not in Brazil. Who is the best Brazilian singer of all time? Carmen Miranda? No! She was the most famous internationally. The best one was and still is Elis Regina. This is a meaningful title in a country where women's voices dominate in music. And there are in Brazil beautiful voices of all kinds: Maria Bethania, Marisa Monte, Gal Costa, Sky, Nara Leão, Fernanda Takai, Maysa, Elizeth Cardoso, Tulipa Ruiz, Mariana Aydar, Tiê, Ivete Sangalo, Cassia Eller, etc. etc. and so on. Elis Regina didn't have the most beautiful voice, but she has been an interpreter who could raise the music at levels beyond. She appropriated a song and gave a new meaning to it. She could be soft, angry, laugh, cry and use voice extension on the same song. Elis was also technically flawless, and also very charismatic and feisty. She bought fights with many people. Elis Regina died in 1982 at age 36. Many singers have passed through history. Elis remained.

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CHAPTER 6

LEGIÃO URBANA

Legião Urbana was a band formed in the 1980s by shitty musicians, but it had as a vocalist and songwriter the exceptional Renato Russo. It was only because Renato's talent that Legião Urbana became the most important Brazilian rock band of all time. He made (and still makes) generations shouting lines like:

"We are the children of the revolution / we are irreligious bourgeois / we are the nation's future / generation Coca-Cola" (Geração Coca-Cola)

and...

"Our sacred sweat is much more beautiful than this bitter blood / and so serious / and wild" (Tempo Perdido)

and...

"Who will one day say there is reason for the things done by the heart?" (Eduardo e Mônica)

There are dozens of other songs from Legião Urbana that people still sing and shout nowadays. Renato Russo died in 1996 at age 36 (as Elis Regina). The movie based on his youth debuted last week and needed only a weekend to be the most watched Brazilian film of 2013.

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CHAPTER 7

PARALAMAS DO SUCESSO

Unlike Legião Urbana – bad musicians, but amazing singer – the Paralamas do Sucesso has incredible musicians, but it has the worst singer possible. Herbert Vianna can't be more out of tune, yet he sings and, as incredible as it may seem, he pleases. Maybe because Bi Ribeiro and João Barone are so good at bass and drums. Herbert himself is an excellent guitarist. These three were responsible for great Brazilian classic rock and Paralamas do Sucesso is one of the few bands that crossed three decades making the highest level music. This trio is also one of the rare bands that can combine a good song to dance with interesting lyrics. "Lourinha Bombril", for example, speaks of the mixture of ethnicities and cultures in Brazil in a simple way.

"This creole has blue eyes/ That little blonde has Bombril hair/ That Indian has Southern accent/ This mulata has the Brazil's colour..."

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CHAPTER 8

Los Hermanos was the band that spelled the end of the Brazilian rock. Drastic? It can be but this charge makes sense. The quartet from Rio de Janeiro was the direct influence of a generation of hipsters who killed the national pop rock by producing a series of boring and dull albums (and bands). It all started when Los Hermanos had a megahit, Anna Julia. Even George Harrison (the Beatle) played this song. But Los Hermanos didn't like how Anna Julia became big and began to disown it. The second disc was completely different from the first and they managed to launch that way after buying a fight with the label (but they never released an album independently). Los Hermanos became the hero of hipsters. The third disc, Ventura, is in fact the best one released in the 2000's in Brazil. The band is so adored that the show is more like a religious cult than an event for fun. Anyway despite the boring influenced by them, the Los Hermanos was a great band.

LOS HERMANOSlisten

CHAPTER 9

Chico Science & Nação Zumbi proposed mix folk rhythms from the state of Pernambuco with rock and hip hop. That was called the Mangue Bit Movement – Crabs with Brain –, led mainly by Chico Science and Fred 04, the leader and songwriter of Mundo Livre S/A. The proposal itself was not unique, the tropicalists had done it decades before, but the execution was innovative. In fact, the Nação Zumbi created a unique sound. The impact of this in Brazilian music was tremendous. Musicians of different styles embraced the idea, criticism knelt and the sound spread intensely for about four years and two albums: "Da Lama ao Caos" (1994) and "Afrociberdelia" (1996). The Mangue Bit movement somehow ended with the abrupt death of Chico Science in 1997 in a car accident. The Nação Zumbi continued to play with the same quality music.

"The city doesn't stop/ the city only grows / the top up and the bottom down" (A Cidade)

NAÇÃO ZUMBIlisten

CHAPTER 10

NARA LEÃO

It's difficult to explain Nara Leão. She was a rich girl who lives in the most valued Rio de Janeiro's neighborhood. In the apartment of her parents, a lot of important musicians gathered to play guitar, and from there spread the Bossa Nova. But Nara Leão didn't wanto to be just a rich girl with little voice that was lucky to have as friends João Gilberto, Tom Jobim and other Bossa Nova great musicians. She became a great guitarist, had the artistic sensitivity to identify talents and use her influence to give them visibility. She introduced Chico Buarque, Maria Bethania (and indirectly all tropicalistas), gave visibility to samba musicians, she did a whole album with songs by Roberto and Erasmo Carlos when it was taboo. Nara Leão, a rich girl from the South Zone, became one of the most important singers in the history of Brazilian music. Her repertoire is considered by many unmatched in quality. Nara Leão was a muse of rare intelligence, sensitivity and elegance.

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CHAPTER 11

RAUL SEIXAS

There were two Brazilian rock stars in the 1970s: Rita Lee, and Raul Seixas. I will talk about Rita another time. Raul Seixas, also called Maluco Beleza (because of a song) or Raulzito, was a big Elvis Presley's fan. He was even a member of the official fan club of Elvis in Salvador. Raul went to Rio de Janeiro in 1967 to release an LP with his band: Raulzito and the Panthers, but it flopped and he ended as a producer at CBS. Things weren't working very well until the president of CBS asked him to perform a hard-edge in the company with some other crazies, like Sergio Sampaio, Eddy Star and Miriam Batucada. Thus arose the classic "Sociedade da Grã Ordem Kavernista Apresenta Sessão das Dez", which was a failure, but today is a classic. Failure came the chance of success. Raul, who had always been a great composer, had the opportunity to show a solo and he didn't waste the chance. After that, Raul wrote hit after hit by himself or with Paulo Coelho (the writer). Raul Seixas dominated the 1970s. Unfortunately, he "got old" when the "80s rock generation" took over the market. Raul Seixas died in obscurity in 1989.

"I'm so good actor that I pretend to be a singer and songwriter and everybody believes."

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CHAPTER 12

CLUBE DA ESQUINA

Clube da Esquina was a cultural movement that happened in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The Borges family was very connected to the culture and the brothers Borges used to invite their friends to play instruments at home. One of those guys who frequented the house was Milton Nascimento, a genius composer and singer that was revealed by Elis Regina. He showed at the Borges to play the family piano and composing. Then he, the Borges brothers and the gang (Vagner Tiso, Toninho Horta, Fernando Brant, Beto Guedes, etc.) used to go and play in the bar on the corner of the street where the Borges lived in the neighborhood of Santa Tereza. This bar was known as Clube da Esquina. What characterizes this generation was how they mixed Beatles with Brazilian music in a lyrical way. They created a different pop song, but standing in Minas Gerais. The starting point of the movement was the release of the album "Clube da Esquina", in 1972, by Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges.

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CHAPTER 13

The first half of the 1990s was one of the most sexist of the Brazilian rock. Many new bands left romanticism and sensitivity of the predecessors to say directly and even rudely: "I want to eat your pussy" or something like that. Many girls who ventured into the bands avoided theirs femininity to be accept into the “club”. But the band Penelope helped change that story. Led by Erika Martins and Constance Scofield, Penelope was born from the underground leading an alternative proposal that girls could do a good rock'n'roll, play electric guitar, have punk attitude, write good songs, and still wear a dress and flowers in her hair . The band (who had two boys in training) gained fame on the first album, Mi Casa Su Casa, rescuing a old and forgotten Tom Zé's song and made the hit “Holiday”. Penélope achieved excellence on the second album, Buganvília, sounding heavy and cohesive. Penelope did not last a decade, but left the message, and the girls were allowed to be girls with a guitar neck in front of a hardcore band if they wish.

PENÉLOPElisten

CHAPTER 14

Cartola was one of the most important samba-man of Brazil and also owns a curious history. He created the Mangueira Samba School in 1928, one of the most traditional and important of Rio de Janeiro. Cartola was a very popular composer in his early career and had songs recorded by major singers in Brazil. But, suddenly, he disappeared and a lot of people thought he was dead even. More than a decade later, a journalist recognized him while washing cars in the street. This journalist was responsible for the Cartola rediscovery by a new generation. Cartola recorded his first album in 1974 at 66 years old, this LP is considered a masterpiece. One day, a wealthy businessman confronted Cartola. This businessman said it was impossible for somebody with so little formal education be able to write songs with such beautiful words. Cartola, who was in the company of musician Elton Medeiros, then set out to do a song right there to prove he was able to make a beautiful music. In 10 minutes he made the following song in front of this busenessman:

"Smiling, I intend to take the life, because crying I saw a lost youth / End of the storm, the sun will rise / ends this longing (saudade)/ I will have someone else to love."

«O Sol Nascerá" was one of the most re-recorded in Brazil.

CARTOLAlisten

SECOS & MOLHADOSCHAPTER 15

Nowadays people sanctifies the tropicalistas, Chico Buarque, Elis Regina, Nara Leão, Clube da Esquina, Novos Baianos, and it is fair because the quality of the music and the history they made. But they never were popular. The record companies cast them because there were artists of questionable quality, but with best sellers. They were the ones that made feasible a Caetano Veloso's album. But there was a trio that managed to be successful on the radio, selling records and still be well-received by critics and intellectuals. I'm talking about Secos e Molhados. In 1973, Ney Matogrosso, João Ricardo and Gerson Conrad painted faces and blended folk, rock and MPB in lyrics that were pure poetry. Ney had theatrical and peculiar posture on stage that attracted all the attention. The tone of Matogrosso's voice is also unique and beautiful. Despite being an absolute success, Secos e Molhados lasted just over two years and two albums. Ney Matogrosso pursued a successful solo career and the other two also continued in music, but without the same repercussions. The namesake first album is one of the most important in the Brazilian music.

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CHAPTER 16

NOVOS BAIANOS

Once upon a time a group from Bahia lived in an apartment in Rio de Janeiro in a hippie community system, even when the hippie movement had end just a few years before. That's okay, because in Brazil these cultural movements tended to occur with a delay. Punk, for example, persisted 1980s inside. But these baianos, besides hippie community also formed a football team and a rock band. Interesting, right? They released an album full of distorted guitars in 1970 called "Ferro na Boneca". Until one day João Gilberto (yes, the guy from bossa nova) appeared in the apartment-community of Novos Baianos to smoke some marijuana (João Gilberto was a well known pot head). This triggered one of the most radical transformations in a group. Pot in pot, João Gilberto influenced rockers doing another kind of sound. The samba and chorinho were mixed with the beautiful Pepeu Gomes' riffs and the result came in 1972 on the album "Acabou Chorare", for some, the best in the history of Brazilian music. It is the typical album that you can't elect a track, because it is a whole masterpiece. Novos Baianos will play again in Rock'n'Rio 2013.

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CHAPTER 17

The MPB has suffered a fall in 1980 because of strong invasion of a new generation that paid more attention to the international music. The youth was more interested in punk rock or new wave than development national melodies and rhythms. It doesn't mean that there weren't artists interested in the work of the previous generation. Marina Lima was one of those that although initial work has made a sidewalk in international pop, she maintained attentive and generous with Brazilian older generation: Marina Lima could easily unite Beatles and Dolores Duran. Before Marisa Monte to get absolute reign in the 1990s, Marina Lima was the brazilian por singer that developed the most expressive work. She could be refined and pop. Marina managed to produce impressive pop classics (made jointly with her brother, the poet Antonio Cicero). Fullgás (1984), for example, is a masterpiece that Liminha's bass (Os Mutantes) wins prominence. Marina is also a strong woman: she still sings and produce music even after had her voice damaged as a sequel of health problems.

MARINA LIMAlisten

Lucas Correia

CHAPTER 18

AUTORAMAS

Brazil revealed some major composers of the rock: Raul Seixas, Cazuza, Renato Russo. Nowadays, academics pay much attention to what Marcelo Camelo and Amarante said in songs. The duo is good, but I believe academics and critics should pay more attention to Gabriel Thomaz, from Autoramas: the greatest composer of rock today, but it is obscured because he plays on the underground. The Autoramas was formed in Rio de Janeiro in meeting Simone, Bacalhau (ex-Planet Hemp) and Gabriel (ex-Little Quail). The first album "Stress, Depression and Panic Disorder", surprised many. Besides rock vigorous, Gabriel composed genius and mature songs. A leap for those who sang: "This girl does not want to give me." Well, that was pretty cool, but it's not something you want to say (and do) for life. Autoramas showed another face of Gabriel and he told everyone how talk about interesting things and be even cooler.

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CHAPTER 19

MARISA MONTE

Nowadays Brazil has an overdose of female singers. There are so many names that I have problem to list: Tiê, Mariana Aydar, Ana Canas, Gadu, Clarice Falcão, Marcelo Camelo's wife ... But in the 1990s only one dominated the scene: Marisa Monte. She become successful when her then lover and producer Nelson Motta made a version of an Italian brothel climate song (or is it French?). It doesn't matter: “Bem que se quis” become a hit. But Marisa Monte was smart girl and too clever to get under the wings of Motta. When she gets free, joined with musical partners more identified with the pop and made a wonderful “marriage” between traditional and contemporary. The peak came in the album "Cor de Rosa e Carvão" in which she sings beautifully Lou Reed, rescues Paulinho da Viola and can make MPB advance. After that, she tray to make cheesy music become cool and lost the hand. But, the fact is, in the 1990s, Marisa made difference.

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PATO FUCHAPTER 20

Pato Fu is a band from the 1990s. It began as a schizophrenic trio who played drums with pre-programmed. The central voice was John Ulhoa, principal songwriter and the guy that does everything. But this band has a girl with de most sweet voice you ever heart. Oh, and she had bowl haircut which upstaged. Her name is Fernanda Takai. No, she's not a muse in the aesthetic sense. She looked more like one of the boys in the beginning , to tell the truth. Time passed, Pato Fu was gaining more members, the girl took the vocals and the band ultimately went through one of the most interesting transformations in Brazilian music: each disc had an identity, a different sound. In schizophrenia, the sound has become sophisticated and complex. Today the now quintet manages to invent, experiment without ever being boring or dull. Last time, Pato Fu made an entire album only using toys and instrument's miniatures. How they manage to do that? I don't know, but I like it.

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