An article written for the April edition of Time Out Sao Paulo, previewing an upcoming appearance by Arthur Verocai at Sao Paulo’s SESC Pinheiros venue. Continue reading Preview: Arthur Verocai at SESC Pinheiros
Category Archives: Blog
Review: The Roots of Chicha 2
Review of The Roots of Chicha 2 compilation album, collecting together peruvian cumbia from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Continue reading Review: The Roots of Chicha 2
The Wire MP3 Special
I wrote an article on the underground scene in Sao Paulo for the May edition of The Wire, an English magazine subtitled Adventures In Modern Music. To accompany the article they asked me to get a few tracks together for their website. I managed to get songs together from Metá-Metá, Bodes e Elefantes, Lucas Santtana, Lulina, Criolo and Rodrigo Brandao for this. You can listen to these songs at The Wire’s website here:
The impact of tropicalia rumbles on!
Without question one of my favourite styles of music is tropicália. Without it I wouldn’t be able to freak out to the sounds of Os Mutantes, bask in the glory of Caetano Veloso’s words, groove to Gilberto Gil and generally sit in astonishment at the sheer unbridled joy of Rogerio Duprat’s arrangements. With a covers compilation approaching this summer and a documentary in the works it seems as if a few people may well get to discover a little more about this music also. Continue reading The impact of tropicalia rumbles on!
A History of Tropicália
This piece has just been published at Latineos, a history of Tropicália, one of the most joyful styles of music ever to emerge from this planet. Here’s the intro:
It would be near impossible to recreate the circumstances that resulted in tropicália. In 1967, Brazil’s repressive military government had been in charge for three years and Brazilian music was in status quo. The authorities were happy that samba was the favourite music of the nation – they saw it as the perfect marketing tool – and didn’t see the need for change. This was a climate in which João Gilberto’s beautiful hybridisation of samba into bossa nova drew stinging criticisms from those who thought it was un-Brazilian. Continue reading A History of Tropicália
Looking for Album Reviewers
This is a call for anyone who is interested in reviewing albums by Latin American, Caribbean or even other World Music artists to get in touch. I currently work for Sounds and Colours, and JungleDrums Online, and we are both continually looking for new reviewers. If you are interested please get in touch.
Review: Ranil y su Conjunto – Ranil’s Jungle Party
I wrote a review of Ranil’s Jungle Party by Ranil y su Conjunto for PopMatters, which was published on 9th February 2011. Here is the opening salvo:
Amazonian guitar legend shows how rock ‘n’ roll was done in Peru…
The recent successes of the Roots of Chicha and Roots of Chicha 2 compilations, released on Barbes Records, have brought a renewed interest in Peruvian music. This has helped with the recent promotion of Pena (Secret Stash Records), an album of Afro-Peruvian music, and has also made it possible for albums like Ranil y su Conjunto’s Ranil’s Jungle Party to attract a decent level of publicity.
To read the rest of the review click HERE.
Sounds of the Underground: Trupe Chá de Boldo
This preview originally appeared in Time Out Sao Paulo (March 2011) though may have been published in a slightly different form.
Sounds of the Underground: Trupe Chá de Boldo
With a loyal following in São Paulo, especially among musicians (Tom Zé is a fan, declaring that they have achieved chart success in his home at least), Trupe Chá de Boldo are surely headed for success. They only released their first album Bárbaro in 2009, yet already sound like the finished article; their lyrics, arrangements and musical abilities are all of the highest standard, and live they flourish. Their ability to switch from laid-back samba to up-tempo reggae in a flash means the party could erupt at any moment. Add to this the drum solos, rampant horn section and rousing vocals and you have a fervent mix indeed.
With a bed of influences that also includes tango and balkan music (i.e. Gogol Bordello) this is a must-see band for anyone who enjoys music that swings. The band, which features 14 members, will be playing a number of dates through March, none of which will break the bank. See below for details:
Studio SP – 3rd March
SESC Bauru – 23rd March
SESC Pompeia – 24th March
SESC Rio Preta – 30th March
Album Review: Blubell – Eu Sou do Tempo que a Gente se Telefonava
This album review was published in Time Out Sao Paulo (March 2011) though may have appeared in a slightly different form.
Album Review: Blubell – Eu Sou do Tempo que a Gente se Telefonava
(4 stars)
YB Music – Released: 21st January 2011
It’s taken Isabel Garcia (aka Blubell) five years to follow-up her first album Slow Motion Ballet, yet her voice has never been far away in her native São Paulo. As well as singing in the jazz band À Deriva she has featured on countless advertising jingles as well as providing the theme song for the Brazilian TV comedy Aline. None of these things should be too surprising once you listen to this album, a mixture of jazz and pop which is both polished, maybe too much at times, and catchy. It seems those day jobs providing jingles has given her a special gift, as proven by the fact that I can’t get the melody to “Chalala” out of my head. I was so sure I’d heard it before that I almost shorted my brain trying to work out who recorded it first before realising that the whole album is self-penned, with just a couple of co-conspirators helping out on the odd song.
Blubell pulls this trick of instant-familiarity on many of the tracks here, such as the prowling Shirley Bassey jazz of “Pessoa Normal” and opening track “Musica” which despite featuring a kazoo manages not to irritate. Except for the odd flash of bossa nova guitar this is an album more in tune with new British artists such as Paloma Faith and Eliza Doolittle, adding much-needed swing and suave to pop music, than her Brazilian counterparts, yet could well be the sound of the Brazilian summer.
Three We Loved Last Month: Karina Buhr
This short live review was written for Time Out Sao Paulo (March 2011) but was not published.
Three we loved last month: Karina Buhr
SESC Belenzinho
Feb 11, 2010
Dressed in a gold-sequinned catsuit, Karina Buhr proved at SESC Belenzinho why her debut album (Eu Mentí Pra Você) was voted so highly in many of 2010’s Best of the Year polls. She did that, and surpassed it. Whether she was sabotaging her guitarist’s solo by writhing on the floor in front of him, throwing herself into the audience or proving that you don’t have to be in your teens to bump ‘n’ grind like the best of them, it was hard to take your eyes off her. Which is almost a shame as she has put together one of the hottest bands in Brazil. Whether attempting punk in “Soldat,” electro in “Cirando do Incentivo” or cool jazz with “Eu Mentí pra Você” this is a band that know, both musically and theatrically, how to put on a great show.
