brazilian music

(musicabrasileira.org)

With so many styles of music in Brazil, from sertanejo to mangue bit, bossa nova to funk, how is anyone supposed to know everything? It's not even a title I claim for myself though my musical quest did start 10 years ago. The first song I remember hearing from Brazil was either Zeca Baleiro's Essas Emoções or Max de Castro’s Onda Diferente. After that, I went commercial and listened to anything I could find playing on Brazilian radio stations. It was my way of feeling closer to Brazil despite being half a world away. It wasn’t long after that I started finding my own taste and that’s what I want to offer you now, some singers and songs you may not have heard of yet. READ MORE>

This old Brazilian song called Amigo é pra essas coisas was popping in my mind for no apparent reason. The lyrics are a dialogue between old friends who meet at a bar. One of them is feeling pretty down because his girlfriend broke up with him. You know how they say that there is a reason for something to insist on popping in your mind? Last week, while singing it in the shower, it occurred to me that Portuguese learners would benefit a lot from the song. It is a casual dialogue between friends and although it was written a few decades ago, most of its language is still current and useful. READ MORE>

The largest Carnival bloco in the world is said to be in Recife and you can find it on Saturday during the week of Carnival in the central neighborhood of São José. It goes by the name of the Galo da Madrugada (The Early Morning Rooster) and it's pretty hard to miss, just find the giant shiny rooster towering above thousands of people. If you're more of an observer, perhaps you can find a seafaring local to let you board their boat to watch from the sidelines on the Capibaribe River. However, it's wise to be aware of what you'll be missing out on. READ MORE>

Street Smart Brazil is proud to sponsor "TEMPO: A Brazilian Musical Journey" on June 18th in San Francisco.

I recently had the pleasure to meet Joseh Garcia, a talented Brazilian musician who lives -- and sings -- here in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA. Joseh told me about his creative projects that range from publishing an album through an Italian label to recording in France to creating a show that puts together Brazilian and Middle Eastern music. Joseh has a fascinating relationship with music: He uses words such as  enchantment, healing, and transformation to define his work. READ MORE>

FORRÓ IN THE DARK is a New York-based group that pays special honor to a happy and danceble Brazilian country music style called forró.

First the word to its phonetic: it's faw-haw. According to legend, the word forró was a mispronunciation of the English words "for all", dating back to colonial times when British engineers on the Great Western Railway of Brazil threw sumptuous gatherings and invited everyone. READ MORE>