Brazuca Sounds

Latest Episodes:

Brazuca Sounds #75 - The Bossa Drummer in 30 Songs Feb 11, 2025

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In episode #75 we talked about some of the greatest Brazilian drummers of all time, and how they shaped the style of playing worldwide. Among the names featured are Edison Machado, Dom Um Romão, Airto Moreira, Helcio Milito, Milton Banana, Rubens Bassotti, Chico Batera, João Palma, Ronnie Mesquita, and more. We discussed how they innovated with rim clicks, cymbal sambas (samba de prato), exquisite tempos, inventive percussions, and how they revolutionized the hi-hat use, blending bossa, Afro-Samba and jazz.

Follow the playlist The Art of the Bossa Drummer.

Follow our playlist: "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠".

BONUS EP. (Mais Kriola - Helio Matheus) Feb 04, 2025

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Salve! This is a bonus episode for Brazuca Sounds paid subscribers!

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Mais Kriola" by Hélio Matheus

This song was the lead single off Matheus's first and only album released in the 1970s. A combination of samba, brass, keyboards, and guitar "rockin'" beats, "Mais Kriola" is the ultimate reference to what is referred to as samba-rock. The album was released by RCA Victor, with a stellar featuring musicians, which did not prevent it from becoming a commercial failure. The song traversed time, though, and is an instant in Brazilian-theme parties all over the country even today.

BONUS EP. (Antônio Carlos e Jocafi - Kabaluerê) Jan 23, 2025

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Salve! This is a bonus episode for paid subscribers!

Unlock now by subscribing at at Patreon.

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Kabaluerê" by Antônio Carlos e Jocafi

A samba-oriented duo from Bahia, "Kabaluerê" became one the funkier Brazilian songs from the 1970s. How did that happen? That is what we tried to uncover on this episode, telling the backstory behind the song, breaking down its lyrics and arrangements. An obscure track upon its release, "Kabaluerê" was rediscovered by DJs worldwide in the 1990s, and sampled in Brazil by rapper Marcelo D2 in his megahit "Qual É?".

Brazuca Sounds #74 - New Sounds of Brazil Jan 14, 2025

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In episode #74, we discussed some of the best Brazilian albums released in 2024. From the spiritual jazz of Amaro Freitas and its world recognition, the return of magnificent Céu, the Afrobeat ensemble Nomade Orquestra, and the beautiful meditations-like songs from singer/multi-instrumentalist Luiza Brina.

We also talked about brother Alvaro Lancelotti, Domenico Lancelotti, the latest from Moreno Veloso, the veterans Zeca Baleiro and Wado releasing an album as a duo, the psyche-rock of Boogarins and the good-vibes samba from Rogê. Follow our playlist on Spotify: "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds⁠".

Similar episodes of contemporary music:

Brazuca Sounds #49: Best Albums of 2023

Brazuca Sounds #29: New Sounds of 2021

Brazuca Sounds #6: Best Albums of 2020

BONUS EP. (Marcos Valle - Mentira) Jan 08, 2025

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Salve! This is a bonus episode for Brazuca Sounds paid subscribers!

Every episode is a different song.

This is the song today:

"Mentira" by Marcos Valle (M. Valle / Paulo Sergio Valle)

Influenced by Stevie Wonder, and blending Brazilian popular music and American black music, Valle released "Mentira" in his groundbreaking 1973 album "Previsão do Tempo". It is a song with many grooves, Fender Rhodes, wah wah guitars, hypnotic drums, and bass leading the way, and it is also considered one of the first to feature a beatbox in Brazil. Not a big commercial hit in the 1970s, "Mentira" got a new life rediscovered by DJs and prominently sampled in Planet Hemp's "Contexto".

BONUS EP. (Quarteto em Cy - Tudo o Que Você Podia Ser) Dec 26, 2024

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Salve! This is a bonus episode for paid subscribers!

Every episode is a different song.This is the song today:

"Tudo o Que Você Podia Ser" by Quarteto Em Cy (Lo Borges/Marcio Borges)

Written for the "Clube da Esquina" album by Lô and Marcio Borges, the song marked the return of Quarteto em Cy in 1972, following a two-year hiatus. Their first album for Odeon, which was Milton Nascimento's label, a lot of the musicians involved in this recording had contributions to Clube da Esquina.

The album was a commercial failure at the time, but over the years this version became a hot commodity among DJs, record collectors, producers, and rappers including Kanye West and Pharell Williams.

BONUS EP. | XMAS | (Simone - "Então É Natal") Dec 24, 2024

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Salve! This is an extra bonus episode open to everybody.

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Então É Natal" by Simone (Cláudio Rabello/ John Lennon)

There has been no Christmas in Brazil in the last 30 years without Simone's version of John Lennon's "Merry Xmas (War is Over)". Released in 1995, the song became the quintessential "Brazilian" Christmas song that we listen to everywhere every time by the end of the year.

Despite its obvious cheesy arrangements, we uncovered Simone's career up until that point, and how this became a massive hit even up today.

Brazuca Sounds #73: Best Albums of 1974 Dec 17, 2024

Show notes

In episode #73, we will finish our celebration of albums released 50 years ago. During this year we made specials about 'A Tábua de Esmeralda', 'Elis & Tom', Cartola's debut album, Arnaldo Baptita's solo album, and more recently Gal Costa's 'Cantar'.

In this episode, we will discuss some other great albums from 1973, from the brilliant samba makers Clara Nunes and Martinho da Vila to the Northeast psychedelia of Ednardo, and the forgotten brilliancy of Tuca, Ana Mazzotti, and Jaime & Nair. We also talked about Jards Macalé, Quinteto Armorial, Egberto Gismonti, and the fantastic O Som Nosso de Cada Dia.

All songs are available following our playlist on Spotify "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds"⁠.

BONUS EP. (Milton Nascimento - San Vicente) Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

Salve! This bonus episode was originally exclusive to Brazuca Sounds paid subscribers, but after 2 years, I’ve decided to make it available to everyone! Enjoy!Every bonus episode is a different song.

This is the song today:

"San Vicente" by Milton Nascimento

Written before "Clube da Esquina," Nascimento wrote the music for a play about an imaginary city (which was ultimately censored). Fernando Brand wrote the lyrics, resuming the idea that San Vicente was a city in Latin America “where a military coup takes place,” a not-so-subtle metaphor for Brazil's dictatorship. With several percussive elements from the Andes and an Iberian guitar style, it became the most popular Brazilian/Portuguese song in South America in the 1970s.

BONUS EP. (Erlon Chaves - Eu Tambem Quero Mocotó) | PREVIEW | Nov 27, 2024

Show notes

Salve! This is a preview bonus episode for Brazuca Sounds paid subscribers!

Every episode is a different song. This is the song today:

"Eu Também Quero Mocotó" by Erlon Chaves (written by Jorge Ben)

Erlon Chaves was a maestro responsible for orchestrating Wilson Simonal's biggest hits and served as Elis Regina's lead pianist on tours. "Eu Também Quero Mocotó" was written by Jorge Ben and introduced Erlon as a singer during a made-for-TV song contest. "Eu Também Quero Mocotó" became a big phenomenon, and even today is a samba-rock classic in Brazil. Unfortunately, Erlon's brightest moment was also the worst. Erlon was accused by the military regime of public moral harassment after he was kissed by several blonde dancers on stage, taken into custody, and eventually "suggested" not to perform again. Four years later, in November 1974, Erlon died of a heart attack while buying a record player before visiting his friend Simonal in jail.

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