Brazuca Sounds

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**Brazuca Sounds**

A podcast about Brazilian music of all styles, decades, and genres hosted by Leandro Vignoli. Follow updates on Instagram: @brazucasounds. Access our playlist Soundtrack Brazuca Sounds with all songs ever played on the show:

Get bonus content on Patreon

Latest Episodes:

BONUS EP. (Gonzaguinha - O que é O que é?) Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

Salve! This is a preview of our bonus episode exclusive to paid subscribers on Patreon!

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

"O que é O que é?", written and performed by Gonzaguinha.

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Released in 1982, “O Que É, O Que É?” is one of Brazil’s most famous Carnival anthems. And yet, remarkably, the song wasn’t written for Carnival. Built around pounding percussion, call-and-response vocals and an infectious chorus, it borrows the language of Rio’s samba-school parades to deliver a powerful message of optimism: to live without being ashamed of being happy. The song grew out of a collective research project in which Gonzaguinha asked people a simple question: what is life? One child’s answer reportedly inspired its central refrain: “it’s beautiful.”

There’s also a political dimension. Gonzaguinha had been one of the dictatorship’s most heavily censored artists, and by 1982, Brazil’s military regime was weakening. As the country moved toward the mass pro-democracy movement Diretas Já, this song became an affirmation of hope, freedom, and the courage to celebrate life.

Brazuca Sounds #98 - Brazilian 7 inches and EPs (Compactos) Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

In Brazuca Sounds #98, we dive into the fascinating world of Brazilian 7-inch records from the 1960s and 1970s! From obscure psychedelic rock and experimental MPB to samba-rock, soul, and funky grooves, we explore a treasure trove of rare singles (compactos) and EPs (compactos duplos) that never made it onto full-length albums.

FEATURING IN THIS EPISODE:

Compactos duplos (EPs)

1. Quarteto Nova Era – S/T (1969)

2. Piti – Piti (1970)

3. Paulo, Cláudio e Maurício – Paulo, Cláudio e Maurício (1972)

4. Concerto Baiano – Escamblefado (1974)

5. Papa Poluição – Papa Poluição (1976)

6. Gilberto Gil – Compacto duplo (1963)

7. Jards Macalé – Só Morto [Burning Night] (1970)

8. Gal Costa – Gal (1971)

9. Joyce – Nada Será Como Antes (1971)

10. O Terço – O Terço (1970)

Compactos simples (singles)

1. Suely e os Kantikus – Esperanto

2. Wal Santana – Que Vida É Essa (1973)

3. Neno Exporta Som – Deixa a Tristeza (1971)

4. Noel Carlos – Você É Quase Igual à Jane Fonda (1970)

5. Carlos Thiago – Galbecae / Cabiceira (1972)

6. João Maringá – Morcego (1973)

7. Luiz Keller – Andarilho (1974)

8. Brenda - Natureza Viva (1980)

Every song we ever played on this podcast: Brazuca Sounds Soundtrack. Subscribe to our Patreon and get access to monthly exclusive playlists, including Brazuca Tapes #30, with a expanded selection of 7 inches compactos and EPs.

BONUS EP. (Chico Buarque - Morro Dois Irmãos) Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Salve! This is a preview of our bonus episode for paid subscribers!

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

"Morro Dois Irmãos", written and performed by Chico Buarque.

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Morro Dois Irmãos, or Two Brothers Hill, is one of Rio de Janeiro's most iconic landmarks, located between Leblon and São Conrado. It takes its name from its distinctive shape: two enormous rocky peaks standing side by side. But instead of simply describing the mountain, he turns it into music. The song's heart lies in the juxtaposition of two different conceptions.

Music, which normally moves through movement, becomes still, while the mountain, which we perceive as motionless, begins to move. That's the paradox at the song's central idea. The original recording also carries the unmistakable sound of late-1980s production, with lush keyboards adding a distinctly atmospheric, almost cinematic quality to the arrangement.

Steve Smith from Translationsmith translated the lyrics again. Check it out!

BONUS EP. (Nelson Ângelo e Joyce - Tiro Cruzado) Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

Salve! This is a trailer for our bonus episode, exclusive to paid subscribers!

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

"Tiro Cruzado" (Ângelo/Borges), performed by Nelson Ângelo and Joyce.

A fascinating prequel to Clube da Esquina, “Tiro Cruzado” captures the sound of a musical world that was still taking shape. Ângelo’s guitar anchors an angular, tense harmony, while Tenório Jr.’s electric piano, Danilo Caymmi’s flutes, Novelli’s bass and Rubinho’s percussion create a restless, almost psychedelic samba. The song would also find its way into Tom Jobim’s repertoire years later, a remarkable endorsement of its beauty and sophistication. In this bonus episode, we explore the story behind “Tiro Cruzado,” its connection to the emerging Clube da Esquina circle, and the musical language that made it so distinctive. It’s also a chance to celebrate Nelson Ângelo, one of Brazilian music’s most inventive and underrated musicians.

Here is the translation of these lyrics by our friends at Translationsmith.

Brazuca Sounds #97: Tom Zé - Estudando o Samba [1976] Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

In episode #97, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Estudando o Samba. Released in 1976, Estudando o Samba may be Tom Zé’s ultimate concept album: a record that treats samba not as a fixed tradition, but as something to dismantle, investigate, and rebuild. Across its deliberately short-titled songs, he moves from samba-canção to bossa nova, avant-garde composition, microtonality and even homemade instruments, constantly blurring the line between popular and experimental music.

In this episode, we go track by track through the album, exploring its compositions and songwriting, the origins and backstories of the songs, its unusual arrangements and recording techniques, and the ideas hidden behind Tom Zé’s experiments. We also look at the album’s initial rejection, its rediscovery by David Byrne, and how Estudando o Samba became one of the most inventive and influential Brazilian records of its era.

Check Translationsmith for the translation of many songs from the album.

Follow our playlist ⁠Brazuca Sounds Soundtrack.

BONUS EP. (Waldir Azevedo - Brasileirinho) Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Salve! This is a bonus episode exclusive to paid subscribers!

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

"Brasileirinho", written and performed by Waldir Azevedo.

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First released in 1949, "Brasileirinho" is a celebrated instrumental with a lively melody and virtuosic style that helped popularize the cavaquinho and introduced chorinho to a bigger audience. In this episode, we explore the song's origins, musical brilliance, and lasting influence on Brazilian culture. Waldir Azevedo revolutionized the cavaquinho by transforming it from mainly an accompanying instrument into a powerful solo voice in choro. He developed a virtuosic style that expanded the instrument’s technical possibilities, and his first-ever recorded song, "Brasileirinho", remains one of the most iconic and frequently performed pieces in Brazil's instrumental repertoire.

BONUS EP. (The History of Partido Alto) Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

Salve! This is a preview of our bonus episode exclusive for paid subscribers!

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

"Partido Alto", written by Chico Buarque/ performed by MPB4

---Today, we take a deep dive into the history of Partido Alto, a subgenre of samba. The style emerged in the 1940s as an improvised form, featuring improvised lyrics in which two singers engaged in a lyrical battle, accompanied by handmade percussion instruments such as knives and plates, with roots in the batucada tradition of Bahia. The genre took off in the 1970s, with artists such as Candeia, who appeared in the documentary Partido Alto, directed by Leon Hirszman, which offers insights from traditional samba figures.

We also talked about a couple of songs written based on Partido Alto, such as "Partido Alto", written by Chico Buarque for the soundtrack of the film "Quando o carnaval chegar", performed by the vocal group MPB4. Another famous song about Partido Alto was written by bossa-jazz masters Azymuth (1979), later covered by Airton Moreira.

Brazuca Sounds #96 - The Best Albums of 1976 Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

In episode #96, we will continue our celebration of albums released 50 years ago. It was another great year for Brazilian music, with important albums such as Cartola's second album, Jorge Ben's Africa Brasil, Elis Regina's Falso Brilhante, and Tom Zé's Estudando o Samba, and more.

In this episode, we will discuss some of the underrated albums of 1976. Among the records are:

José Mauro - A Viagem das Horas; Taiguara - Imyra Tayra Ipy; Fagner - Raimundo Fagner; Luiz Henrique - Mestiço; Burnier e Cartier - Fotos p/ Capa do LP; Eduardo Araújo & Silvinha - Filhos desse Chão; Joelho de Porco - São Paulo 1554/Hoje; and the debut and only album released by the groups Mandala and Pão com Manteiga.

For an exclusive playlist featuring all the albums released in 1976, subscribe for free on Patreon.

All other songs are available in our Spotify playlist "⁠Soundtrack: Brazuca Sounds".

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