Sometime in the 1990s, I suddenly got bored or tired of all the music I'd been listening to. Much of it seemed clever at best, commercialized and overproduced at worst. Then, in 2005, I discovered samba. This music, with its African roots, its exotic syncopation, its energy and exuberance, reminded me of all the things I found missing in music. It reminded me of places I'd never visited, gave me memories I'd never had. Listening, I could feel my soul gaining strength the way a tree gains strength through sunlight and water: feeling it coming up through the earth and through my feet, thrilling my whole body. No music since the blues had done this for me.
I soon discovered that most Brazilian music has this quality. Whether it's traditional samba or sophisticated bossa nova, crowd-pleasing pagode, country-style forró from the Northeast, or electronic carioca funk with its defiant and often obscene irreverence, all Brazilian music is special. It's musically interesting and is a simple expression of the sheer joy of being alive. Not only that, but it has a way of speaking universally to all people while at the same time being distinctively, beautifully Brazilian.
This blog is a celebration of the various genres of music from this diverse and magical land. After seven years of deep exploration, I'm still discovering styles I've never heard of, each with its own universe of creators, artists, and innovators. I'm looking forward to sharing my discoveries on here and finding new ones from my friends and fellow Brazilian music lovers around the world. I'm also hoping to post reviews of new CD releases, and to post news of upcoming shows in the New York City area. The Brazilian music community in New York City is a relatively small group of amazing musicians whose talent is generally unrecognized except for a few big names. I hope to change that.
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