It’s 1990, I am dating a musician (what’s new?), he’s a drummer (no offense to drummers but drummer’s egos, no thank you) he’s dropped the drum kit and is playing “percussion”. I know, don’t bother with the difference. If you’re a “musician” there’s a difference. Thankfully, he wasn’t doing much live stuff – mostly studio, because I was already tired of late nights – breaking down the band.
He wasn’t all bad. No, he was. But there were two things he gave me that I am thankful for: Poi Dog Pondering, who will visit us in the 90’s twisted mix tape, and Beleza Tropical. For the sake of this post we will concentrate on Beleza Tropical; a compilation of Brazilian music produced by David Byrne, of Talking Heads, for the edification of the general American music listening public.
This album never really made main stream. But it made it into my CD player, and rekindled something I thought was lost and forgotten. It had been so many years since my father had played his reel to reel loaded with amazing bossa nova and samba. After he died, it was almost forgotten. Almost. All I had to do was hear the opening notes of Ponta de Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma) – by Jorge Ben and it was like a laser beam opened a part of my brain that had been closed for 10 years. The sun was shining on my face; I had come home.
I don’t want to overload your brain by presenting you with every song. Here are some of my favorites:
Sonho Meu by Gal Costa and Maria Bethania – If you are only going to listen to one. Listen to this one.
Andar Com Fe’ By Gilberto Gil – This man is a genius. If you don’t know him, or you do and you like him, go here and see this.
Queixa by Caetano Veloso
Caramba!… Galileu da Galileia by Jorge Ben
Thanks to Brazil Classics vol. 1: Beleza Tropical, my thirst for Brazilian music became unquenchable. More Bossa Nova and Samba comprise the 5373 songs in my iTunes than any other type of music. At any given time you might walk into my house/office/car and hear the Girl From Ipanema or Brazilian Music Pandora stations playing – either that or my latest mix of the same on my iPod. Listening to that album back in 1990 completely changed the way I looked at music. I had always been a fan of the “musician” but it opened me up to so many more genres and truly helped develop my appreciation for true musicians dedicated to their instrument and their craft.
Sadly Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical – Various Artists is out of print as a CD, you can get the import for 25 buckos, or you can click thru that link and get to iTunes to download it.
For these specific songs click here:
Sonho Meu – Pure Brazil: Caipirinha
Andar Com Fe – Gilberto Gil Songbook Volume 3
Queixa – The Best of Caetano Velose: Sem Lenco Sem Documento
Medley: Agora Ninguem Chora Mais / Charles, Anjo 45 / Caramba!… Galileu da Galiléia – 10 Años Depois
This post has been brought to you by Finish The Sentence Friday. This week’s sentence was “I hit a turning point in my life when…”
As always a shout out to the ladies who made this possible, go visit them and all of the other bloggers who participated this week.
Janine from Confessions of a Mommyholic
Stephanie from Mommy, For Real
Kate from Can I Get Another Whine
Dawn from Dawn’s Disaster
Jen Kehl 
Wow, what a turning point his was and I will be honest I have never actually heard of this musician and cannot listen to the Youtube clips, because my girls are listening to my iTunes right now, but will be back to check them out tonight when they are sleeping. This is truly going to be a fun Friday now and loved this post that you are linking up!! 🙂
You have definitely inspired me to check this out- way back in the day when I was married to my ex-husband, he played me some Brazilian David Byrne music (we were huge David Byrne fans) but I really had no idea what it was all about! I just knew that i loved it, but didn’t bother looking into the whole genre any further. WOW! This kind of blew my mind… Happy Vacation, Mama!!!
what the hell is it with music? the role it plays in our lives (all of us some, some of us a whole lot)…
(the story in my contribution to FTSF… the part about setting my hair on fire? took place on a break at a high school dance I was playing roadie for a friend’s band… so naturally you smoke in the boys room)…. but a lifetime later *that* makes in print to be shared… not my piano lessons or the girl who I wrote the quintessential breakup song for… lol)
ahh la musica!
Your musical tastes are as versatile as your blog, my lovely skankster! I cannot turn off the first song–you’re right; it’s lovely. My husband goes, “What the hell are you listening to?” and I go, “Shut up. It’s beautiful.” Then he goes, “It IS kind of neat…” Thanks for the post and the songs!!
The more I read your blog the more amazed I am at your wide range of music that you love. I feel like I’m someplace other than my office typing this right now while I listen to the first song. I can see why you would want this playing a lot. 🙂
Finally, I know where the unquenchable thirst for music really came from. I love that you were introduced to music outside the radio norm. Although my parents opened up a lot of genres to me, I never heard that style of music until I got to college. Thanks for sharing this moment.