Brazilian music
A Brazilian Named Silva
It is hard to meet a single Brazilian who has not got a Silva in his or her family. It is the most simple and ordinary Portuguese inheritance, something to be hidden among any other Italian/Japanese/Spanish/Portuguese surname. My grandmother is a Silva. So is former-president Lula – Luis Inácio Lula da Silva – the first…Read More +
Mart’nália goes rock with a little help from her friends
Daughter of Martinho da Vila, one of the greatest samba composers in Brazil, Mart’nália, was born and raised in a samba dynasty. Her delicate, small voice and singing style often reminds us of her father. However, there is only a slight resemblance in her new album. On “Não Tente Compreender” (don’t try to figure out)…Read More +
On Music: Milton Nascimento and Hermeto Pascoal
Recognize these names? You should! Milton Nascimento is a famous musical figurehead from Brazil, although his music easily resonates throughout the world. Known for his vocals and amazing falsettos, Nascimento is a renowned post-bossa nova songwriter and singer. Nascimento was in New York just last month, performing at the Rose Theater in Lincoln Center. He…Read More +
Carnival: Brazil Promotes Condom Use
(photo by Ana Branco – Céu na Terra – Carnival Street Band in Rio) Carnival may be one of the most famous international features of Brazil. Speaking as a Brazilian girl that was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, I can tell that it is actually bigger in Brazil than it seems from abroad. From…Read More +
Growing Up With Caetano
Before I knew that Portuguese was a language, where Brazil was in the world, or who the Beatles were I knew Caetano Veloso. My parents listened to him all of the time, and my early childhood memories have a backdrop of Brazilian music. When my mother finally got to meet him after a concert in…Read More +
