Brazilian Legends: Jorge Ben, Gal Costa, and Elza Soares

I decided to take a little break from my yearly Texas Legends series this year and instead go a little further south for a Brazilian Legends compilation.  Alas, both Elza Soares and Gal Costa died in 2022.  But Jorge Ben is fortunately still alive at 85 and underappreciated (at least in the U.S.)

   If you are newcomers to Ben, Costa, and Soares, a lot of their recordings are only available on Spotify or Youtube.  I would particularly recommend Jorge Ben's Ben É Samba Bom and O Bidu, Costa's Fa Tal: Gal a Todo Vapor and 1969, and Soares' Elza Pede Passagem and Se Acaso Você Chegasse.

 Late Update:  Since the subject is Brazilian Legends, I've reupped both Caetano Veloso collections as well as the Brazil Classics compilation.

  Download both discs

Disc 1 Falsa Baiana	Gal Costa
Que Maravilha	Toquinho & Jorge Ben
Deixa Isso Pra La	Elza Soares
Rio Carnaval dos Carnavais	Elza Soares
Apareceu Aparecida	Jorge Ben
Desafinado	Gal Costa
Primeiro Eu	Elza Soares
Tuareg	Gal Costa
Pais Tropical	Jorge Ben
Mas Que Nada	Jorge Ben
Eu Sou Terrivel	Gal Costa
Boato	Elza Soares
Eu Vim Da Bahia	Gal Costa
Pressentimento	Elza Soares
Onde Anda O Meu Amor	Jorge Ben
Disc 2
Canário da Terra	Elza Soares & João de Aquino
Baby	Gal Costa e Caetano Veloso
Nascimento de um principe african	Jorge Ben
Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro	Jorge Ben
Barato Total	Gal Costa
Bom Dia Portela	Elza Soares
O Dia Que o Sol Declarou o Seu Amor Pela Terra	Jorge Ben Jor
Dedo Duro	Elza Soares
Criola (Ao Vivo)	Jorge Ben Jor
Biscate	Gal Costa
Presente Cotidiano	Gal Costa
Lição de Vida	Elza Soares
A Tamba	Jorge Ben
Sambou Sambou	Elza Soares
Negro Amor	Gal Costa & Jorge Drexler

A Gaggle of Gilberto Gil

     As a kid, I was always impressed by baseball players who were able to play in four different decades - even if only meant playing in the last year of a decade and then, 21 years later, in the first year of a decade.  Now that I'm in my mid-fifties, I'm also impressed by musicians with longevity, especially those with recording careers of seven decades or more.  While Gilberto Gil may not ultimately be able to match Willie Nelson's eight decades (and I can't imagine there are too many others who can match Willie), he's had a really impressive and long career.  He's also one of those artists that I became familiar with after he stopped touring regularly, so I'm disappointed that I'll probably never get to see him live; if his many live albums are any indication, he truly shines (though I'm glad I did get to see Caetano Veloso twice).  Hope everyone enjoys the two volumes and if you want to dig deeper into his music, I'd start with Gilberto Gil (1971), Expresso 2222 from 1972, and, of course a 1987 live album, Em Concerto.

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Volume 1
Filhos de Ghandi
Procissao
Ensaio Geral
Cada Macaco No Seu Galho (Cho Chuá)
Minha Princesa Cordel
Quatro Pedacinhos
A Paz
Um Dia de Garoa
Eu Vim Da Bahia (Live)
Aquele Abraco
Assim Sim
Chiclete Com Banana

Volume 2
Esotérico (Ao Vivo)
Refazenda
Bat Macumba
Diga a Ela (Versão Editada)
Só Quero Um Xodó
Futurível
O Pato
Iemanja
Preciso Aprender a Só Ser
Abra o Olho (Ao Vivo)
Um Abraço no João
One O'clock Last Morning 20th April 1970

Songs for The Uninhabitable Earth Soundtrack

        I'm a little ashamed to admit that it took reading David Wallace-Wells' book, The Uninhabitable Earth two years ago to really send me spiraling into a doom loop about the environment (as I should have been residing in that doom loop a lot longer).  While a doom loop may, understandably, have negative connotations, I think it's kind of a necessary space if it propels climate activism and actions, however small, to reduce carbon emissions.  Now I do realize that making a compilation of environmental songs does nothing to improve the environment, but.....it was kind of oddly therapeutic for me and maybe they can use some of the more obscure cuts when they're making the anthology series about the book.  (I just found out about this.)

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Wildfire	Hand Habits
Don't Go Near The Water	Johnny Cash
Fall On Me	R.E.M.
Monkey Gone to Heaven	Pixies
I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer	Deee-Lite
New World Water	Mos Def
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)	Marvin Gaye
Every Planet We Reach Is Dead	Gorillaz
The Trees Are All Gone	Roger McGuinn
Before the Deluge	Eliza Gilkyson
Last Great American Whale	Lou Reed
Terra	Caetano Veloso
Blacktop	Calexico
Humans From Earth	T-Bone Burnett
The New Pollution	Beck
And It Rained All Night	Thom Yorke
Earth Intruders	Bjork
Here Comes The Flood	Robert Fripp

Saluting 70's Singer-Songwriters - Volume 6

          Other than to say that I continue to be impressed by the breadth and depth of 70's artists, I think I've run out of things to say about the music of the '70s.  So I'll just say that this is likely the last volume of 70's singer-songwriter compilations (at least for a while).  But I have re-upped all the previous volumes along with all the Sucking in the 70s compilations.

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Here He Comes	Brian Eno
On Some Faraway Beach	Brian Eno
Bless The Weather	John Martyn
Solid Air	John Martyn
You Don't Know Me	Caetano Veloso
Da maior importância	Caetano Veloso
Perfect Day	Lou Reed
Coney Island Baby	Lou Reed
Thank You Master (For My Soul)	Donny Hathaway
Come Little Children	Donny Hathaway
Mary C Brown and the Hollywood Sign	Dory Previn
Atlantis	Dory Previn
Old Man	Neil Young
Long May You Run	Neil Young
Brass Buttons	Gram Parsons
How Much I've Lied	Gram Parsons
My Tennessee Mountain Home	Dolly Parton
It's All Wrong, But It's All Right	Dolly Parton

Covered in Beatles

        I fully realize that a compilation of Beatles covers is more than a bit obvious, but I just happened to listen to two truly inspired covers within days of each others a couple of months back: Wendell Stuart and the Downbeaters' "Hey Jude" and Bill Withers "Let it Be".   Hence, I just had to do Brazilian/Reggae and Soul Beatles covers compilations.  There's not quite as many obscurities - especially with respect to the soul covers- as I usually like to include in my cover comps (and I do know that Let 'Em In was not a Beatles song), but, hopefully, folks will like them.

Brazilian and Reggae Covers

Help	Caetano Veloso
Minha Vida (In My Life)	Rita Lee
And I Love Her	Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
Here Comes The Sun	Peter Tosh
With A Little Help From My Friends	Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
Ob La Di Ob La Da	Ken Lazarus
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (feat. Junior Jazz)	Easy Star All-Stars
Lady Madonna	Rogrio Duprat
You Won't See Me	Ernie Smith
The Fool On The Hill	Gal Costa
Come Together	The Israelites
Isn't It A Pity	Nicky Thomas
Blackbird Singing	Rosalyn Sweat & The Paragons
Norwegian wood	Milton Nascimento
Don't Let Me Down	Charlotte Dada
Jude	Wendell Stuart & The Downbeaters

Soul Covers

I Want To Hold Your Hand	Al Green
We Can Work It Out	Stevie Wonder
Let 'Em In	Billy Paul
Good Day Sunshine	Roy Redmond
Eleanor Rigby	Aretha Franklin
Why Don't We Do It In The Road?	Lowell Fulsom
A Hard Day's Night	The Bar-Kays
I Want You	Eddie Hazel
Drive My Car	Black Heat
Got To Get You Into My Life	Chris Clark
Day Tripper	Otis Redding
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey	Fats Domino
Something	Isaac Hayes
My Sweet Lord	Edwin Starr
Yesterday	Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Let It Be	Bill Withers

Another Taste of Caetano

         I posted a Caetano Veloso mixtape about a year ago (which you can still download).  A couple of weeks ago, I started reading his book The Tropical Truth - which is half autobiography, half history of Brazilian music - so I thought it was high time to make another mixtape especially since his 2004 concert at Carnegie Hall with David Byrne was finally released a few months ago.  (Btw, the leadoff track is a cut from that album.)

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Dreamworld: Marco de Canaveses

Anunciacao

A Tua Presença Morena

Coqueiro De Itapoã

Love For Sale

Onde eu Nasci Passa um Rio

Os Outros Romanticos

It's a Long Road

Escapulario

Torno A Repetir

Let's Face the Music and Dance

Rita / Esse Cara

Desde Que O Samba à Samba

Lindeza

Nega Maluca

Trilhos Urbanos

Coração Materno

Let It Bleed

Nova Bossa: Red Hot on Verve

The Red Hot Organization just put out Red Hot and Rio 2 on Tuesday - it's a mix of newer and older artists (Brazilian and non-Brazilian) covering 60s and 70s Tropicalia tunes. I just downloaded it today, so I've only had the chance to listen to a few songs (which were quite good, btw). The first Red Hot and Rio is still available as a download, but the companion cd Nova Bossa: Red Hot on Verve, which is pretty much a Brazilian super-hits (in the best sense of the term) of the 60s and 70s is completely out of print. Now, I'm sure, even if you're not a Brazilian music fan, you've heard some of the cuts (yes, The Girl from Ipanema is on there), but, well, ....... I'll put it this way - it's a great introduction to Brazilian music even if you don't need an introduction.

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A Felicidade Agostinho Dos Santos

Agua De Beber Astrud Gilberto & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Interlude #1 Various Artists

The Girl From Ipanema Stan Getz & João Gilberto

Bim Bom João Gilberto

Insensatez Stan Getz & Luiz Bonfá

Bicho Do Mato Walter Wanderly

Mas Que Nada Tamba Trio

Interlude #2 Various Artists

Surfboard Roberto Menescal E Seu Conjunto

Interlude #3 Various Artists

Desafinado Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd

Interlude #4 Various Artists

After Sunrise Sergio Mendes

Consolacao Baden Powell

Upa Neguinho Edu Lobo

Interlude #5 Various Artists

Superbacana Caetano Veloso

Interlude #6 Various Artists

Aquele Abraco Gilberto Gil

Interlude #7 Various Artists

Agua de Marco Elis Regina & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Corcovado Stan Getz & João Gilberto

A Taste of Caetano Veloso

This post is a little later than usual because I've been having some computer issues (the hard drive from my old computer won't spin in its new enclosure) and, as you can see, some issues coming up with a decent name for tonight's Caetano Veloso mixtape - I tried to look up some stuff in Portuguese, but I didn't want to mangle the language. But the picture is pretty cool, right? :)

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Chora Tua Tristeza

Gua

Tropicalia

Um Tom

Blues

Eleanor Rigby

Get Out Of Town

Wait Until Tomorrow

Quando Eu Penso Na Bahia

Chuvas De Verão

Baiao da Penha

Body And Soul

Pecado

Nine Out Of Ten

Enquanto Seu Lobo Não Vem

Samba Em Paz

Carolina

Charles, Anjo 45

Besotted With Brazil Classics

While waiting in line to go see Caetano Veloso last month, I spotted David Byrne. I was really tempted to go up and ask him why there is no Brazil Classics 6 on Luaka Bop (his label) - there’s Volume 1 (Beleza Tropical), Volume 2 (O Samba), Volume 3 (Forro, Etc.), Volume 4 (The Best of Tom Ze – Massive Hits), Volume 5 (Tom Ze – The Hips of Tradition) , and Volume 7 (What’s Happening in Pernambuco). Because I’m a wee bit obsessive, I was curious. Plus, I think it would have been funny to see him look at me like I’m bonkers. But discretion (or cowardice) prevented me from acting on this impulse. Since I still wanted to make a Brazil Classics compilation, I just decided to include some tracks from Beleza Tropical 2 Novo! Mais! Melhor! – think of it as an honorary Brazil Classics cd, especially since it is on the Luaka Bop label.

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A Felicidade Tom Ze

Balanca Pema Marisa Monte

O Fole Roncou Luiz Gonzaga

Carimbo Nacio Zumbi

San Vicente Milton Nascimento

Sarau Para Ramades Paulinho da Viola

Our Monthly Bread Tom Ze

Multiply into One Tom Ze

O Leaozinho Caetano Veloso

Ela Nao Gosta De Mim Agepe

Se Vacilar O Jacare Abraca Wado E Realismo Fantastico

Chiclete Com Banana Jackson Do Pandeiro

Bog La Bog Carlinhos Brown

Acho Carlos Careqa

Querubim Dominguinhos

Vale Do Juca Siba

Doi Tom Ze

Batuco No Chao Martinho Da Silva

Quilombo, O El Dorado Negro Gilberto Gil

I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself - Volume 2

As I mentioned last year, I used to do an anti-Valentine Day show every year when I had my alternative country radio show. While those days may be an increasingly a distant memory, it's still, um.....I don't know if "fun" is the right word, but I still like doing them. In that spirit, I present this year's batch of songs of recrimination, remorse, revenge, and regret.

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I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself Isaac Hayes

Streets Of Baltimore Charley Pride

The World Of Broken Hearts Elvis Costello

The Grand Tour George Jones

Patch My Heart The Mad Lads

Cry Me A River Caetano Veloso

I Wake Up Crying Chuck Jackson

Drown in My Own Tears Percy Sledge

How Can I Go On Without You Jimmy Scott

No Easy Way Down Mark Eitzel

Love Is A Losing Game Amy Winehouse

Woman Left Lonely Cat Power

That Other Woman Got My Man And Gone Margie Joseph

Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them k.d. lang

All Blue Cheri Knight

About the Blues Julie London

Cry On The Detroit Cobras

Don't Forget To Cry Mandy Barnett

It's All Over Now Holly Golightly

Tracks of My Tears Aretha Franklin

Blame It On The Bossa Nova

In the movie “Next Stop Wonderland” (which has a great soundtrack, btw), a Brazilian man tells the main character (played by Hope Davis) that there is “a little of Brazil in you” – “See, you are sad and happy. You don't smile but you are content. You are sad and happy at the same time. In Brazil we have a term for that - it's 'Saudade'. It's like ... melancholic, nostalgic; it's very Bossanova.” I always kinda liked that idea, even if I have no clue whether it’s accurate (and I really don’t want to find out. :) Anyway, just in time to enjoy one last summer caipirinha (or two or three), here’s a compilation of Brazilian music.

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O Telefone Tocou Novamente Jorge Ben
Use Your Head Money Mark
The Carimbæo Nação Zumbi
Pais Tropical Gal Costa
Que Negra e Essa Trio Mocoto
Numbers Smoke City
Mama Africa Chico Cesar
O Pato (The Duck) Coleman Hawkins
Once I Loved Shirley Horn
Baião Atemporal Gilberto Gil & Caetano Veloso
Sunshine Barato The Mosquitos
This Is Not A Tango The Juju Orchestra
Caçada Chico Buarque
Samba Sem Nenhum Problema Marcio Local
Una Mujer Seu Jorge
Bicho Do Mato Walter Wanderly
Claustrofobia Martinho Da Silva
Água De Beber Antônio Carlos Jobim