Mixtape #2: Brazizzle!

Saturday, 20 June 2009 18:34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, Brazizzle. Where the shizzle would we be withizzle it? Which country would we be able to point at when we need an example of a nation that knows how to dance like it's the last party on earth, play football like they were trained by the Gods and provide us with the drug - I'm talking caffeine before you get excited - that fuels our everyday life?

Not Guernsey, that's for sure.

I've been a massive fan of Brazilian music ever since I went out with a Girl from Ipanema Sao Paulo way back when. She introduced me to the basics: the Gilberto Gils and Caetano Velosos, the Tom Jobims and the Vincius de Moraes. At the time, there was no shortage of Brazilian action in London too (musically speaking). Marky and Patife were breaking through on the d&b scene, albums like Da Lata's lovely "Songs From The Tin" were a-droppin' and there were regular shows by legends like Hermeto Pascoal, Tom Ze, Marcos Valle, Jorge Ben, Joyce...

When I went and stayed with my ex-g/f's fam in "Sampa" (Sao Paulo) for a few months I lapped up every bit of music I could find, which wasn't difficult since it's everywhere in Brazil. Even her mum played a bit of guitar. I absorbed the old and wrote about the new. They were good times. DJ Marky was resident at Lov.e, Bruno E's Sambaloco Records (now defunct) was pushing the electronic scene and I met an up & coming chanteuse called Cibelle, who in the last few years has carved out a natty global career for herself.

I've travelled back to Brazil a few times since, to Sao Paulo but also the nordeste where I've been fortunate enough to jump around at carnaval in amazing cities like Salvador and Recife and explore regional styles like forró, maracatú, frevo, coco de ciranda - not to mention the explosive Mangue Beat scene in Pernambuco.

This mixtape stems from a more personal source than a journalistic one. It's not trying to be 'deep' or 'knowing' or 'obscure' - Gilles Peterson's forthcoming "Brazilika" album does that very well. It just throws together a few of my favourite tunes and artists over the years. Given the breadth and depth of Brazilian music, it could have obviously gone in many directions but it's turned out pretty upbeat. There's samba and bossa and cavaquinhos and flutes but also funk, soul and jazz.

"Will it make me do jazz-hands?" I really very much hope so.

This particular mixtape would also seem to have a mystical significance. One week after I started it I was invited to go on a press trip to the Boi Bumbá music festival in the Amazon. Which is nice. You can download the whole playlist here.

Here's that bum again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRAZIZZLE!!

"Voltei Amor"  Trio Mocotó  (taken from the album "Samba Rock")     

"Tereza Sabe Sambar"  Elis Regina  (taken from the album "Elis")      

"Cidade Vazia"  Djalma Dias & Sambossa 5  (taken from the album "Nicola Conte presents Viagem")       

"Roda"  Elis Regina  (taken from the album "Samba, Jazz & Bossa")       

"Take It Easy My Brother Charles"  Jorge Ben  (taken from the album "Puro Suingue")        

"Deixa Nega Ginger"  Clara Moreno  (taken from the album "Miss Balanco") 

"Vamos Embora Uau"  Bossa Jazz Trio  (taken from the album "Nicola Conte presents Viagem")   

"Brazil Nagô"  Negrocan  (taken from the album "Negrocan")       

"Berimbal Capoeira Baba Batucada"  Grupo Batuque (taken from the album "Africa Brazil")      

"Negada da Lapa"  Adil Tiscatti  (taken from the album "Rough Guide To Brazil")           

"Coco Do Pneu" Cila Do Coco E Seus Pupilos (taken from the album "Cila Do Coco E Seus Pupilos")       

"Eu Balanco (Beatfanatic Rework)"  Jackson Do Pandeiro  (taken from the album "Brazilian Beats 5")       

"Samba Da-Li"  Dalindeo    (taken from the album "Open Scenes")      

"Pra Manha"  Da Lata (taken from the album "Songs From The Tin")           

"Felicidade"  Suba (feat. Cibelle)  (taken from the album "Sao Paulo Confessions")       

"Defeito 6: Esteticar"  Tom Zé    (taken from the album "Com Defeito De Fabricação")       

"Quando Nara"  Kassin +2  (taken from the album "Futurismo")      

"Carolina"  Seu Jorge  (taken from the album "Carolina")   

"Nem Vem Que Nao Tem"  Wilson Simonal  (taken from the album "City Of Gods OST")   

"No Prego"  Cibelle  (taken from the album Cibelle")      

"Ensaboar Você (Soap You)"  Apollo Nove  (taken from the album "Apollo Nove")