SEARCH

Subscribe to our newsletter:

Name:

Email:

where do you live?
UK BRAZIL SOMEWHERE ELSE

Old good stuff

CD WITH THE BEST RARE SAMBAS FROM PORTELA FINALLY GETS UK RELEASE

Brasilian music doesn’t have anything left to prove. After all, how many times have you found yourself in a restaurant or hotel in London listening to some classic bossa-nova? The big new thing now are Carnival sambas. The CD Tudo Azul, produced by Marisa Monte, an iconic figure on the Brasilian music scene, is set to be launched here in London at the end of the month. The album features old sambas that were practically forgotten and in danger of being lost forever.

In Brasil, the CD was a success with over 35,000 copies sold. It brings together 18 tracks by old-school compositors from the Velha Guarda da Portela – the veteran musicians of Portela, one of the main Samba Schools in Rio. It not only features big names such as Monarco, but also artists such as Marisa Monte, Zeca Pagodinho, Cristina Buarque and Paulinho da Viola.

If you’re looking for a lesson in samba, then set some time aside for Monarco’s "Portela desde que nasci" and "Vai saudade", by Davi do pandeiro and Candeia. Marisa explained where she got the inspiration: “I decided to produce the album at a time when I was looking for a Velha Guarda CD to listen to and couldn’t find one”.

I’m sorry to all the dancing mulatas out there, but this time around the spotlight is going to be fi rmly on this CD, which sums up the essence and true spirit of Rio’s Carnival. Samba: beautiful to look at, wonderful to listen to and sure to get your hips swaying. JD

TAGS

samba