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UK BRAZIL SOMEWHERE ELSE

SUMMER OF BRAZIL - how to enjoy the UK's hot hot season, Brazilian style

NEVER HAS THE DIVERSITY OF BRAZILIAN MUSIC BEEN SO WELL-REPRESENTED HERE IN THE UK BEFORE.

In 1906, a pair of French dancers presented what was probably the first performance in Europe of a genuinely Brasilian musical genre. Also known as the “Brasilian tango”, the maxixe had emerged in Rio de Janeiro around 1870 before taking to Paris. Fusing polca, tango and Afro-Brasilian rhythms, the style was seen as a notorious affront to the aristocratic morals of the time. It was a rhythm that had eveloped amongst the poor and, despite the “moral outrage” that followed it, it quickly took the upper echelons of Rio society by storm.

“Generalising somewhat, you could say that it was the older brother of the samba and perhaps the first genuinely Brasilian rhythm”, explains musician and lecturer Barto Rocha. “You don’t hear it anymore, but it definitely opened doors for Brasilian music abroad”, adds Professor Rocha.

After the maxixe’s succcess, things deteriorated somewhat. But from the six-month tour of the Batutas (Pixiguinha’s chorinho band) in France in 1922 to CSS’s move to London in 2008, Brasilian pop music has always made its presence felt in Europe, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the period of time.

But due to a number of factors (which are explained below) this year an unprecedented number of Brasilian acts will be performing in London (it’s well worth remembering that Paris is no longer the cultural hub that it once was and that nowadays London hosts more shows by Brasilian artists than any other country in Europe). As well as having the means to put on a range of different shows
from across the world and the age-old interest that regional Brasilian music seems to exert over the European public, there are a number of factors that explain why this summer will probably be the most Brasilian summer in the history of London.

To begin with, many Brasilian musicians now live in the United Kingdom, and then there’s also the fact that a diverse array of event producers are now working to bring Brasilian artists over to play in the capital.

Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento and even Racionais MC’s (a most impressive rap group from São Paulo) have all already played in London this year. But now, JungleDrums is going to show you how to make the most of the Brasilian summer ahead of us. Because apart from the maxixe, almost all the major Brasilian music styles are going to be represented.