NEW
YORK (Universal) "If M�rcio Faraco lived in Brazil he would probably be
very famous," says Putumayo producer Jacob Edgar, who with Putumayo
founder Dan Storper compiled the new Acoustic Brazil CD, set for
release by Putumayo World
Music on February 22, 2004. The CD highlights
the delicate side of Brazilian music, the counterpart to the upbeat
dance music for which the country is also known. Putumayo has pulled
together a mix of songs by some of the greatest names such as Caetano
Veloso,
Chico Buarque, and Gal Costa, as well as some lesser-known gems
not yet released in America. The result is a compelling collection of
beautiful songs that stand the test of time.
"We
stumbled across M�rcio about four years ago in a bar in Paris called
the Blue Noite while visiting with Brazilian singer Nazar� Pereira,"
Edgar recalls. "The music scene in Brazil has a strong local flavor and
it's hard for expat Brazilian musicians to be successful in their
homeland when they are not based there. Here we were on a rainy winter
day in Paris in this bar and this whole community was creating a great
tropical feeling, artists with great potential had they lived back home
in Brazil."
Another find on this CD is Glaucia Nasser, a
relative unknown on the Brazilian music scene. Nasser was a self-help
consultant before pursuing her dream to perform professionally. "Our
international sales manager came back from Brazil with this very
independently released CD," says Edgar, possibly the person who listens
to more new music than anyone else in the world. "Whenever our sales
staff travel we encourage them to bring back new music."
Lula
Queiroga's "Noite Severina" comes from an underground release yet to be
heard in America. "Queiroga is a quirky artist outside of the
mainstream, like Tom Z�," Edgar explains. "His sound is very similar to
Lenine, whom he has served as somewhat of a mentor. It is a very
northeastern sound, acoustic but with subtle electronic accents."
Acoustic
Brazil gently cuts across eras and styles, tied together by powerful
songwriting and the sheer beauty of the Portuguese language and
Brazilian melodies. Caetano Veloso�who is featured here on a Putumayo
CD for the first time (though he has reached superstar status at home
and abroad)�was a founding member of the tropicalismo movement, which
blended bossa nova, rock, psychedelica, and protest music. Chico
Buarque�who was criticized for not being political enough in the
1970s�sings here: "I leave behind many enemies because I've always been
honest." The more extreme the military dictatorship became in Brazil,
the more radical Buarque became, which eventually landed him in jail, a
credit he ironically shares with Veloso. Both are considered to be
among the top ten Brazilian musicians.
Rita Ribeiro is no
newcomer to Putumayo, which released her P�rolas Aos Povos CD in 1999.
Ribeiro comes from the northeastern state of Maranh�o, known as the
Brazilian capital of reggae. Listen closely to "Tem Quem Queira" for
this subtle influence.
On "Moro Na Ro�a," M�nica Salmaso pays
homage to Clementina de Jesus�a granddaughter of African slaves who
began singing professionally late in life after serving as a
housekeeper for over twenty years. Singing while washing clothes, this
"rough diamond" of a singer preserved the lundus and jongos of the
Angolan Bantu.
"We've done fun and upbeat Brazil on our
Brasileiro and Brazilian Groove albums," says Edgar. "So we thought
people would be ready for something more laid back."
Putumayo's
Acoustic Brazil bridges genres, regions, and time periods to create a
striking collection of Brazil's rich songwriting tradition.
A
portion of Putumayo World
Music proceeds from the sale of this CD will
be donated to AMENCAR, an organization dedicated to the struggle for
civil rights of children in Brazil
