Samba
Casa da Mπe Joana, Blue Jackel Entertainment CD5025-2. Masters of samba from Rio de Janeiro (Nelson Sargento, Monarco, Wilson Moreira) get together to play and sing...and we here at Maria-Brazil just want to dance! Great gift to yourself or someone who loves samba!
O talento de Paulinho da Viola, EMI CD 835397-2. I don't know why they call this CD The Talent of Paulinho da Viola...except that the man is synonymous with the word. His amazing classics Foi um rio que passou em minha vida and Danτa da solidπo (remember Marisa Monte's recording of this? It's goosebumps time, guys!) The man with the sweetest voice in Brazil also sings Nervos de aτo by Lupicφnio Rodrigues and when he plays his cavaquinho in a choro by Pixinguinha...you wish you were in Brazil. I'll tell ya...Also, don't miss Bebadosamba. It's another incredible CD by Paulinho.
No tom da Mangueira, Saci. I'm sure you can guess this is a CD of songs about the great samba school Mangueira in Rio de Janeiro. It says on the back cover that it honors the composers, musicians and singers who have sung its glories over the years. Well, the glories of Mangueira are numerous, and so are these fabulous sambas. One of them is an original recording by Clementina de Jesus, remastered to add the voice of Ney Matogrosso and the guitar of Rafael Rabello...need we say more? And my favorite is here too, Folhas Secas, by Nelson Cavaquinho, with ZezΘ Gonzaga singing with the legendary Baden Powell on guitar. This song will always remind me of my friend Dennis in Boston. One winter day, I tuned in to his radio show and he was playing it. Of course, I started to cry..
Cartola. Marcus Pereira 0030. This is the original 1976 recording of the great master sambista from Mangueira. Some of our favorite sambas (O mundo Θ um moinho, Cordas de Aτo) and a song that Marisa Monte recorded in her CD Mais (Ensaboa mulata). I saw Cartola in Rio, not too long after this record was released by MP. I had the feeling that was the closest I would ever be to one of the legendary figures of samba, so I was really glad my Brazilian friends took me along to the show.
Cartola: Bate Outra Vez. Som Livre 401 0028, imported. Cartola's great classics by several artists: As rosas nπo falam in a beautiful version by Gal Costa; Acontece by Caetano Veloso and Cordas de Aτo (Steel Strings) by Luiz Melodia. This is my favorite recording of this song, in which he so lovingly describes his instrument, the violπo.PΘrolas: Beth Carvalho, 25 anos de samba. Som Livre 400.1169, imported. The undisputed queen of samba celebrates her 25th anniversary singing sambas by Paulinho da Viola and other great composers.
Beth Carvalho canta o samba de Sπo Paulo, Velas CD 11-VO 24, imported. Who said that there's no samba in the largest city in Brazil? Beautiful sambas by Paulo Vanzolini, Adoniran Barbosa and others.You can read about samba and samba schools on Music Roots 3