The Funky Music of Brazil

From the samba to the bossa nova, explore the funky music of Brazil with us! We’ll take you on a musical journey through the sounds of Brazil and show you how to groove to the beat.

The Origins of Brazilian Music

Brazilian music is a unique blend of Euro-African influences. The country’s history of slavery and oppression has resulted in a musical style that is both soulful and resilient. Brazilian music has been shaped by the country’s diverse landscape and its people’s natural love of rhythm and dance. From the samba to the forró, Brazilian music is full of life and energy.

The influence of African music

African slaves were brought to Brazil in the 1500s, and their music heavily influenced Brazilian music. The African rhythms and beats can still be heard in many Brazilian songs today. For example, the African rhythms can be heard in samba, a very popular type of Brazilian music.

The influence of European music

Although the African influence on Brazilian music is undeniable, it is important to understand the role that European music has played in shaping the country’s unique sound. After all, Brazil was a Portuguese colony for over three hundred years, and the Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the country. Consequently, many aspects of Brazilian culture have their roots in Portugal.

This is certainly true of Brazilian music. From the early days of Brazilian history, Portuguese folk songs and dances were introduced to the country by European settlers. Over time, these songs and dances began to evolve and take on a distinctly Brazilian character. For example, the popular Brazilian dance known as the samba can trace its origins back to a Portuguese folk dance called the lundu. Similarly, many of Brazil’s most popular instrumental forms, such as the choro and the maxixe, evolved from Portuguese predecessors.

Of course, it was not just Portugal that had an impact on Brazilian music. In the nineteenth century, large numbers of German and Italian immigrants arrived in Brazil, bringing with them their own musical traditions. These traditions would also go on to play an important role in shaping Brazilian music. For instance, the polka-like rhythm of the Italian-Brazilian dance known as the Carioca was derived from German and Austrian immigrant groups living in southern Brazil.

The influence of indigenous music

Indigenous music in Brazil is as varied as the people who inhabit the country. There are close to one hundred and ninety different indigenous peoples in Brazil, each with their own musical traditions. The best-known type of indigenous music is probably the samba, which originated in the state of Bahia among the Afro-Brazilian population. The samba has African rhythms and percussion instruments, and was brought to Rio de Janeiro by ex-slaves in the early twentieth century. It quickly became popular in the city’s nightclubs and has since spread around the world.

Other popular genres of Brazilian music that have their roots in indigenous traditions include bossa nova, forró, and maracatu. Bossa nova is a type of Brazilian jazz that developed in the 1950s and 1960s; it combines elements of samba with Western harmonic structures and Jazz chord progressions. Forró is a Northeastern Brazilian style of music that features accordion and guitar; it is often danced to in a fast, upbeat fashion. Maracatu is a traditional Afro-Brazilian musical style from the state of Pernambuco; it features percussion instruments played in a marching band format, and often includes song and dance elements as well.

The Styles of Brazilian Music

There are many different styles of music in Brazil, from the traditional samba to the more modern funk carioca. Brazil is a large and diverse country, and its music reflects this diversity. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular styles of Brazilian music.

Samba

Samba is a Brazilian musical genre and dance style, with its roots in Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions, particularly of Angola and the Congo. Samba is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival. Considered one of the earliest forms of popular music in Brazil, samba has become an embodiment of Brazilian national identity.

The earliest styles of samba – and indeed, some of the earliest styles of Brazilian popular music – were actually danced to by slaves in Brazil’s sugar plantations. These early styles were known as lundu and jongo, and were a mix of African rhythms and Portuguese melodies.

Bossa nova

Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian popular music, which was developed and popularized in the 1950s and 1960s. The term bossa nova derives from the Portuguese word for “new trend” or “new wave”. A lyrical fusion of samba and jazz, bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially among young musicians and college students. In Brazil, the word “bossa” is an old-fashioned slang for something that is done with particular charm, natural flair or innate ability. As early as 1932, Noel Rosa used the word in a samba: “O samba, a prontidão e a bossa,” (“The samba, readiness and bossa”). Clube da Esquina is a seminal bossa nova album released in 1972.

MPB

MPB, or “Musica Popular Brasileira”, is a style of Brazilian music that draws from a wide range of influences, including bossa nova, jazz, and rock. MPB artists often explore social and political themes in their lyrics, and the music itself is characterized by complex harmonies and rhythms. Some well-known MPB artists include Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Chico Buarque.

The Stars of Brazilian Music

Brazil is well known for many things. Its amazing landscape, its delicious food, and of course, its funky music. Brazilian music has been influenced by many different genres, including African, European, and indigenous styles. This melting pot of musical influences has created a unique sound that is loved all over the world. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most popular Brazilian musicians.

Antonio Carlos Jobim

Antonio Carlos Jobim was a Brazilian composer, arranger, singer, and guitarist who pioneered the bossa nova style of music. He is best known for his composition “The Girl from Ipanema,” which has become a jazz standard. Jobim was born in 1927 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. His father, Jorge de Oliveira Jobim, was a doctor and his mother, Nilza Soares Brasileiro de Almeida, was a homemaker. As a child, Jobim showed an interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. His first composition, “Trolley Car,” was written when he was just eleven years old.

In his teens, Jobim started to play guitar and to develop an interest in bossa nova, a new style of Brazilian music that fuseed jazz and samba. He soon began to write songs in this style. In 1954, Jobim and his friend João Gilberto recorded “Chega de Saudade,” which is considered to be the first bossa nova song. The following year, they released an album called “Bossa Nova at Carnegie Hall.” This album helped tointroduce bossa nova to American audiences.

In the 1960s, Jobim’s career took off internationally. He wrote songs for films such as Orfeu Negro (1959) and Blow-Up (1966). He also collaborated with American jazz singer Frank Sinatra on the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim (1967), which won a Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year. In 1968, Jobim released his most famous composition, “The Girl from Ipanema.” This song won two Grammy Awards and helped to make bossa nova a worldwide phenomenon.

Jobim continued to enjoy success throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He composed soundtracks for films such as Black Orpheus (1959) and Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972). In 1985, he was awarded the Polar Music Prize by the Swedish Academy of Music. Antonio Carlos Jobim died of heart failure in 1994 at the age of 67.

Gilberto Gil

By the time Gilberto Gil hit the international music scene in the late 1960s, he had already established himself as one of Brazil’s most innovative and popular musicians. A singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Gil was at the forefront of the country’s Tropicalia movement, which blended traditional Brazilian styles with Western pop and rock. He went on to enjoy a successful solo career, both in Brazil and abroad, releasing more than two dozen albums over the course of his 50-plus-year career.

Born in Salvador, Bahia, on December 26, 1942, Gilberto Gonçalves Viana Miele was the eldest of nine children. His father was a truck driver and his mother stayed at home to care for the family. When he was seven years old, Gil began playing guitar; by his teens, he was performing with various samba and bossa nova groups in Salvador’s nightclubs. In 1963, he released his first single, “Louvação,” under his given name. The following year, he moved to Rio de Janeiro to attend college and study art. It was there that he met fellow student Caetano Veloso; the two soon began performing together as a duo.

Caetano Veloso

Caetano Veloso is one of Brazil’s most important and influential musicians. He was born in 1942 in the city of Salvador, Bahia, and started his career as a member of the Tropicalia movement in the late 1960s. His music combines Brazilian pop with various international styles, including rock, bossa nova, and experimental music. He has been a major force in Brazilian culture for over fifty years, and his work continues to be hugely popular both in Brazil and around the world.