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July 16, 2007
Play Listen Repeat Vol. 14
Hello music people!
The Play Listen Repeat banner is back again, with more stimulating and generally "aesthetical" musings for our collective discussion. If anyone noticed this blog's hiatus, then thank you!
I saw Os Mutantes play yesterday, and Sergio Dias (also sometimes known as Sergio Baptista), singer and guitarist, is not only a personal hero, but a figure who raises some cool artistic challenges for me. I'm curious to hear peoples' thoughts....
Live, Dias plays astounding, virtuosic guitar solos while exuding a kind of supernatural joyfulness. Looking for all the world like a cross between Paul McCartney and Bugs Bunny, he shreds and smiles. Meanwhile, the band is playing a fearless kind of psychedelic, omnivorous pop music which careens from a capella contrapuntal vocal choir sections to proggy riffs, to bossa ballads.
I'm fascinated by the image of the happy virtuoso, the happy genius that this band, and Sergio in particular, projects. Os Mutantes was formed in the late 60's in Brazil, a few years after a military coup which instituted repressive censorship and even jailed artists like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.
Whatever your political leanings may be, it often seems that the world we live in is ever-darkening. I love the challenge presented by these artists, who show us a kind of triumph: human spirits in the form of artists, fighting the darkness with their joy and love, and not with anger or negativity.
Inspiring, don't you think?
mz
Posted by Michael Zapruder at July 16, 2007 01:03 PM
Comments
I went to yesterday's Os Mutantes show as well, and man oh man, their version of "Panis Et Circenses" was thoroughly inspiring. The whole show was great, but that particular song really got me. "2001" was fantastic, too.
Vida longa os Mutantes! (Long live the Mutants!)
Posted by: Kevin Seal at July 16, 2007 02:47 PM
you were very much missed. welcome back. keep writing
Posted by: lisa at July 16, 2007 07:05 PM
thanks lisa!
Posted by: Michael Zapruder at July 17, 2007 12:08 AM
It is fantastic to hear (read) people who appreciate brazilian music. You guys should try the brand new ones too! I like very much a group called "Cordel do Fogo Encantado" which mix different rhythms that at the 60' would be classified as only "tribal".
Posted by: Andrea Ferreira at July 17, 2007 02:13 PM
I just discovered a group of Celtic Folk with beautiful songs. Their name is Llan de Cubel and I couldn't find any song of them here :-(
Posted by: Andrea Ferreira at July 17, 2007 02:20 PM
thanks andrea -
I love the brazilian stuff! wish I knew portuguese so I could understand chico buarque's lyrics, for one thing...
feel free to send any music requests to suggest-music[at]pandora[dot]com.
cheers,
mz
Posted by: Michael Zapruder at July 17, 2007 02:26 PM
Thank you
Posted by: Hades at July 17, 2007 02:49 PM
I saw the Os Mutantes show at Stern Grove in San Francisco too -- was really great. Pandora has been really helpful in extending my knowledge of Brazilian music, introducing me to artists like Maria Bethania and Elis Regina. I bought a Chico Buarque songbook recently -- there's a really great series of Brazilian music publications from Lumiar which was published by Almir Chediak before his tragic murder. They publish songbooks of Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and more.
Posted by: Larry-bob at July 17, 2007 03:12 PM
somehow brazil holds no appeal for me right now......I have taken to listening to Three Of A Perfect Pair and Bizzare Ride to The Pharcyde because they share the same color combinations. Blue and yellow. Each of the Pharcyde's records are blue and yellow vinyl (respectively) and, you know, thats King Crimson's yellow one. Boy they look good together. Yeah, music. Its all about aesthetics.
Posted by: lisa at July 17, 2007 06:16 PM
I discovered a number of great Brazilian artists on Pandora as well:
Seu Jorge -- you might know him as the team zissou crew member that sang portuguese renditions of bowie songs, or knockout ned in City of God. He's just all over the map--rock, funk, brazillian rhythms, reggae. Simply amazing stuff.
Marisa Monte -- A brazilian pop singer with a gorgeous voice.
Posted by: vic at July 18, 2007 03:30 PM
Hey guys,
some other great ladies with beautiful voices in Brazil: Maria Rita and Mariana Aydar. Donīt miss a group called "Dona Zica", they have fantastic mix of beautiful voices and techno mixing!
And Michael Z, and online translator could help you up with translations...but if you don't feel it's good enough, go ahead and talk to me. I am a native Portuguese speaker ;-)
Posted by: Andrea Ferreira at July 20, 2007 12:17 PM
Wonderful Os Mutantes yesterday's play ,I love the brazilian stuff!
Posted by: Konsen at July 21, 2007 01:22 AM
I will check out those songbooks larry-bob - I'm determined to cover construcao by chico buarque one of these days.
and andrea, I would love some translations! two songs in particular - the one I just mentioned - construcao by choco b, and clarice by caetano veloso. I'd love to know those lyrics in english!
best,
mz
Posted by: Michael Zapruder at July 23, 2007 01:46 PM
