Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical

Amazon.com
Compiled by former Talking Head David Byrne and released in 1989, with liner notes and translations by Arto Lindsay, Beleza Tropical documents a New York hipster's first infatuation with the rich, deep, and varied spectrum of Brazilian popular music from the rebellious '70s. There are better Brazilian anthologies, but none so clearly assembled in order to counter the received opinion of Brazilian music as lightweight bachelor-pad fluff (although Milton Nascimento, with his beautiful high tenor, sometimes comes close). Caetano Veloso (whose magnificent "Terra" is itself worth the price of admission) and Gilberto Gil are remarkable lyricists whose music is influenced as much by the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of northern Brazil as by the Beatles. Jorge Ben contributes a pair of highfalutin yet funky soccer songs, Chico Buarque is at his most uncompromisingly poetic, and Nazare Pereira taps deep into Brazilian folklore. --Richard Gehr

Tracks:

Ponta de LanAfricano (Umbabarauma) - Jorge Ben
Sonho Meu - Maria Betha, Gal Costa, ,
Sero Um XodGilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso
Um Canto de Afoxara O Cloco de IlIly- Caetano Veloso
O Leinho - Caetano Veloso
Caa - Chico Buarque
Calice - Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento
Equatorial - Lrges, , Borgues
San Vicente - Milton Nascimento
Quilombo, O el Dorado Negro - Gilberto Gil
Caramba! ... Galileu da Galil - Jorge Ben
Caixa de Sol - Nazare Pereira
Maculele - Nazare Pereira
Queixa - Caetano Veloso
Andar Com Fe (To Walk With Faith) - Gilberto Gil
Fio Maravilha - Jorge Ben
Anima - Milton Nascimento
Terra - Caetano Veloso

Customer Reviews:

Prepare to Be Mesmerized .......2006-09-23

I was given this album by a friend. I'm not a connoisseur of international music, but I must say I was instantly captivated by this musical compilation. The songs have a catchy, relaxing quality to them.

still love it after 15+ years.......2006-03-29

I bought the original about 15 years ago in cassette tape form
(yeah, I am getting older:). Even though I agree that Byrnes should have updated it with younger and more current artists, these classic songs still move me.

This disc introduced me to Brazil.......2006-03-16

What a great CD. I have all of Byrnes Brazilian discs and wish he would issue more. He really captured what makes Brazilian music great with his first three discs in this series. Still, this one is really special. The fourth and fifth disc in this series are dedicated to the artist Tom Ze who is brilliant in his own weird way. This first disc makes you just want to dance all over your living room. I wish Byrne would release more. Of course I now have a lot of the cds by the original artists, but this is the one that hooked me. Buy and enjoy.

Not a New CD.......2005-03-29

Why continue to recycle a CD that is now roughly sixteen years out of date? Yes, it is a great compilation, or, at least, it was in 1989, but times have changed. Maybe somebody should talk Byrne into updating this CD once again, as he did in 1999, with a new compilation or two or six. There are about a score of styles and literally dozens of artists in Brazil who deserve recognition for the music that they are making now. And it is somehow odd that while there is not exactly a shortage of Brazilian compilations out there, most of those efforts have a regretable tendency to recycle yesterday's headliners. How about a fresh compilation that includes such diverse artists as Djavan, Cibelle, Autoramas, Silvia Torres, Monica Salmaso, Carlinhos Brown, Vinicius Cantuaria, Helena, Trio Da Paz, Charlie Brown Jr, Rita Ribeiro, Fernanda Porto, Seu Jorge, and about, oh, fifty others. All are interesting artists making incredible music, and all are making that great music in the 21st century.

one of my desert island CDs.......2004-10-12

I've owned this CD for over ten years and it remains one of my favorites. The Brazilian music featured here manages to be both instantly accessable and yet at the same time exotic and new, from the stripped-down funkiness of "Ponta de Lança Africano" to the majestic "Equatorial" to the melancholy harmonies on "Fio Maravilha." I suppose the reason for this is the fact that these artists grew up immersed in their rich musical traditions, but at the same time they were exposed to the music of the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Brown, etc. I don't like most of what falls under the "world music" umbrella, but this collection really hits the spot for me.

Also worth mentioning are the excellent liner notes and bilingual lyrics. Honestly, my only complaint is that this CD inspired me to go out and look for more Brazilian music but I've been unable to find anything else that I loved as much as this.

Brazil Classics, Vol. 1: Beleza Tropical

Average customer rating:

Perfect For Non-Experts
Great Artists...Just Not Their Best Songs.
A great CD
Almost worth replacing
Why ONLY 5 stars?

Brazil Classics, Vol. 1: Beleza Tropical
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Samba | Latin Music | International | Styles | Music

Afro Brazilian | Latin Music | International | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Bossa Nova | Latin Music | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beleza Tropical 2: Novo! Mais! Melhor!, Compiled By David Byrne
Brazil Classics, Vol. 2: O Samba
Ile Aiye (The House of Life) - A Film by David Byrne
Brazil Classics, Vol. 3: Forro, Etc.
Clube da Esquina

ASIN: B000002LG3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Ponta de Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma) - Jorge Ben
Sonho Meu - Maria Bethania E Gal Costa
So Quero Um Xodo - Gilberto Gil
Um Canto de Afoxe Para O Bloco do lle (Ile Aye) - Caetano Veloso
O Leaozinho - Caetano Veloso
Cacada - Chico Buarqe
Calice - Chico Buarqe/Milton Nascimento
Equatorial - Lo Borges
San Vicente - Milton Nascimento
Quilomba, o el Dorado Negro - Gilberto Gil
Caramba!... Galileu Da Galileia - Jorge Ben
Caixa de Sol - Nazare Pereira
Maculele - Nazare Pereira
Queixa - Caetano Veloso
Andar Com Fe - Gilberto Gil
Fio Maravilha - Jorge Ben
Anima - Milton Nascimento
Terra - Caetano Veloso

Amazon.com

Compiled by former Talking Head David Byrne and released in 1989, with liner notes and translations by Arto Lindsay, Beleza Tropical documents a New York hipster's first infatuation with the rich, deep, and varied spectrum of Brazilian popular music from the rebellious '70s. There are better Brazilian anthologies, but none so clearly assembled in order to counter the received opinion of Brazilian music as lightweight bachelor-pad fluff (although Milton Nascimento, with his beautiful high tenor, sometimes comes close). Caetano Veloso (whose magnificent "Terra" is itself worth the price of admission) and Gilberto Gil are remarkable lyricists whose music is influenced as much by the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of northern Brazil as by the Beatles. Jorge Ben contributes a pair of highfalutin yet funky soccer songs, Chico Buarque is at his most uncompromisingly poetic, and Nazare Pereira taps deep into Brazilian folklore. --Richard Gehr

Customer Reviews:

Perfect For Non-Experts.......2007-04-10

Back in the '80s when this came out, US pop stars like David Byrne and Paul Simon won great praise for discovering "world music." Of course, this was the height of arrogance because this music has been around forever, just not known to many in the US. This Brazilian sampler is certainly melodious, though some think it doesn't contain the best work of the great Brazilian artists featured. So what? If you don't know this music very well, this CD makes a fabulous introduction. The lilting rhythms and irresistible melodies will grab any ears on first hearing and not let go.

Great Artists...Just Not Their Best Songs........2003-11-04

I was definitely a little dissapointed in this CD. I originally bought it because it had a lot of my favorite artists on it (Jorge Ben, Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, etc.), however this CD does not showcase these artists best songs or work.

A great CD.......2000-01-19

I've had this CD for nearly 10 years now, and I still love it. It is a great introduction to Brazilian music. Like many compilations featuring various artists, there is a wide variety of styles; some songs I don't like as much, while others are just incredible, and that's why it ranks as a five-star CD. I would rank the best songs on "Brazil Classics I: Beleza Tropical" with songs by the Beatles or Simon & Garfunkel. It's hard to describe-- the music is a little bit familiar and accessable to my American ears, and at the same time very different than anything I had heard before. I gave a copy as gift to a friend, and he loved it. Then he promptly went out and bought two copies to give as gifts to other friends. It's definitely the kind of CD you want to share with your friends and spread the word about. The liner notes are quite good, too.

Almost worth replacing.......2000-01-08

I owned this CD until recently. Basically, I wore it out by playing certain cuts over, and over, and over ... mostly at grad school parties where friends would always ask "What's this! " About 70% of this material is as good as any music I've ever heard, Beatles included. It's the other 30% that grates. Such are the slings & arrows of any very good, challenging compilation by more than one artist. Continuity can be a problem. Worth owning once as a fine (and historically important) intro to Brasilian music, but not worth replacing. There's better musica brasileira to be had - once you know what you like. Therein lies the value of this CD.

Why ONLY 5 stars?.......1999-12-01

This is one of the best compilations (not only of brazilian music, but of any kind) i've ever had the luck to listen to, even though i think it's not the best David Byrne's compilation (i think Samba is). It's great from beginning to end, it doesn't have a flaw, it offers you some of the best creations of some of the best MPB musicians of any time. This is a must (IMHO) not only for all the MPB fans (including myself) but all music fans out there, you can't go wrong with this. Thanx David Byrne for such compilation, and even more thanx to the musicians that in any way were part of the process of creating such marvelous music. thanx again!

Average customer rating:

Still the Best Introductory Compilation
Quintessential Collection of Brazilian Excellence!
Excellent Collection
Dream of mine
Original and the best

Brazil Classics, Vol. 1: Beleza Tropical
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Luaka Bop
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Samba | Latin Music | International | Styles | Music

Afro Brazilian | Latin Music | International | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Bossa Nova | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Brazil Classics, Vol. 2: O Samba
Wave
Bossa Nova Brasil

ASIN: B00004RD0T
Release Date: 2000-03-28

Tracks:

Ponta De Lanca (Umbabarauma) - Jorge Ben
Sonho Meu - Maria Bethania E Gal Costa
So Quero Um Xodo - Gilberto Gil
Um Canto De Afoxe Para O Bloco Do Lle (Lle Aye) - Caetano Veloso
O Leaozinho - Caetano Veloso
Cacada - Chico Buarque
Calice - Chico Buarque/Milton Nascimento
Equatorial - Lo Borges
San Vicente - Milton Nascimento
Quilombo, O El Dorado Negro - Gilberto Gil
Caramba!...Galileu Da Galileia - Jorge Ben
Caixa De Sol - Nazare Pereira
Maculele - Nazare Pereira
Queixa - Caetano Veloso
Andar Com Fe - Gilberto Gil
Fio Maravilha - Jorge Ben
Anima - Milton Nascimento
Terra - Caetao Veloso

Customer Reviews:

Still the Best Introductory Compilation.......2002-08-29

Like the other reviewers, this was pretty much my introduction to Brazilian popular music. The Jorge Ben video was also on fairly regular rotation on Black Entertainment Television in the late 80's and early 90's. What ever happened to their world music shows......

But I digress. Obviously all the reviewers of this record highly recommend it, and I'm no exception. The music is absolutely awesome, and the information (including translations) inside the jacket is priceless. You can also find more stuff on Luakabop.com

Quintessential Collection of Brazilian Excellence!.......2002-05-31

Every track on this album is a killer! This was the first Brazilian CD I bought and although my collection of Latin music has grown substantially, I still turn to it when all else fails. It's a great introduction to the genre and by far the most comprehensive compilation of Brazilian Pop/Rock/folk music I've ever heard.

Like many countries that have had to put up with hard-line political regimes, music has always been an outlet to vent social & political frustrations, document life and present hope even in the darkest hours. The lightness of much Brazilian pop is often confused for music without guts. It is hard to imagine the music presented here as being in any way dangerous, but the military regime that controlled Brazil during the late '60s and early '70s found it very subversive. So much so that the artists Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil were exiled and lived in London for several years. The sleeve notes document all of this extremely well and present the lyrics to each track in the original Portuguese as well as the English translation. There is also a list of the original albums this compilation was derived from, many of which are well worth seeking out (Milton Nascimento's "Clube Da Esquina" being a prime example).

Most of the music on this CD is from the 70's. It's funk, acoustic, guitar, harmonic, vocal, melodic brilliance. Many of 'thee' Brazilian musical exponents are represented here (Jorge Ben, Maria Bethany, Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso etc.). There's even a track about football: Jorge Ben's "Umbabarauma" (which has been sampled by Fila Brazillia on the track "Pots and Pans"). It's obvious that this is just the tip of the Brazilian iceberg and it would be hard for a single CD to cover all the aspects & diversity present in Brazilian music. So if you want get started I'd buy this CD, I guarantee that after hearing it you will crave for MORE! (The good news is that Luaka Bop's releases are already in double figures.)...

Excellent Collection.......2002-05-24

Let me start by saying that I know nothing about Brazilian music. I used to think it all sounded like "Girl from Ipanema." This CD gloriously proves otherwise. While no one collection can capture the breadth of a country's musical culture, this one does a good job of at least illustrating variety in Brazilian music. And the songs are great. There are songs in this collection that make you want to learn Portuguese just so you can appreciate them more. Heck, I've sung along with a few of the cuts without even knowing what I was singing (I do a mean Milton Nasciamento falsetto). It's simply a great, great CD. I don't know how representative of Brazil these selections are, and, to be honest, I don't really care. I just love the music. It's wonderful.

Dream of mine.......2002-03-19

I don't know if it's the soccer player in me, or the fact that I'm half-Portuguese and it's in my blood, but I took to this album instantly and I never have tired of listening to it, in 6 years. Great rhythms and enchanting voices, this is just one entertaining disc to have, and a great primer for anybody interested in Brazilian music. It also offers a lot of insight into the sociopolitical climates of the times from when these songs were released, and the translations and history included in the CD jacket are much appreciated, and enhance the listening experience all that much more. A truly great collection of music that I have every confidence in recommending to you if you want something different that has a great dance beat and I dare you to sit still in your chair while you listen. Enjoy!

Original and the best.......2001-12-05

This album put the Luaka Bop label on the map for many people, and in many ways it is still an example of their best work. This compilation contains some of the best south american music I have heard, even though the tracks now date back several decades. If you are looking to get your feet wet with a Luaka Bop title this is the one for you.

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