Do you listen to much Spanish language music? I think you'd really like
Juan Luis Guerra. He's sort of a Dominican Caetano Veloso. Also, you
would perhaps like Bachata music. Its Dominican "folk" music, with
emphasis on guitar. Its sort of the Blues in spanish. Some artists that
are good to start with are Antony Santos and Raulin Rodriguez. {i was in
the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic a few years ago]

Thanks again,

John

I love your web-site especially the Brazilian section. I've been collecting
Brazilian records for 7-8 years now and probably have 200-250. It's so hard
to find any good info on what I have on the web even though I know a lot of
people buy the stuff. Your site and Dusty Groove's are about it for me.
Keep it up!

Greetings from Malvern, England, where Brazilian music in our local record
shop consists of one Stan Getz c.d. Just wanted to say what a great site -
it's really helped to know what to go out and buy, even if some of your
opinions (how can you say that stuff about Tom Jobim?!!) are a tad warped!
Seriously though, since reading through the pages, I've really gotten into
Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso and others big time, and am attempting to
learn to play all this stuff - anyone within 500 miles of Malvern who wants
to play some samba, let me know!

A request - on a couple of compilation c.d.'s, I've come across a singer
called Maria Creuza, who I've been unable to find out anything about. I've
got one of the best versions I've ever heard of "Chega De Saudade" by
her - any further info. would be much appreciated.

Dear Joe,

Your Brazilian Music Page is the best I've ever seen.
I think I've bought about twenty albums based on your
recommendations and none of them have ever
disappointed. Are you going to include sections on
Joyce and Banda Black Rio in the near future? Also, I
know they're not from Brazil but Ricardo Marrero and
the Group might be worth a mention too. Just a
thought.

Best regards,

Dan Gamble

Dear Joe I'm a big MPB/Tropicicalia fan, and may I say how very fine your brazilain
stuff is - I have got a few top tips from your pages, and your taste is
excellent. I really enjoy your anti Nascimento thing (anyone endorsed by sting has to
be dodgy), and the angry Beijaflor letter in your hate mail box should be
posted as a monument to patronising humourlesness. What is it with the
nascimento fans - the strength of MPB is not only its use of so many
influences, but its songwriting - apart from some of Club Esquina, old
milton is just aimless noodling for 30 years - and live he's no more
interesting.........
In my opinion the 2cd set of OS NOVOS BAIANOS should be divided into a
wonderful follow up to the masterpiece Acabou Corare(FC Novos Baianos) and a
weak album that preceded Moraes Moriera's departure (the other LP on the CD)
- maybe you should point out that all the post moraes moriera albums are
pretty ordinary - just my opinion....I don't speak portuguese either.
Keep up the good work
Rupert (from London)

Mr. Sixpack
Love your Brasilian pages on your website, which I found via posts
in Salon by a "David Smay". I was wondering if you have heard Na Ozzetti.
Her self-titled album is a pretty good mix of rock and traditional
influences. I also have her 'Love Lee Rita" (homage to, and songs written,
by Rita Lee) which I find less pleasurable. If you are interested, I would
be happy to exchange tapes.

Tom Coleman

Ola tudo bem!!!
Sou o Solon, moro em Natal-RN- Brasil,admiro muito a bossa nova e jovem
guarda,pricipalmente Renato e seus Blue Caps e Joao Gilberto.
Gostaria de ser teu amigo
Um abraco de
Solon
Natal-RN
Brasil

Just wanted to say thanks a lot for the invaluable info. I've been
getting pretty heavily into Cuban, Brazilian, Haitian and African music
lately and I'm always looking out for tips - also it's also good to
"meet" other people out there who love all this crazy, beautiful stuff.

Kind regards,

Dennis Mendelson (in Boston, by way of South Africa)

First of all, you have a great page which is an incredible asset for those who want to learn more about the Tropicalia that has become so hip in America lately.However ,as someone who has grown up in a half-Brazilian household, I am well aware of the Tropicalia which is currently sweeping our nation. While Tropicalia was the major force in Brazil for many years, I think you should try to expose people to some newer sounds as well. Two examples are Daniela Mercury and Chico Science. A lot of people who love Brazilian music in the States hate this stuff. They think it sounds too American to be good Brazilian music. I think this is where Brazilian music is headed. Granted things have been pretty dismal in the recording field, (and I know what you mean about pagode..last time I was there I couldn't escape it), but I think people are forgetting that innovations are going on all over in Brazil. I love Caetano Veloso and Elis Regina, and think Panis et Circenses is one of the best albums ever, but I think it is time people in Brazil and America get past Tropicalia. I think that your page would be even better with some more attention paid to these newer blendings taking place mostly in Bahia and Recife. Of course, I am in America and I don't get a chance to hear some of the best new stuff, but the sound from Recife over the last few years has been incredible...very funky, some hip hop, and definite maracatu rhythms...It's one of the most intoxicating sounds I've ever heard, as in your face and trippy as bossa nova was subtle and cool. The only musician of this type I've seen in most non Latin/Brazilian focused music stores is the late, great Chico Science, and his best release up here is called Afrociberdelia. Also I was shocked to see a page without Daniela Mercury. Love or hate her she's the next Margareth Menezes/Gal Costa/Carmen Miranda/Brazilian female musical ambassador.Some cringe at the metal guitars, but they forget that Tropicalia used the same tactics with its psychedelic playing...and after all, Brazil is a pretty metal sort of place from the trios eletricos to Sepultura. Daniela does have a great voice and incredible energy, like Madonna but good.

Finally, about the Cuban page. I am confused by the way you praise Tropicalia for its use of rock and roll trends and criticize Irakere and NG. Irakere's music in the 70s was some of the most innovative music to come out of an island with astounding but often stale musical traditions. I had the privelege of seeing Chucho Valdes (of Irakere) in concert last spring and was amazed by his energy. While he may have modernized some things he had that same energy you expect from any good Cuban musician. There's something about the air down there that gives all Cuban music, traditional and modern that magic...give some newer Cuban stuff a chance; it's not all Nuyorican salsa.

(By the way, if there is a Latin music trend I would go house on criticizing it would pop en espanol, Ricky Martin, Marc Antony, Chayanne, Shakira.....all of that can go away and leave me quite happy)

Sorry about all the criticism, but I was just so impressed by your pages and needed to put my two cents in. You go boy, keep up this page..its definitely a great resource I can send friends to when they need to know about Caetano Veloso or anyone else I randomly discuss

Tchau.

Ben

hi joe
I live in Paris, France, and I am a Veloso almost unconditionnal fan. The
albums I prefer are Jioia, the white one with beautiful Irenee, more recently
Circulado vivo and Fina Estampa ao vivo, wich I like very very much
(cucurucucu paloma, for example).I have had the chance to see him sing last
year in Paris, Cite de la musique. Unfortunately, he was sick and didn't do a
great concert.

I like your site. It's clear, complete -as far as I know- and passionate. It
lets feel what this music brings to you, and it brings about the same for me
: much !

I also think that Caetano' s site is beautiful, but isn't it a little cold
too ? May be a little too "cultural", or "churchy" for me. Caetano does not
answer to the messages -wich are always admirative, or more. They stand there
like "offrandes" (does that exist in english ?) for a god. I was looking for
the first Tropicalia album, and found nothing in this site to help me. Have
you an idea of where I could find it ?

thank you for your site, joe !

laurent martinet

your site is truly great. i always end up here when i look for the things
i'm interested in. in-cre-di-ble. and while you enjoy oldschool-stuff more,
i know that i can rely on your suggestions. and (going further) while i'm
always having problems with the authorities - this is a good sign.
i wish you all the best
maciek morus, poland

From: "Cynthia Mullis" (cmull@fakename.com)
To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
Subject:
Date: Sun, 12 Dec 1999 02:38:22 -0500

Hi,
Cool site. I wish I'd found it before I bought this stupid Ivan Lins compilation cd "Millennium." I was looking for Ivan Lins info and that's how I found your site. I hear good things about him, and pieces of music here and there that I like, but what I actually end up buying is usually cheese-ola. I know he writes beautiful tunes but...

Your Brazilian info is very good and pretty accurate as far as I can see. Brazilian music is a tricky thing to get into for newcomers. I came into it knowing that I loved the Brazilian jazz I'd heard (and played) but then have waded through a lot of pop I don't like to find the good stuff. Live and learn. I liked your assessments of the compilations, which I think is the quickest way to cover a lot of territory when discovering new music. There is a Verve compilation I like that you didn't list that's worth checking out, too: "The Brasil Series: Samba Brasil, Bossa Nova Brasil, Afro-Brasil , Nordeste Brasil."

I'm coming from a hard core jazz esthetic (I'm a struggling professional sax player in NYC) but I find that wading into the Brazilian and Afro-Cuban waters has been a refreshing escape from the jazz republicanism that reigns here in NYC. Plus, in New York you have access to an amazing range of this music (actually all of it from the republicans to the Meringue on the streets). I've recently gotten into Afro-Cuban because I live above a sandwich shop in Brooklyn that plays the local Salsa station all day. All I hear is the bass lines coming through the floor boards. It got so when I left the apartment, I had these bass lines in my head and found myself obsessed with the clave! So I figured it was time to start listening, exploring, learning and playing. It's been a blast.

So keep up the good work. It is not going unnoticed by people who care about this stuff.

Cynthia

P.S. Check out www.divajazz.com if you get a chance. I lived in SF before I moved out here. It's a cool place and I miss it.

==============================

Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 11:21:05 -0400
From: bap (wtwebmaster@fakename.net)
To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
Subject: website/brazilian music

enjoyed reading your website. i found you doing a search on Caetano
Veloso. back in 1994 i was in chicago and a friend talked me into
seeing a brazilian show put together by toots t. immediately i was
hooked, and ever since i am trying to build my brazilian music
vocabulary. little by little i expose myself to different artist, try
to learn as much as possible about their music (with my ears and mind)
and about themselves. my one frustration is not understanding the
language. for example, Veloso's song "Linda" is so powerfully
emotional, but i don't know a single word in the song. i have the same
frustration with Jobim songs, which i have asked brazilian strangers i
have met to translate (luckily i live in new jersey, and there is a
large brazilian community in newark).

if you have an emailing list, put me on it. or just send me info on
brazilian music whenever. use the following email address, not the one
i am sending from.

bpassantino@excite.com

thanks for taking the time to compile your website.

ben passantino

======================================

Date: Thu, 08 Jul 1999 09:47:17 -0700
From: Jesse (persfave@fakename.com)
To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
Subject: a dumb Caetano Veloso question

Hey Joe!

When I bought David Byrne's Brazil Classics CD 10 years ago, I was
entertained but not blown away. Perhaps my tastes weren't mature enough
at that time. This year, I jumped on the bandwagon and have plunged
headfirst into the world of MPB. In the past month, I've picked up over
30 CDs and have become an instant devotee of Caetano Veloso (I saw him
last week at the Masonic Center---wow!). Your website has been an
invaluable aid for putting together my want lists.

Here's the dumb question: I just got the Circulado Vivo CD from
amazon.com. Apparently, it's the single CD version (pressed in Europe),
as opposed to the double CD from Brazil. According to the cddb, the
track listing is identical. Do you know if I'm missing anything by
having the single CD version?

Even if you don't know the answer to this arcane question, I want you to
know that your site is incredible. Keep up the great work!

Best, Jesse

================================

>>Sat Apr 3 08:46:16 1999
>>From: CSBAKERII@fakename.net (Charles Baker II)
>>Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 09:46:16 -0500 (EST)
>>To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
>>Subject: Mailing list
>>MIME-Version: 1.0 (WebTV) >>
>>If you have a mailing list...sign me up!!
>

I don't, yet, but several people have asked about it. Any opinions?

================================

Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 18:59:42 EDT
Subject: RE: Tropicalia and beyond...
To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
From: TraderShoe@fakename.com

Was recently looking over your Tropicalia and brazilian music info at your
website and just wanted to give you a thumbs up...very well done, and a
fairly immaculate guide to the scene. I actually have been doing some
research on picking a few things up with all the re-issues that are
happening. Had a couple of questions that you might know the answer to.
I've seen the Gilberto Gil album from 1969 listed as "Cerebro Electronica"
and also self titled with just the year. It seems that they have the same
cover, but maybe one was on Philips and the other on Polydor. Are these the
same thing? Also...do you know if the C. Veloso 1971 "white" album ever got
reissued?

Any info would be much appreciated...keep up the good work.

Philips and Polydor are both PolyGram subsidiaries, so it's probably the same album. And, yes, the Caetano album is available on CD... thank goodness!!

===========================================

From: Custodio (esquizo@fakename.com.br)
To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
Subject: Brilliant homepage!
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 11:40:45 -0300

Hi!

Man, I saw your homepage about brazilian music and I astonished! Very very good! We don't anything like this even in portuguese! I discover the homepage yesterday, when some guy send the address to the indiepop-list.

Well, my name is Gilberto and I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I'm 21.

I just want to complete one thing on the Tom Ze homepage:

The discography is incomplete. You can find a very good one on the official Tom Ze homepage: www.tomze.com.br

The woman who do the homepage is Tom Ze's wife, so don't be afraid to e-mail her. She will offer two excellent independent albuns by Tom Ze. Try to buy it! BUt the homepage is in portuguese...

Hey, where do you buy the Postmodern Platos tribute? I am trying to buy it, but I don't see it anywhere!!

That's it. Congratulations!

Cheers!

Gilberto

Obrigado! Thanks for you nice e-mail... and for the tip on Tom Ze... I just had the pleasure of interviewing him when he came to San Francisco... a very nice fellow, but also quite a handfull! I will have to check out his site... good to get more information, mostly I've been piecing my discographies together piece by piece... good information on Brasilian music is hard to come by in the US...

==========================================

Date: Sun, 27 Jun 1999 10:46:03 -0300
From: Alexandre Ray (fray@svn.com.br)
To: joesixpack@slipcue.com
Subject: Baden Powell

Hello, I am Brazilian and I really love the songs of my country.
I congratulate your web page for the cultural contribution you are
doing.
I would appreciate if you published or even wrote me the complete
discography of Baden Powell specially on his years with Vinicius.
Thank you.

NOTE: since this was written, I have added a Baden Powell discography, although I still haven't heard many of his albums. However, there is a link to someone else who knows way more than I do.

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