Brasil Bam Bam Bam

This CD is pure fun, featuring some of Brazil's best current musicians. Brasil Pandeiro is the most joyful version I've heard. Other treats are Sambaiao, Airto's Xibaba, and America Latina. The eternal samba beat underlies many of the songs. I'll be featuring some of these tracks on a future Cantinho Brasileiro no Radio on WRCT-FM in Pittsburgh.

GP did his thing on this piece. I have to disagree with SM's review - this is an overall nice slice of modern Brazil embracing its traditions and the globe.

I was looking forward to this one when I first heard about it some time ago. Thanks to podcasts and youtube, there were a variety of ways for Gilles Peterson, one of the creative components of this project, to get the word out and tease listeners with a random release of a song here or there. Speaking of Peterson, following his career over the years you could always tell he (along with Patrick Forge) has a passion for Brazilian music and history and in study he always loved reaching out, meeting people and having those intimate interviews with various artists. From his mixes to his "In Brazil" compilations from maybe 2004-2006 he didn't focus on the more known tracks and instead reached for songs off the beaten path songs that really showed the diversity of Brazilian music. Now, releasing this under his own Brownswood label, he left no stone un-turned in who he would have work on this album. The result is a virtual smorgasbord of talented musicians in what amounts to be wildly different interpretations of a few classics and a few rare-groove re-looks.How is it? Well - it's actually pretty good. It sets the mood up with "Where Nana Hides", featuring none-other than Nana Vasconcelos before moving into the classic Moacir Santos track, "Hey Nana". It starts slow with percussion and continuing the mood from the intro, but it builds and builds. It's pretty clear to see the vision of the song, given Elza's voice. But there's something else to it - I feel that the song actually draws from an old vinyl by an artist named Claudia from several decades ago who did a song titled 'Macumba'. Still, a nice way to start the album. Sambiao definitely infuses energy into the album with a sampled and electric Samba, and Seu Jorge's voice dominates as expected though having Nina Miranda as well is a nice touch. There's also an interesting twist to Airto Moreira's "Xibaba". Not very tight and I would've loved to have heard Airto himself on it but it's stll pretty nice. The version does admittedly remind me a bit of the remake to Joyce's "Banana" from a few years ago with the crashing percussion. I also liked Elza again with a kind of anti-version of the classic "Aquarela Do Brasil", though given the history of the song and what it meant it sort of fits. Especially with the recent World Cup. And finally, I did like the take to "Southern Freeze", a bossa interpretation of a soul classic. It kind of has a Isabelle Antena with a Caipirinha kind of feel to it.Overall, I'd recommend the album. It's got some pretty good tracks on it and I've enjoyed it, and the musicians involved are class. While not every title worked for me, there's certainly still enough quality to enjoy. If you follow Gilles, you'll already be aware of his respect for Marcos Valle so it isn't a surprise that he probably pushed a few of his personal favorites (overall) on the project as he's done in the past with artists like Jose James. Hence you have Estrelar, which is a nice track but maybe there were other Valle classics that could've taken precedence. Also, you can tell that some of the songs here are going to feature on the remix market, so don't be surprised to see several of these songs given near un-recognize-able face-lifts in the coming months (some are out already). So check it out! If you liked Da Lata (project of Patrick Forge's) or some of the individual artists on their own like Marcos Valle or Seu Jorge, you'll probably enjoy this though I might've enjoyed hearing the journey to get to the finished product more. Likewise it was a nice debut for some of the other artists involved in the project.

A few of these songs are familiar to me including the great Southern Freeez from the UK in the 80's. However these versions are so different from the originals as to make them sound new and fresh. All sorts of instruments are featured; the music is really interesting to listen to. The melodies are beautiful, and I love the singers' voices. This is one of those albums where each track is completely different from the last, and I think it will be one of those albums that every time I play it I will have a different favourite song!

It is in a future outer space that Mr. Peterson could compile Brazilian legacies and trends at the same time!

Our radio station took a listen to this terrible cacophony, and were disappointed. "Brazil Bam Bam Bam", which not only is a stupid name for an album, serves as a perfect example of 99% of the music today: it's crap. Maybe Mr. Peterson should stick with record collecting and DJ'ing instead of producing coasters. The recording quality of this album is dry and sounds like it was recorded in a 10x10 room, and that mixed with the dull, lifeless, and monotonous "fake brazil" wannabee sound makes this one a miss.

Not the best compilation of modern Brazilian music.

Trying to learn more about Brazilian music so bought this - some of it I love and some of it I struggle with!

It's Gilles Peterson - Nothing not to like!! He can put his hand to anything & make it magic & I love how he mixes old well known artists with not so well knowns, which make his compilations more original & unique...bigfan.com!! :-)

Took a flier with this one and not too disappointed.

A great album for such a small price. Many thanks

Absolutely fantastic album, wonderfully produced by G Peterson

Bought as Christmas Present in Dec 2014...recipient liked it.

So the DJ Gilles Peterson, known recently for his distinctive programmes on BBC Radio, has gathered a group of musicians together to celebrate his love of the music of Brasil. This group provides the backing tracks for singers who are famous names in Brasil - like Nana Vasconcelos, Seu Jorge, Marcos Valle, Elza Soares etc. -but who may not be so well-known over here.Brasil is of course a massive country and the diversity of music reflects this - but we do get the distinctive batucada of the street samba style in Sambaio and Brasil Pandeiro - with percussion to the fore on many tracks - no shortage of cuica, surdo and all the instruments associated with Brasil. But several tracks are quiet and understated with gentle acoustic guitar or simple percussion patterns that offer space for the sometimes melancholic vocals. Of course many tracks are incredibly upbeat and joyous celebrations of life - but Peterson has opted for a mixture with light and shade, although it is the percussion heavy tracks that catch the ear and set your toes tapping.The oddities are a very slow rendition of Aquarela Do Brasil, sung by Elza Soares, who only just about seems to get the words out and a version of the 80s Jazz Funk track "Southern Freeez". City of Saints is also slow, with minimal acoustic guitar background, but morphs into a bossa groove that is the kind of music people expect from Brasil. Most of this however sound fresh and bright - thanks to the energy of the percussionists and the enthusiasm of the vocalists - but the odd moment of shade just highlights this fact.If anybody wants an introduction to the music of Brazil over the last few decades - this is it - highly recommended!

Goog, good, good...

Just another piece of musical perfection from Mr Peterson

Outstanding! Some songs very gentle, the others enthusiastic and wild

映画を観てすぐに購入しました。特にElza Soaresのブラジルに涙しました。感動をありがとう。