Archive for the ‘Guest blogger - Ross Somerville’ Category

Alda Rezende is, in my opinion, a national treasure, both ours and Brazil’s. Last night’s concert in Wellington, with a trio of musicians from her home town of Belo Horizonte, was a delight.

Brazilian music isn’t just batucada drumming, samba shouting or bossa nova crooning. It’s all of that and a whole lot more. Each region has its own styles and traditions, and they borrow from each other and from everyone else. Not least The Beatles.

The four Minheiros who played last night offered songs from Pernambuco to Rio, including classics by some of the great names in the popular music of Brazil - Baden Powell, Edu Lobo, Chico Buarque, Chico Science - alongside originals. It’s all about melody, rhythm, tone and timbre, with lyrical fervour and performances that delight in their total accomplishment. I love this stuff, it’s irresistable, couldn’t stop my white-bread feet tapping.

(more…)