BRAZILOPHILE

"Lula, Son of Brazil"

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:28:00 +0000

The New York Times today features the Barretto family and Fábio Barreto's new biopic of the former president. I was surprised and delighted by an anecdote from the family patriarch:

He has a boyhood memory of watching Orson Welles filming the never-released “Four Men on a Raft” at a beach there and being “fascinated by all that equipment."

Happy holidays, Brazilophiles!

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:14:00 +0000

The song should be a cliche by now but it still makes me very happy.

Trading In Guns 4 Goals

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:52:00 +0000

It may be SLIGHTLY harder to obtain a handgun in Rocinha next year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/14/guns-goalposts-fifa-brazil-disarmament

Brazil's box-office smash reviewed in NYT

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:35:00 +0000

An action movie sequel that is Brazil's reigning domestic box office champion is now released in North America. The New York Times has a review.

Yikes! As if regular Brega wasn't bad enough...

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:45:00 +0000

Chris McGowan on the latest threat to international social progress, spearheaded by a cut-rate Lady Gaga.

NYT discovers Brasilia

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:16:00 +0000

At least they didn't miss the vibrant music scene entirely. 36 hours in Brasilia

California Brazil Camp 2011

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:03:00 +0000

A wonderful time was had by all, as far as I could tell, at the 2011 incarnation of California Brazil Camp, a peerless music and dance gathering under the redwoods in Cazadero, California each August. Have a look at my photos and then tell me you don't want to attend.

Word is out

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:34:00 +0000

Even if you're just in it for the money, Brazil is now known as the place to be, according to the New York Times.

Brazil Series: paintings by Bob Dylan

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:05:00 +0000

Who knew Bob Dylan liked to spend his time painting landscapes and favelascapes of Brazil?

http://reckon.posterous.com/the-brazil-series-by-bob-dylan

Brazil Film Fest back at NY MOMA

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:14:00 +0000

Every year, New York's Museum of Modern Art shows a film fest of recent Brazilian imports. As always, music fans have a reason to take note; the big draw this year will be July 17 and 19 screenings of "Noitada de samba foco de resistencia". It documents the political foment at Teatro Opinião over 13 years and 617 performances. Other features of interest include an unusual documentary on Santos Dumont as a proto-filmmaker.

The full schedule is included in the press release.

Brazilian music award nominations for 2011

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 02:04:00 +0000

Check out the nominees below. Big surprise is that Cauby Peixoto lives!

CATEGORIA ARRANJADOR

ARRANJADOR
Cristóvão Bastos por 'Tantas Marés' - Edu Lobo
Mario Adnet por 'O samba vai' - Mario Adnet
Paulão 7 Cordas por 'Bodas de coral no samba brasileiro' - Délcio Carvalho e Dona Ivone Lara
CATEGORIA CANÇÃO
MELHOR CANÇÃO
'Baila no ar', de Dona Ivone Lara, Délcio Carvalho e André Lara - intérpretes Délcio Carvalho e Dona Ivone Lara (CD 'Bodas de coral no samba brasileiro')
'Dolores e suas desilusões', de Monarco e Mauro Diniz - intérprete Zeca Pagodinho (CD 'Vida da minha vida')
'Procissão da padroeira', de Guinga e Paulo César Pinheiro - intérprete Ilana Volcov (CD 'Banguê')
CATEGORIA PROJETO VISUAL
ARTISTA
DJ Tudo, disco 'Nos quintais do mundo' - Daniel Cabral
Pato Fu, disco 'Música de brinquedo' - Andréia Costa Gomes
Paulo César Pinheiro, disco 'Capoeira de Besouro' - Gringo Cardia
CATEGORIA REVELAÇÃO
ARTISTA
Luísa Maita
Tulipa Ruiz
Vitor Garbelotto
CATEGORIA CANÇÃO POPULAR
MELHOR ÁLBUM
'Cabaret do Rossi', de Reginaldo Rossi, produtores Antônio Mojica e Victor Kelly
'Cine Tropical', de Criolina, produtores Evaldo Luna e Criolina
'Roupa Nova 30 anos ao vivo', de Roupa Nova, produtor Roupa Nova
MELHOR DUPLA
Criolina ('Cine Tropical')
Victor e Léo ('Boa sorte pra você')
Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano ('Double face')
MELHOR GRUPO
Roupa Nova ('Roupa Nova 30 anos ao vivo')
Sua mãe ('The very best of the greatest hits')
The Fevers ('Vem Dançar II')
MELHOR CANTOR
Bebeto ('Prazer, eu sou Bebeto')
Leonardo ('Alucinação')
Reginaldo Rossi ('Cabaret do Rossi')
MELHOR CANTORA
Hebe Camargo ('Mulher')
Maga Lieri ('Bem acompanhada')
Sandra de Sá ('África Natividade')
CATEGORIA INSTRUMENTAL
MELHOR ÁLBUM
'Cristal', de Marco Pereira, produtor Swami Jr.
'Gismontipascoal' - a música de Egberto e Hermeto', de Hamilton de Holanda e André Mehmari, produtores Hamilton de Holanda e André Mehmari
'Lado B', de Yamandu Costa e Dominguinhos, produtores Yamandu Costa e Dominguinhos
MELHOR SOLISTA
Dominguinhos ('Lado B')
Hamilton de Holanda ('Esperança - ao vivo na Europa')
Yamandu Costa ('Lado B')
MELHOR GRUPO
Hamilton de Holanda Quinteto e Orquestra Brasilianos ('Sinfonia Monumental')
SA GRAMA ('Chão batido, palco, picadeiro')
Trio de câmara brasileiro ('Saudades da Princesa')
CATEGORIA MPB
MELHOR ÁLBUM
'Johnny Alf ao vivo e à vontade com seus convidados', de Johnny Alf, produtor Nelson Valencia
'Quando o canto é reza', de Roberta Sá & Trio Madeira Brasil, produtores Pedro Luís, Marcello Gonçalves e Renato Alscher
'Tantas Marés', de Edu Lobo, produtor Cristóvão Bastos
MELHOR GRUPO
Geraldo e os amigos do Rumo ('Sopa de concha')
Os cariocas ('Nossa alma canta')
Sá, Rodrix & Guarabyra ('Amanhã')
MELHOR CANTOR
Emílio Santiago ('Só danço samba')
Milton Nascimento ('E a gente sonhando')
Zé Renato ('Papo de passarim')
MELHOR CANTORA
Célia ('O lado oculto das canções')
Maria Bethânia ('Amor Festa Devoção')
Roberta Sá ('Quando o canto é reza ')
CATEGORIA POP/ROCK/REGGAE/ HIPHOP/FUNK
MELHOR ÁLBUM
'Ao vivo lá em casa', de Arnaldo Antunes, produtor Betão Aguiar
'Música de brinquedo', de Pato Fu, produtor John Ulhoa
'Nos quintais do mundo', de DJ Tudo, produtor Alfredo Bello Aka (DJ Tudo)
MELHOR GRUPO
Mombojó ('Amigo do Tempo')
Pato Fu ('Música de brinquedo')
Pedro Luís e a Parede ('Navilouca ao vivo')
MELHOR CANTOR
Lulu Santos ('Lulu Acústico MTV II')
Paulinho Moska ('Pouco')
Seu Jorge ('Seu Jorge e Almaz')
MELHOR CANTORA
Nina Becker ('Azul')
Tulipa Ruiz ('Efêmera')
Vanessa da Mata ('Bicicletas, bolos e outras alegrias')
CATEGORIA REGIONAL
MELHOR ÁLBUM
'Capoeira de besouro', de Paulo César Pinheiro, produtor Luciana Rabello
'Délibáb', de Vitor Ramil, produtor Vitor Ramil
'Fé na festa', de Gilberto Gil, produtor Gilberto Gil
MELHOR DUPLA
Caju e Castanha ('Festival de emboladas')
Renato Teixeira e Sérgio Reis ('Amizade sincera')
Zé Mulato e Cassiano ('Sertão ainda é sertão')
MELHOR GRUPO
Mais caipira ('Mais caipira')
Quinteto Violado ('Quinteto Violado canta Adoniran Barbosa e Jackson do Pandeiro')
Umbando ('Umbando')
MELHOR CANTOR
Gilberto Gil ('Fé na festa')
Renato Teixeira ('Amizade sincera')
Vitor Ramil ('Délibáb')
MELHOR CANTORA
Elba Ramalho ('Marco Zero - ao vivo')
Juliana Spanevello ('Pampa e flor')
Margareth Menezes ('Naturalmente acústico')
CATEGORIA SAMBA
MELHOR ÁLBUM
'Bodas de coral no samba brasileiro', de Délcio Carvalho e Dona Ivone Lara, produtor Luiz Moraes
'Pra gente fazer mais um samba', de Wilson das Neves, produtores Wilson das Neves, Zé Luiz Mais, João Rebouças e André Tandeta
'Vida da minha vida', de Zeca Pagodinho, produtor Rildo Hora
MELHOR GRUPO
Gafieira São Paulo ('Gafieira São Paulo')
Saia no samba ('Saia no samba')
Tio Samba ('É batata - Carmem Miranda Revisited')
MELHOR CANTOR
Martinho da Vila ('Poeta da cidade')
Wilson das Neves ('Pra gente fazer mais um samba')
Zeca Pagodinho ('Vida da minha vida')
MELHOR CANTORA
Alcione ('Acesa - ao vivo em São Luís do Maranhão')
Mariene de Castro ('Santo de casa')
Mart´nália ('Mart´nália em África ao vivo')
FINALISTAS - ESPECIAIS
DVD
Arnaldo Antunes / 'Ao vivo lá em casa', diretor Andrucha Waddington
Ney Matogrosso / 'Beijo bandido', diretores Felipe Nepomuceno e Renato Martins
Pequeno Cidadão / 'Pequeno cidadão', diretor Fábio Mendonça
ÁLBUM LINGUA ESTRANGEIRA
'Alma mia' / Leny Andrade, produtor Ruy Quaresma
'Cauby sings Sinatra' / Cauby Peixoto, produtor Thiago Marquez Luiz
'Tide' / Luciana Souza, produtor Larry Klein
ÁLBUM ERUDITO
'Chopin the Nocturnes' / Nelson Freire
'Tchaikovsky - Sinfonia No 6- Patética Abertura 1812' / Osesp
'Villa-Lobos' - Orquestra Sinfônica Municipal de São Paulo
ÁLBUM INFANTIL
'Além do mar' / Kha Machado, produtor Kha Machado
'Quando eu crescer'/ Éramos Três, produtor Éramos três
'O soldadinho e a bailarina' / O soldadinho e a bailarina, produtor Victor Pozas
ÁLBUM PROJETO ESPECIAL
'Adoniran 100 anos' / Vários, produtor Thiago Marquez Luiz
'Mário Lago, homem do século XX' / Vários, produtores Luiz Moraes, Afonso Carvalho e Dermeval Coelho
'Quando fevereiro chegar - uma lírica de Fausto Nilo' / Vários, produtor Robertinho do Recife
ÁLBUM ELETRÔNICO
'Calavera' / Guizado, produtor Guilherme 'Guizado' Menezes
'Mundialmente anônimo - o magnético sangramento da existência' / Maquinado (Lúcio Maia) produtor Lúcio Maia

Epidemic of violence against environmentalists in Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:58:00 +0000

Americans might remember that an American nun was murdered by ranchers in Brazil in 2005. She had opposed the

Lately, Brazilian environmental activists have been getting knocked off and it's turning into a bloodbath as a third is murdered. Hopefully, the federal government is sensitive to the bad press with the world cup and olympics looming. Are you listening, Dilma?

Festive Land: Carnaval In Bahia

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Sat, 28 May 2011 01:57:00 +0000

Nice trailer here of a very recent documentary on "a folia baiana":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN315PygcoE

Now Out: Rio in 3D

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:22:00 +0000

On the one hand, it's a standard-fare family-friendly animated feature, the kind that hits the multiplex about once a month ever since the Pixar folks started drawing imitators. But on the other hand, it actually is rooted in the real Rio, the real Carnaval, and some of the real music of Rio de Janeiro. A big step up from the Simpson's visit to Rio, which cast a samba school as some sort of Arthur Murray franchise.

Cinematically, 2.5 stars out of 5. Low point is when you realize Anne Hathaway is actually supposed to be a Brazilian hottie. And when the carnaval floats are shown to have motors -- never gonna happen. And not nearly enough Brazilian music.

In the trailer, look for the Disney quotes from Aquarela do Brasil (included in the full-length film Saludos Amigos):

The first 2 minutes of Rio

Film on Brazilian art-art-in-landfill project missed Oscar

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:23:00 +0000

It may not have won an Oscar but this film seems to shed an interesting light on a striking artistic trend I've seen myself in Brazil -- endless reuse of modern detritus.

A video from The Economist

The Best of Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:32:00 +0000

Nebraska-based DJ Randy Morse has been promoting Brazilian music for a long time. That's right, from Nebraska. But now he has a new venture that's packed with info for Brazilian music fans, The Best of Brazil. Named for his radio show, it promises audio archives, links to artist sites, and more. And any site that turns us on to a new Harvey Wainapel release is worth a visit!

New Book! California Brazil Camp 2005-2007

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:46:00 +0000

Sambistas no País das Maravilhas by Eric M. Crawford | Make Your Own Book

New Book! California Brazil Camp 2010 photo history

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:44:00 +0000

tocando e brincando by Eric M. Crawford | Make Your Own Book

Documentary explores ballet aspirations in Rio's Zona Norte

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:53:00 +0000

I recently saw the documentary Only When I Dance, released in 2009. What's special about the film is its novel subject matter: working class Carioca teens aspiring to the ballet stages of Europe and America.

I chatted with a renowned ballet scholar a few days ago and "learned" from him that Brazil doesn't really produce any fine arts. If only to address such ignorance, I hope the film finds its audience.

The bad news is that the film features some merely good dancing and less-than-inspired filmaking. The two dancers we learn about are likable enough, but we don't get to know them very deeply. The most fun the main protagonist, Irlan, gets to have on camera is his first experience of snowflakes. Why are we supposed to care about the subjects? Because they are poor? Dark skinned? Brazilian? More memorable documentaries succeed because they focus intensely on individuals rather than general concepts.

Instead of taking the time to get under the subjects' skin we learn about the expense of international ballet competition, the self-satisfaction of their mentor, and the stress the dancers' aspirations cause for their parents.

It's not hard to find other flaws. The film doesn't have anything to say about the superb dance traditions native to Brazil; all we see is a few seconds of canned forró music when the parents of the protagonist have a night out. It avoids Brazilian cliches like bikinis on the beach, soccer, and carnaval but falls instead into a much more boring formula: the "Hoop Dreams" documentary template without any real imagination, powerful cinematography, or the originality of the basketball documentary.

So who should watch this film? Anyone unfamiliar with the cultural diversity of modern Brazil might learn a thing or two about the realities of urban life there today. Aspiring documentary filmmakers might want to see it as a cautionary tale: running after your subject with a handheld shot does not imbue your film with energy, only dizziness.

60 minutes on the economic ascent of Brazil

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:45:00 +0000

Venerable TV news magazine covers Brazil's growing economic clout.

Rio drug war photojournalism

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:42:00 +0000

Powerful roundup of pictures via Boston Globe.

photo: Villa-Lobos on cuíca!

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:41:00 +0000

Apparently Heitor Villa-Lobos picked up something hanging out with sambistas that never made it into a concerto or choro. It's a memorable sight, and my only regret is not getting to hear his Cuíca solo.

From the favela to the boardroom?

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Samba slipped out of the favela about the same time that the blues migrated to St. Louis and Chicago. In the 1970s, samba made its way to California.

Oakland's Gary Muszynski pioneered the concept of using musical unison and harmony as a tool to teach team-building and leadership skills. The outfit he founded, One World Music, conducts corporate seminars in "Synergy in Samba".

NYT covers Brazil's kilo restaurants

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:21:00 +0000

They range from sublime to not bad, and just about every traveller to Brazil comes to love them: the buffet restaurant. Particularly when paired with the churraco concept, Brazil's buffets are hard to resist. A NY Times reporter got the facts in São Paulo. And don't miss the other recent post of relevance, on the brilliant element of many a Brazilian meal: farofa.

Silent masterpiece 'Limite'

noreply@blogger.com (E. M. Crawford) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:45:00 +0000

I've never heard of this "unknown masterpiece" of Brazilian silent cinema but look forward to seeing it. It's on the schedule (and perhaps to sell out very soon?) at World Cinema Foundation festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. NYT piece is here.