Brazil

Experience 

ARTS: CAPOEIRA BATIZADO AT BRACE

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I’m surrounded by about 40 people wearing all-white uniforms, led by five or six buff, tattooed Brazilian men.
It is intimidating. Continue reading

Listen 

TIM MAIA: NOBODY CAN LIVE FOREVER: THE EXISTENTIAL SOUL OF TIM MAIA

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Somewhere between five marriages, multiple prison sentences, and forays into extra-terrestrial-obsessed religious cultism, Tim Maia found time to make some funky-ass music. Continue reading

Listen 

Céu @ BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL

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Listening to Brazilian singer-songwriter Céu, we can’t help but imagine we’re in a ’60s-inspired, post-’Aughts throwback cocktail bar, sipping an Old Fashioned while Ms. Whitaker Poças et al rock the mic, “Girl From Ipanema”-style. Continue reading

Listen 

DIG THIS: BRAZILIAN GIRLS @ ROYALE

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Just be cautious Google-imaging their name. NSFW. Continue reading

Laugh 

DEAR READER 14.1

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Look, you’ve got a full twelve months ahead of you to stop sucking so much. Continue reading

Experience 

DIG THIS: CARNAVAL AT SOMERSTREETS

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Carnaval is like Mardi Gras with more breasts and less vomiting. Which is to say, it’s a pretty strong contender for Greatest Thing. Continue reading

Watch 

DIG THIS: THE JOY (A ALEGRIA)

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You think we here in the states have some sort of monopoly on the hipster sublime? Brazil’s been in the practice of popping out pretty people with deep thoughts for over half a millennium, and they’ve sorta got the hang on the ephemeral beauty of youth, obrigado tanto. Continue reading

Uncategorized 

ALMIR CORTES @ BERKLEE

All throughout November, Berklee has been tipping its guiro toward the sounds of Latin America, bringing in everything from Venezuelan merengue to Argentinian flamenco. Three weeks in, however, and other than the glorified Tae Bo of a capoeira session, Brazil hasn’t been getting much recognition despite taking up more than a good half of the whole South American continent. Fortunately, Almir Cortes is here to rectify that particular oversight, leading a cavaquinho-stop tour of regional musics from the samba republic, from choro to baião, and all those vowel-friendly dance crazes in between. [1140 Boylston St., Boston. 617.266.1400. 4pm/all ages/$10. berklee.edu]

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Listen 

DIG THIS! OS MUTANTES

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If you’re at all familiar with that rather large landmass jutting out the ass-end of the country colloquially known as “South America,” part of that mythic “Rest of the Goddamn Planet” we keep hearing about, then you should know of this iconic Brazilian psyche-rock set and their oppositional role regarding the military dictatorship of the ’60s. Right? Continue reading

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Laugh 

XUXAWATCH: XUXASTEP

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Having grown up in South America, I often find my idle thoughts drifting to what Xuxa is up to at this very moment. Considering that the answer could be anything from softcore porn to children’s television, I am rarely dissapointed. Continue reading