The Most Romantic Time Of Year Deserves A Brazilian Soundtrack
The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase includes a musical bouquet of Brazil’s best love songs. Each one is a perfect match for your personal playlists.
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The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase
Brazilian love songs? Where do we start? ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ and ‘Corcovado’? Too easy.
Maybe Brazil’s Golden Age with Emilinha Borba‘s tender and touching ‘Boa Noite, Meu Bem’ or the passion of Brazilian boleros like Cauby Peixoto’s ‘Conceição’. Equally important, Gal Costa, Leila Pinheiro, or Emilio Santiago. Take your pick.
Truth is, Brazilian music’s long-term relationship with love songs is an epic – sometimes flirty – affair that grows stronger with each passing song.
I started Connect Brazil for fans like you and to support the musicians who create the music we love, including the fine musicians on this list. If you are new to Connect Brazil, welcome!
Ultimately, enjoy this showcase and share it with someone special. Undeniably, that’s what rhythm and romance is all about.
Scott Adams, Midday Host
The Sounds of Brazil’s streaming station at Connect Brazil
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The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase
Cecy Santana | ‘Italia’
August can be a special time. A summer’s worth of memories can seem like forever. That’s true for Cecy Santana, who spent the best part of August in the Calabria region of Italy to perform at The International Thyrrenian Jazz Festival.
Even so, for Santana, whose family emigrated from southern Italy to Brazil, and then to the USA it brought revelation. “It was an incredible experience,” she said. “Even though we musicians didn’t speak the same language we connected through the music. The synergy was so special.”
Cecy’s Italian heritage became top of mind, and it led to this song, ‘Italia’ along with plans to shoot the video on location, in the centuries-old village of Santa Domenica Talao. Tap play, and you’re there: In the hill country of Calabria, celebrating the Italian sun and whatever the day will bring.
“Creating the music video for ‘Italia’ made the lyrics come true from the filming. It captured a moment in time that will stay with me forever,” she told us recently.
So, what’s in store for ’24? “I look forward to returning to Itay for more experiences from such a beautiful country,” says Cecy.
Last year at this time, Cecy Santana’s ‘Sao Paulo’ was named Best Latin America Music Video by the International Music Video Award Academy. How could this song not be at the very top of our Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase?
Read our expanded story on Cecy Santana’s experience with ‘Italia’ here.
Cecy Santana
- Watch Cecy Santana’s award-winning video for ‘Sao Paulo’.
- Cecy Santana Charts A Latitude Adjustment
- 10 Questions with Cecy Santana
- Cecy Santana’s ‘Sem Voce’ – The Best of Brazil ’19
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Arkadia Jazz All-Stars | Joanne Brackeen – ‘Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars’ from Thank You Tom Jobim
It’s no coincidence that our Rhythm & Romance Brazilian Music Showcase debuts on Antonio Carlos Jobim’s birthday. Brazil’s legendary composer would have turned 97 today, January 25.
After all, so many of Jobim’s greatest hits are also some of the most romantic melodies, timeless in their beauty. ‘Wave’, ‘Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars’ (Corcovado), ‘Zingaro’, ‘Luiza’, and of course, ‘The Girl From Ipanema’.
They’ve inspired generations of Bossa Nova and Brazilian jazz fans worldwide. The same can be said for the musicians who’ve interpreted these songs with their own creative imprint. So, how do we show our appreciation?
Thank You, Tom Jobim offers a resounding way to do just that. This 12-song, digital release featuring The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars is a handpicked collection of Jobim favorites plus original tributes.
The album’s All-Star roster reads like a Jazz lexicon: Pianist Joanne Brackeen and guitarist Nigel Clark. Sax greats Benny Golson, Dave Leibman, T.K. Blue, Lee Konitz, Harold Land, and Ravi Coltrane.
More? Okay. Let’s add Randy Brecker’s flugelhorn, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, and drummers Billy Higgins and Guilherme Franco. Nova Bossa Nova and vocalist Tetel Di Babuya, and that’s still a partial list.
How close is this album to the birth of the Man From Ipanema? Thank You, Tom Jobim releases on January 26 to mark the official countdown to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s centennial year.
That’s a pretty nice way to say obrigado, don’t you think?
There’s much more to the story behind this album. Continue reading, here.
The Arkadia Jazz All-Stars
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Ryan DeHues | ‘The Actress’, from Private Parlour (Bossa Vibes)
For sixty years, Bossa Nova has seduced the world with an irresistibly romantic style. Bossa’s story is also timeless: Boy meets girl on the beach. She smiles, and walks away.
“I first heard it as a young boy back in the 90’s, via my dad’s vinyl and cassette collection. Sergio Mendes’s Brasil 65 and Equinox. Then I saw Jobim with Sinatra on my local PBS station and lost my mind over it instantly.”
That’s millennial crooner Ryan DeHues, who lived in Paris while recording his latest album Private Parlour (Bossa Vibes). He sought out the French pop duo Double Françoise to suggest the idea.
The result? “It’s a 60’s jet set cocktail, perfect for Modern Lounge. You’ll hear Bossa, jazz, pop, and elements of soft, club groove/electronica, laced tastefully with acoustic instruments,” he says.
Press play on this video. ‘The Actress’ is Ryan’s captivating story of wistful longing: “Like a dream, she must fade away. But in my heart, she’s here to stay,” he sings.
You’re left feeling that you just might want to buy him a round. Instead, pick up this album. It’s sensual, light, and full of charm.
“‘The Actress’ is one of seven originals from Private Parlour (Bossa Vibes). It was written originally in French by Double Françoise. We collaborated on this English, crooner version,” says Ryan.
Here’s some breaking news: Ryan DeHues and Private Parlour (Bossa Vibes) will be featured in JAZZIZ this coming March. The issue is devoted to Brazilian music.
Ryan DeHues
Event: Join Ryan DeHues for Valentine’s Day!
Buy it here: From the Artist via Bandcamp | Amazon Music | Apple Music | Spotify
Listen free: XODO | Bossa Nova Love Affair | New Music: Brazil | Brazilian Jazz | Our Streaming Station
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The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase
Astrud Gilberto | ‘I’m Nothin’ Without You’, from Astrud Gilberto with the James Last Orchestra
‘The Girl From Ipanema’ made Astrud Gilberto a household name. Her voice? It’s an irresistible combination of innocent charm and emotional distance, a perfect contrast to Bossa Nova’s enticing rhythm. Sixteen albums followed.
Then, something magical happened. Germany fell in love with Astrud Gilberto, and it led to this album, Astrud Gilberto Plus the James Last Orchestra in 1986.
At 47, Astrud Gilberto came to the studio with a warmer sound, buoyed by the confidence she seemed to lack twenty years earlier. Both qualities are heard in this Jobim song, which was penned and forgotten 28 years earlier.
Originally titled ‘Eu Não Existo Sem Você’ (‘I Won’t Exist Without You’), it was one of several Jobim songs from 1958, including ‘Chega de Saudade’ and ‘Estrada do Sol’.
Astrud gave the song English lyrics and a new name, ‘I’m Nothin’ Without You’, to stay close to the original story. And what a story it is.
“Some things just can’t be changed; the rain is wet; the sky is blue. You’re not complete without me and I’m nothing without you,” she sings.
It’s a perfect choice for our Rhythm & Romance Music Showcase, and here’s a thought: Why not add this song to your Valentine’s Day playlist? That’s the whole idea behind The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase!
Astrud Gilberto
Buy it here: Amazon Music
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Antonio Carlos Jobim | ‘Estrada do Sol’, from A Certain Mr. Jobim
Here we are in 1967 with another love song, composed by Jobim in 1958. It was originally given to Sylva Telles to record.
But this version sets aside Dolores Duran’s lyrics to give us one of Bossa Nova’s most subtly romantic instrumentals. And there is absolutely nothing not to love about this song or this album.
A Certain Mr. Jobim was recorded over three nights in an unidentified church in New York City, mere days after Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim. Importantly, this album reunites Jobim with his favorite arranger, Claus Ogerman. It would be their third album together and perhaps their best.
There’s magic here, especially within ‘Estrada do Sol’ (Road To The Sun). In its three minutes and 27 seconds, Jobim’s melody and Ogerman’s orchestration will welcome, entice, and ultimately carry you along.
Listen closely to the careful caress of Jobim at the piano. This is a song that leaves everything to your imagination.
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Buy it here: Digital edition | Vinyl (original pressing) | CD (Remastered, new and used)
Listen free: BossaNovaville | Bossa Nova Love Affair | Brazilian Jazz Instrumentals | Our Streaming Station
Bossanaire | ‘Across The Sea’, from Holiday!
All it takes is the briefest of a Brazilian moment to be caught up in the musical magic of Bossanaire. This Eugene, Oregon-based ensemble uses a familiar style to stay true to its Bossa Nova roots. “Bossanaire is a Latin jazz vocal group with a sound that’s similar to Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66,” says Anthony Proveaux, Bossanaire’s guitarist and leader.
Breezy and bright, Bossanaire’s pop appeal features two female lead vocalists singing mostly in unison. “It’s the blend of our two singers, Mallory Glaser and Laurie Hammond, that gives this style its magic sound. Their voices blend in a unique and lovely way that is perfect for our Bossa Nova style,” he said.
We discovered Bossanaire last summer with their Beatles Bossa Nova EP. Fans quickly fell in love with ‘Blackbird’, making it one of the most popular Bossa Nova songs of the year. ‘Across The Sea’ is the follow-up single from Bossanaire’s Holiday! album.
Consider it your invitation for a late-winter getaway.
“It was inspired by my wife’s past sailing adventures. The lyrics are impressions of the stories she’s shared about her travels at sea,” explains Anthony. “It captures a feeling of wonder, sailing with the wind towards broad horizons.”
Ahh, the call of the sea. A perfect choice for our Rhythm & Romance Brazilian Music Showcase.
Bossanaire
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Listen free: XODO! | Brazilian Jazz | New Music: Brazil | Sunday Brazilian Brunch | Our Streaming Station
Enjoying the Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase? Let us know!
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The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase
Flora Purim | ‘Love Reborn’, from Butterfly Dreams
It’s true. The Brazilian sound took a big step forward when Chick Corea rolled the dice on a pair of Brazilian musicians for his newly formed fusion band, Return To Forever.
In a matter of months, Corea, percussionist Airto Moreira, and vocalist Flora Purim became elemental to the future of jazz. Bassist Stanley Clarke teamed up with Flora to write ‘Light As A Feather’, which introduced the 70s youth generation to a Brazilian wave of rising stars.
Airto (eye-EAR-toe, as he would laughingly point out to fans) signed with CTI in New York. Flora Purim joined Milestone Records in California and they brought her to the studio in December 1973 to record Butterfly Dreams.
‘Love Reborn’ stands out among the best songs on this five-star album. David Amaro’s acoustic guitar wraps around George Duke’s electric piano to create Brazilian warmth with this hybrid Bossa rhythm. And Joe Henderson’s tenor sax solo is pure romance.
But ultimately it’s Flora’s voice that seduces. “Then I saw a million stars. Love is here to stay…”
Flora Purim
Buy it here: Digital edition | Vinyl (original pressing) | CD (Remastered, new and used)
Listen free: Women of Brazilian Song | Bossa Nova Love Affair | Brazilian Jazz | Our Streaming Station
Gregg Karukas | ‘O Cantador (Like A Lover)’, from Serenata
We all have cherished songs that we associate with a special time or person. For Gregg Karukas, it is both. This Dori Caymmi song is an elemental part of Gregg’s life.
“My wife Yvonne had been diagnosed with two different types of cancer, so all of our energies were devoted to her health. After she passed away in 2018, I was still not very inspired, but I had faith things would eventually evolve to find new melodies and sounds,” recalls Gregg.
Karukas met Dori Caymmi as a member of Sergio Mendes’s band, and they became friends. It’s a relationship that’s endured.
Sometime after Yvonne’s passing, Karukas was rummaging through cassette tapes and one of them caught his eye.
“It was labeled Dori – Le Café,” said Karukas. “It reconnected me with that period of my life. Dori was part of our wedding ceremony in 1992 where he sang his most famous song ‘O Cantador’ (Like a Lover) on our wedding day.”
Intimate and romantic, with or without words, Caymmi’s ‘Like A Lover (O Cantador)’ is one of 15 beautifully crafted Brazilian songs for solo piano. It’s an endearing part of our Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase.
Learn more about Serenata and the Brazilian side of Gregg Karukas here.
Gregg Karukas
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Listen free: Brazilian Jazz | Sunday Brazilian Brunch | Brazilian Jazz Instrumentals | Our Streaming Station
Luedji Luna | ‘Bom Mesmo É Estar Debaixo D’água’, from Bom Mesmo É Estar Debaixo D’água
Luedji Luna is making a name for herself. She possesses a voice that easily compels you to listen. Brazil’s top musical scribes say that she has a magnetic personality, a rare talent to keep an ear on. They write their stanzas as quickly as she can sing them. It’s been that way for a while now.
However it is life’s still waters that run deepest, and that’s where Luna is at her most comfortable. The video above was shot near the city of her birth, Salvador Bahia. A city of generations that’s sacred to both body and soul. A place where both join to create the nation’s creative heartbeat.
Luna filmed this while pregnant with her firstborn. Consequently, it’s easy to think of this love song, ‘It’s Good To Be Underwater’ as autobiographical. “I dance the dance of your tides,” she sings. “You’re a tidal wave, a gentle tide. You’re a tsunami when you don’t care to know.”
Truth be told, we championed Luna’s arrival, well ahead of her Latin Grammy nomination for Best Brazilian Popular Music Album. Then we were thrilled when she performed this song live during the awards show a few months later.
If this is your introduction to Luedji Luna, you may be thrilled too.
Luedji Luna
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The Rhythm and Romance Brazilian Music Showcase
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