Top Summer Sambas for 2020 are making news this week, because nothing says summer like fresh Brazilian sounds. These are some of the best offerings from new names and longtime favorites which have found their way onto Connect Brazil’s streaming playlists, and maybe your music collection, too!
Scott Adams
Five Top Summer Sambas from Connect Brazil
1Emanuela Campana – Metti Una Sera A Cena
Thankfully – and in spite of our hyper-connected lives – the world remains a pretty big place. That’s a good thing, because it still allows for a delightful sense of mystery from time to time. Added to the summertime mix for our streaming station mere days before Ennio Marricone’s passing, Campana brings smooth samba energy to one of his best-known songs. Singing in Italian, this song is one of several standouts from her debut album. Let it be a debut for you, too.
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2Torcuato Mariano – Jogando Bola
Fans have waited far too long for something new from the popular Brazilian jazz guitarist from Rio and happily, those wishes were granted late last year. How good is Escola Brasileira? This silky, horn-driven instrumental is the third single from an album which keeps surprising, a buoyant reminder how satisfying a summer song can be. That’s what makes it one of our top Summer Sambas For 2020.
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3Kell Smith – Seja Gentil
Okay, so we can’t go to the beach. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy the experience. Here, the 27-year old singer/songwriter from Sao Paulo shares the perfect ‘drift away’ song with an inspired melody which rises like the ocean’s breeze. “Be kind to yourself,” she sings. “Take a deep breath and take it easy.” I couldn’t agree more.
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4Scott Wilkie – Ainda Lembro
When I first heard this song from Wilkie’s Brasil album, I thought “Why has it taken so long for someone to do a great instrumental version of this song?” Leave it to the pianist’s contemporary vision to evoke the spirit of Marisa Monte’s original without upsetting the delicate balance that her melody has with our memories. Thanks, Scott!
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5Ziggy Blue Featuring Natalus – O Que Faltou
Late January found me in the Caribbean, spinning Brazilian tunes on the pool deck of the Independence of The Seas for the Capital Jazz Cruise, and this song quickly became a sun-kissed favorite and one of the top Summer Sambas for 2020. Ziggy Blue, whose award-winning projects with hip-hop and house music made him hear something else in Bossa Nova, has produced an original tune with irresistible energy sung by multi-platinum recording artist, Natalis.
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Trending New Names
Enjoying my list of top Summer Sambas for 2020? Here are five more: A mix of new names and rising stars that we’re keeping an eye on at Connectbrazil.com. Plus, a breezy bossa re-do from a legendary name in smooth jazz. Read on…
6Priscila Tossan – Cine Odeon
So, while MPB takes its collective time trying to figure out what its initials mean, creativity’s nervous energy has been busy looking for musical outlets. Enter newcomer Tossan, whose successes with The Voice: Brasil resulted in a recording deal with Universal Music. Starkly impressive in a way that recalls a tropical kickback to old-school R&B, this title track from her debut EP makes a perfect introduction for a singer you’ll want to keep an ear on.
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7Mumuzinho – Mantra
My list of top Summer Sambas for 2020 wouldn’t be complete without a bright, spirited samba. But when you hook up this pagode to the positivity meter, the needle jumps off the chart. The lyrics speak of faith, perseverance and the ‘can do’ attitude that makes the Americas great, but this video tells the story even better, and you can’t help but cheer for this song of support and personal achievement. Released during Carnaval last February, the video has garnered more than 2.5 million views.
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8Fourplay – A Night In Rio
Hot Brazilian nights? You don’t have to travel to Rio to enjoy them, now that we’ve rescued this track (featuring keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Chuck Loeb, bassist Nathan East and drummer Harvey Mason) from their 2010 album Let’s Touch The Sky. Enjoy the original version here, then click into our streaming station for the exclusive Connect Brazil mix of the song.
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9Roberta Sa – Giro
Already a prominent voice within her country’s rising generation, Roberta Sa is attracting attention from the stratosphere of Brazilian pop, by virtue of her 2017 Latin Grammy nomination and a brace of radio hits. This song about the spirit of Bahia was a gift from Gilberto Gil and it’s proved to be a showcase for her talent. Not familiar? I’m betting that you’ll love her style.
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10Ella & The Bossa Beat – My Remedy
Ella Borges’s Brazilian American musical roots are as generational as they are geographic: her father, Magrus is as talented a percussionist and composer as any on the planet. Together, they share a talent for remarkable musicmaking. His insight guides her debut album, and there’s no denying the growing maturity that comes from her lyrics and storytelling on ‘My Remedy’. The perfect wind down song on a hot summer’s night.
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