The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil (Paperback)

~ (Author), Ricardo Pessanha (Author)
Key Phrases: asa branca, ijexá rhythm, axé music, United States, Sao Paulo, Gilberto Gil (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Two new books on popular music present contrasting approaches to the diverse world of Hispanic music. Aparicio's (Spanish and American culture, Univ. of Michigan) work, aimed at an academic audience, deals with salsa and Puerto Rican culture in a feminist context. McGowan, targeting a general audience, presents a comprehensive history of popular music in Brazil. Aparicio analyzes salsa, boleros, and other popular musical forms in terms of cultural issues (race, gender, class), drawing on her own experiences, and those of typical listeners, to explore these issues. Readers may find their views on salsa altered by reading this book. A recommended choice for academic Hispanic studies collections and for music collections with a strong Hispanic emphasis. McGowan and Pessanha here update their original edition (Billboard Bks., 1991), bringing their extensive experience writing on Brazilian popular music for Billboard and other magazines to this extensive survey covering local jazz and rock as well as better-known forms. The accessible writing style and lavish use of illustrations help achieve the authors' goal of inspiring interest in this music. Updates cover recent music and musicians, provide more social analysis, and expand the discography to 1000 titles, adding much to the original edition. The best work on the topic, this is recommended for both academic and public library music collections.?James E. Ross, WLN, Seattle
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"This book, the first of its kind, is much more than a pioneering work...The Brazilian Sound is both an enthusiastic introduction for the newcomer and a thoughtful analysis for the confirmed fan." --Alan Ryan, The Beat "An informed, useful introduction to Brazilian music." --Fernando Gonzalez, Boston Globe "A great panoramic description of the whole Brazilian musical scene." --Antonio Adolfo, Brazilian composer and music teacher "An excellent book." --Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times "[T]his book has been revised and expanded again to be bigger and better than the previous highly praised incarnations. Ten years on, the music is still evolving, with many new artists and hybridizations, and McGowan and Pessanha are certainly keeping up with the changes. Their book features new coverage of funk, rap, and hip-hop and profiles new samba artists as well as artists on the rise in electronic dance music and other genres. Now that the Internet has made it easier to find and explore once-exotic musical genres, people looking for information about all the kinds of music in Brazil will love this book. Lavishly illustrated with 175 black-and-white photos, 12 maps, and 12 figures, it covers the remarkable breadth of Brazilian music in a highly readable, lively manner. Highly recommended for all public libraries and world music collections, even those owning an earlier edition." Library Journal, 15th November 2008

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (February 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566395453
• ISBN-13: 978-1566395458
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #716,068 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #56 in

  Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Dance

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Readable, enjoyable summary of Brazilian music, November 9, 1999

By	Mom (Mercer Island, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Brazilian Sound (Paperback)

An excellent book for anyone who wants to explore Brazilian music beyond the well-known classics. Helps place current and past musicians in their historical contexts; helps you understand who influenced whom, etc. The book will pay for itself just by helping you guide your ever-growing collection of Brazilian CD's (hard to stop once you get started)!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Standard Reference For Brazilian Music, February 10, 2003

By	Evan Sanders (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

The best book about Brazilian music in English, The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil is a beautifully written, in-depth guide to samba, bossa, choro, forró, maracatu, and other Brazilian genres. The 2009 edition, the book's third, upgrades an already invaluable musical resource, and adds background about popular contemporary styles like funk carioca (including its "proibidão" banned form), música sertaneja (Brazilian country music), electronic-dance music, Brazilian rap, and a wave of talented new MPB female singer-songwriters. There is a section on the music of Belém in the north (carimbó, technobrega, guitarrada), which has received scant coverage inside or outside of Brazil. And McGowan and Pessanha introduce a wide range of new stars, such as Bebel Gilberto, Lenine, Marcelo D2, Ana Carolina, Yamandú Costa, Hamilton de Holanda, Ivete Sangalo, Banda Calypso, MV Bill and Fernanda Porto, who have gained fame since the book's last version. This adds to already existing descriptions of venerable figures like Pixinguinha, Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto, Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Elis Regina, Marisa Monte, Sergio Mendes, and Hermeto Pascoal. The music is richly described, in both musical and cultural terms. One gets a vivid sense of how it sounds, and a clear understanding of its rhythmic, harmonic and melodic ingredients. "The Brazilian Sound" brings to life both the current and past greats of Brazilian music. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bible of the Brazilian Music Scene, June 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Brazilian Sound (Paperback)

Of all world music varieties, Brazilian music is among the most vital, consistent and compelling. McGowan and Pessanha nail their subject cold in this book -- the most comprehensive omnibus available on the subject of Brazilian music. From MPB to Milton, it's all here!

This encyclopedic work includes hundreds of photos, complete historical information on all styles, and extended discographies ideal for starting and growing your own world-class Brazilian CD collection.

I picked this book up on a whim -- and 100 CDs later, I'm grateful to the authors for broadening my knowledge of this exceptional music with their extraordinary book!