Bossa Nova: The Essential Brazilian 60's

It's cold here in Montreal! This week's temperature dropped below 20C. It may well be the time we should remember the sun and the beach. And even though not all of us have been as fortunate as Gui and Nextron, who were surviving in extreme beach conditions somewhere around São Paulo during the holidays, at least we can daydream of Brazil - the land of big Jesus, great beaches, beautiful women and, of course, unique music.



















I enjoy a good bossa nova song from time to time. All right, a lot of the time. So this post's purpose will be to counterweight all the dance music we usually post - just in case you're adventurous enough to try something new. Of course most of us know, or at least have a vague idea what bossa nova sounds like, and all of us have probably heard "Girl From Ipanema". Prepare yourselves, for MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) is much, much more than that. Seriously, that's not even a very good song, I have no idea why it's so popular.

But I digress; enjoy this special middle-of-the-winter compilation of sunny music from the bohemian '60s in Rio de Janeiro (not all of it can be found on CDs). The essentials, in my opinion are as follows:

1. Chico Buarque de Hollanda - Não Existe Pecado Ao Sul Do Equador
2. Paulinho da Viola - Bebadosamba
3. Gal Costa - Namorinho de Portão
4. João Gilberto - Hô-bá-lá-lá
5. João Gilberto - Insensatez
6. João Gilberto - Bolinha de Papel
7. Toquinho & Vinícius de Moraes - Essa Menina
8. A. C. Jobim - Three Note Samba
9. A. C. Jobim & Elis Regina - Aguas De Março
10. Gilberto Gil - Frevo Rasgado
11. Luiz Henrique - Samba Skindim
12. Toquinho - Tarde em Itapoã

Download
(iTunes required for some tracks)

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