This is Somerset --
BRAZILIAN music is coming into vogue with a new wave of electronic and techno artists turning the traditional Latin-American rhythms into distinctive contemporary styles with a techno overlay.
On a warm night in Bristol the three acts from the homeland Mais Um! record label who made up this line-up might even have felt at home. This Bristol gig was their only UK performance on tour outside London
There was energy and excitement in the first half with the six-piece Graveola giving a multi- rhythmic mix of material that used an enterprising combination of instruments. Their music is inventive, but best when they return to the classical rhythms of their homeland. They need to smile more if they want to engage with an audience unfamiliar with the songs when sung in their native Portuguese.
Lucas Santtana, the singer composer, has moved from traditional acoustic guitar to the more experimental electronic dub-style, performing a standard dance club set with drum-and-bass backing.
Brazilian music has come a long way from the laidback bossa nova of The Girl from Ipanema. The new big noise is Gaby Amarantos – the turbo-charged self-styled queen of tecnobrega. She came on stage in a snakeskin body stocking and electric bird of paradise head-dress which immediately raised the temperature by ten degrees.
And can she sing!
The words of the songs in her native language may not have been familiar, but the emotional content was always clear. When she began Eurythmic's Sweet Dreams are Made of This, the rapport with the female audience members was immediate and enthusiastic.
Already compared to Beyoncé, on this showing she seems an unstoppable force of nature and stage-dominating character, easily comparable to Josephine Baker of earlier Parisian fame.
The modest audience who were present had a real treat and can perhaps congratulate themselves on seeing artists who may well feature in Brazil 2014. Reported by This is 2 hours ago.
BRAZILIAN music is coming into vogue with a new wave of electronic and techno artists turning the traditional Latin-American rhythms into distinctive contemporary styles with a techno overlay.
On a warm night in Bristol the three acts from the homeland Mais Um! record label who made up this line-up might even have felt at home. This Bristol gig was their only UK performance on tour outside London
There was energy and excitement in the first half with the six-piece Graveola giving a multi- rhythmic mix of material that used an enterprising combination of instruments. Their music is inventive, but best when they return to the classical rhythms of their homeland. They need to smile more if they want to engage with an audience unfamiliar with the songs when sung in their native Portuguese.
Lucas Santtana, the singer composer, has moved from traditional acoustic guitar to the more experimental electronic dub-style, performing a standard dance club set with drum-and-bass backing.
Brazilian music has come a long way from the laidback bossa nova of The Girl from Ipanema. The new big noise is Gaby Amarantos – the turbo-charged self-styled queen of tecnobrega. She came on stage in a snakeskin body stocking and electric bird of paradise head-dress which immediately raised the temperature by ten degrees.
And can she sing!
The words of the songs in her native language may not have been familiar, but the emotional content was always clear. When she began Eurythmic's Sweet Dreams are Made of This, the rapport with the female audience members was immediate and enthusiastic.
Already compared to Beyoncé, on this showing she seems an unstoppable force of nature and stage-dominating character, easily comparable to Josephine Baker of earlier Parisian fame.
The modest audience who were present had a real treat and can perhaps congratulate themselves on seeing artists who may well feature in Brazil 2014. Reported by This is 2 hours ago.