For years Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux has forged a reputation as a fierce hip hop MC with a burning desire to change the world. Now she is expressing herself in new ways. Tijoux’s outspoken feminism and anti-capitalism have... Read Article
The crunching chill of the post-Christmas winter months is always a testing time for Londoners. And what with a Trump Presidency and Hard Brexit, 2017 presents an especially lugubrious prospect for many. But for Latin music lovers (partial)... Read Article
Not many musicians manage to bridge the Brazilian musical origins of bossa, samba and choro with modern jazz, pop and baroque classical music as Hamilton de Holanda does. Last week he released his new album Samba de Chico,... Read Article
Hamilton de Holanda is currently one of the most celebrated instrumentalists in Brazil, blending Brazilian choro, samba and jazz together into beautiful dream-like bandolin chords. The 11 time winner of the Prêmio da Música Brasileira will launch his... Read Article
Nas Vozes De Cartola is quite honestly a collector’s item. For a reason unknown to this critic, Cartola has not been as formally introduced to global audiences as other Brazilian singer-songwriters such as Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque or Tom Jobim.... Read Article
When I spoke to Jorge Drexler last year about Bailar En La Cueva – his latest album and undoubtedly his most rhythmic to date – it seemed clear that his influences had grown over the years. The sounds... Read Article
“Gata, you’re going to have to earn your way up by playing the bars”. These are the words that greeted the carioca Flávia Coelho when she first decided to follow her idols and move to Paris. Nine years... Read Article
With World Cup playlists flying around left, right and centre I felt the urge to put together my own Brazilian selection, a collection of well-known and rare classics from the 60s and 70s, including plenty of choices that... Read Article
A phrase from the walls of Paris in 1968 has come to be echoed in Brazil: “It is forbidden to forbid!” The French slogan, reaffirmed by Caetano Veloso in one of his songs, where he says “não ao... Read Article
Just a couple of weeks ago we asked our readers to choose what they think are the most influential Brazilian albums of all-time. After receiving 100 responses we are now revealing the 10 albums that received the most... Read Article
Every musical genre has its standard flagbearers: for jazz it’s Miles, Coltrane, Dizzy, Duke. Rock’s got Dylan, Hendrix, Lennon, just to name a few heavy weights. I’m always wary of musical genre or stylistic compilations – how can... Read Article
I never doubted Maria Rita’s talent, though I was always suspicious of her music. To start with, being Elis Regina’s daughter can be more challenging than helpful if you decide to follow the parent’s steps as she did!... Read Article
