23.3.13

Monopolist ruling against Brazil's music royalties collectors

I've heard for years how corrupt the music business is in Brazil, even compared with it's less than stellar record everywhere else. Here's a taste via boingboing.


17.3.13

Richard Feynman, sambista


I can't say I know of any other Americans who went to the streets of Rio in the mid-1950s and played samba in the streets with locals. Clearly, this guy was a genius and ahead of his time. But what's amazing is he also happened to be one of the greatest physicists of all time, a Nobel winner and beloved professor.

For sambistas, it's interesting to note that he found pandeiro tough and settled on frigideira -- an instrument that doesn't get enough love nowadays!

Here he is on the subject of samba carioca:
http://buoy.antville.org/stories/1466743/

And here's a brief overview of his other accomplishments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIJw3OLB9sI

AfroPop Worldwide on Brazilian music, past and present


Afro-pop Worldwide also recently covered recent pop trends in SP:

http://www.afropop.org/wp/6610/the-soul-of-sao-paulo-rock-rap-and-future-music-from-the-endless-city/

And here's part 2 of their Rio show from last July:

http://www.afropop.org/wp/4215/rio-2-samba-strikes-back/