Gabriel O Pensador "Gabriel O Pensador" (Sony-Chaos, 1993)
Innovative, easily accessible hip-hop/samba-funk, with an oddball, neo-tropicalist twist. The album opens on a thunderous note, with "Abalando," a super-funky dancefloor bootyshaker that samples a classic Chico Buarque song... From there things go sorta sideways, with a few too many "kooky," spaced-out, digressive songs, including "To Feliz (Matei O Presidente)," a song that got the album banned back in '93 because of its political content... Gabriel briefly gets back on track with the slinky Superfly soul groove of "Lavagem Cerebral," and the forro-tinged "...E Voce" is also interesting, although mostly in an academic way. A lot of this album struck me as too static or self-indulgent, though... It's certainly worth checking out, and folks who are more into hip-hop and lyrical wordplay (as opposed to compositional strength) might find this pretty frickin' cool... Creative, but not necessarily captivating.
Gabriel O Pensador "Quebra-Cabeca" (Mercury, 1997)
Poppy hip-hop from "Gabriel the Philosopher," one of the more popular mainstream rappers in Brazil these days. Mostly pretty silly, but pleasant. Gabriel ain't got the flow of a Wu-Tang Clanner -- but then again, is that so bad? The campy highlight is his "Rapper's Delight" sample, on "Cachimbo de Paz" ("Peace Pipe"), which is also probably the best track on here.
Gabriel O Pensador "Seja Voce Mesmo" (Mercury, 2002)
Faced paced and glossily produced (by Liminha and Chico Neves), this album is at once less subtle and more accomplished than his earlier work. The rapping is more forceful, but also less identifiably hop-hoppish, and the predominance of jagged funk-rock guitar riffs make this very much a Brazilian stab at a Red Hot Chili Peppers/Rage Against The Machine-style album. Highlights include the slightly psychedelicized, electronica-tinged "Ah!" and the funky, dancey "Masturbacao Mental." On the whole, this is a bit too aggro for my tastes -- I don't listen to this kind of music in English, either -- but as a modern BRock album, it's pretty darn good. Worth checking out.
Gabriel O Pensador "Ainda E So O Comeco" (Sony-Columbia, 2002)
Gabriel O Pensador "Nadegas A Declarar" (Sony-Columbia, 2002)
Gabriel O Pensador "MTV Ao Vivo" (2003)
Gabriel O Pensador "Cavaleiro Andante" (Sony/BMG-Epic, 2005)
Mona Gadelha "Mona Gadelha" (Movieplay, 1996)
Mona Gadelha "Cenas & Dramas" (Eldorado, 1999)
The second album by Mona Gadelha... Funky rock with a danceable groove on many tracks... A Slipcue reader had written me to recommend Gadelha's work, comparing her to similar artists such as Fernanda Abreu and Ana Carolina, and although Gadelha's production values aren't as slick as those major label gals, I think the reader hit the nail on the head. The modern rock guitars may be a little over-obvious at times, but this is certainly a different sound for Brazilian pop, and several songs are pretty good. Worth checking out.
Mona Gadelha "Tudo Se Move" (Brazilbizz, 2004)
Isaura Garcia - see artist discography
Garoto "O Genio Das Cordas" (Serie Choro - Grandes Solistas) (EMI-Brasil, 2003)
A dazzling set of vintage recordings by choro guitarist Anibal Augusto Sardinha, aka Garoto, one of the first and greatest of the choro guitarists. Garoto had already been performing and recording for several years before he accompanied Carmen Miranda to the United States in 1939, where she became a Hollywood star. While there, he soaked up the heady, infectious jazz style of the time, bringing some of the wild energy on the swing scene home with him when he returned to Brazil in the early 'Forties. These recordings, made between 1949-55, show him as a dynamic artist, performing at his peak. It kicks off (naturally) with a lively version of the choro standard, "1 x 0," with Garoto's lightning-fast, melliflous fretwork mimicking the dancing flute of Benedito Lacerda's original solos. The album also includes several of Garoto's original compositions, such as "Choro Triste No.2," "Tristezas De Um Violao," "Desvairada," and "Sao Paulo Quatrocentro," as well as songs by Ernesto Nazareth and other, less famous choristas. It's great stuff! If you've enjoyed music by Jacob Do Bandolim or Pixinguinha, then you've got to check Garoto out as well!
Os Gatos "Aquele Som Dos Gatos" (PolyGram, 1966)
An all-star schlockfest... String-laden easy listening, arranged by Eumir Deodato and produced by Dorival Caymmi's son, Dori. Mostly slow, tacky instrumental versions of bossa nova standards, featuring the tragically squandered talent of Paulo Moura, as well as EZ-fusion flautist, Meirelles. One point of interest, though: could the "Betty" Carvalho listed as a backup singer actually be future samba star, Beth Carvalho? Anyone know for sure?
Ze Geraldo "20 Super Sucessos" (Sony-Polydisc, 1998)
Yeesh... Gooey, overly earnest romantic material, drawn from Geraldo's first three albums, recorded for CBS between 1979-81. Geraldo wrote almost all the songs on here, and they all share the same low-key, midtempo, slightly lethargic feel, with somewhat flat vocal performances. ... It's not overtly cheesy or over-the-top, but it also isn't particularly compelling, either. Born in Minas, Geraldo is notable as one of the Northeast's bigger pop stars, and his 1990s concert collaborations with Elba Ramalho and Ze Ramalho. This best-of set didn't do much for me, though.
Alcides Gerardi "Selecao De Ouro - 20 Sucessos" (EMI-Brasil, 1998)
Alcides Gerardi "Serie Bis - Cantores Do Radio" (EMI-Brasil, 2000)
Another gem in this series. Gerardi specialized in swooping romantic ballads, with more than a hint of Argentine tangos and French musette... Schmaltzy but delightful, this 2-CD set kick off with a few galloping, lounge-y swing tunes and settles into calmer, cornier material. It's all really good... recommended!
Stan Getz - see Joao Gilberto and my Brazilian Jazz section
Gilberto Gil - see artist discography
Astrud Gilberto - see artist discography
Bebel Gilberto - see artist discography
Joao Gilberto - see artist discography
The Gilbertos "Os Eurosambas: 1992-1998" (Midsummer Madness, 1999)
Indierock doesn't have a particularly large following in Brazil, but this was one of the most widely available albums of its kind to come out of the tiny indie scene. Released by the folks at the Rio-based Midsummer Madness 'zine, this is unfortunately a less-than stellar album, rehashing musical themes from the US and European twee and lo-fi scenes, though with little drive or focus, as far as I can tell. Songwriter Thomas Pappon previously fronted a band called the Fellinis and ran the independent Stiletto label (none of which I've heard or have first-hand experience with...) but here he seems self-indulgent and diffuse, trying all sorts of techniques but without generating much spark. Dunno; maybe it's just me. Still, there's plenty of international lo-fi rock and twee stuff that I have heard and liked (or disliked), so I think I have enough of a background in rock to know a disappointment when I hear one. Still, for thise who are curious, this may be a disc worth checking out, if just to know what's out there...
Gino & Geno "Gino & Geno" (Warner-Continental, 1989)
Regional music from the sertaneja... Sounds like a mellow version of Mexican ranchera to me, but what do I know? I'm just a dumb gringo. Apparently this duo is one of the more influential acts in the Northeastern caipira scene... This disc includes "Procurando Treta" and "Chuva Grossa."
Gino E Geno "Gino E Geno" (Warner-Brasil, 1991)
Brazilian sertanejo from the Northeast is considered hick music... The artists dress up like cowboys, and the songs sound quite a bit like Mexican rancheras. Gino e Geno are stars of the genre, and this early album is okay for what it is... But it's also a bit dull, at least to outsiders. Still, if you want to check the style out, this disc is a pretty good example.
Egberto Gismonti - see artist discography
