Kananga "Kananga & Pagode" (CID, Date unknown)
Lightweight, inconsequential pop-pagode --a live record from the early 1990s, perhaps. Not as bad as some, but not very remarkable, either.
Karnak "Karnak" (Tinder, 1997)
An inventive, but cluttered, collision between rock'n'reggae-flavored Brazilian manguebeat and more global "world music" styles. Karnak improbably mixes Brazilian rock with Asian, Celtic, Hawaiian and Arabic styles, as well as the already-familiar African and Carribean highlife and soca styles that had suffused Bahian pop for decades now. Apparently, the band made quite a splash in the Brazilian scene (and I've heard they are amazing live), but this album still strikes me --even revisiting it years later -- as too densely constructed and too much a product of the studio, much like non-Brazilian bands such as Dissidenten or Zap Mama. It just doesn't have an organic, loose-enough feel. Or maybe it's just too noisy for my particular tastes. Other folks go ape over these guys, though, and anyone looking for something truly innovative and unique should at least give this disc a whirl. Plenty of guest stars on here, including Chico Science, Lulu Santos and others.
Karnak "Universo Umbigo" (Velas, 1999)
Karnak "Estamos Adorando Tokio" (Net Records, 2000)
A cluttered, hyperactive world beat album, mixing rock, salsa, funk, ska, and less-definable Brazilian elements. It's all too jittery and unsubtle for me to latch onto. In fact, I'd say it's pretty awful; definitely a disappointment considering the creative potential heard on earlier albums.
Karnak "Os Piratas Do Karnak: 2 CDs Ao Vivo" (Tratore, 2003)
Ze Keti "Sucesos De Ze Keti" (Eldorado/Inter Records, 2000)
A fabulous reissue of a 1967 album, made at the height of songwriter Ze Keti's popularity. A member of the Portela samba school, Keti started writing hits for various "radio singers" as early as the late 1940s. It was during the politicized phase of the bossa nova era, however, that Keti really made his mark, writing songs for and performing in the popular 1964 show, Opinao. These '60s recordings have a strong similarity to Chico Buarque's early work -- he's not the greatest vocalist, but his refashioning of the samba canacao form, with brusque percussion and a shrill keening female chorus, has a real appeal. The emphasis is on the songwriting, and the songwriting is very good. Many of these songs are better known through interpretations by Zelia Barbosa and Nara Leao, but Zeti's own version have a great appeal. If you can find this one, it's definitely recommended.
Kid Abelha "Seu Espiao" (Elektra, 1984)
Kid Abelha "Educacao Sentimental" (Elektra, 1985)
Kid Abelha "Ao Vivo" (Elektra, 1986)
Kid Abelha "Tomate" (WEA, 1987)
Unapologetically pop and mainstream, and nice. Totally contemporary, this has a definite, New Wave-y '80s sound, but in a surprisingly good way. Paula Toller has a very nice voice, and that goes a long way to gloss over the less challenging aspects of their music. Not much here really grabbed my imagination, but I could listen to the whole disc from start to finish and be reasonably engaged -- nothing awful or cringeworthy, which is a nice change of pace for this style of Brazilian pop.
Kid Abelha "Kid" (WEA, 1989)
Kid Abelha "Tudo E Permitido" (WEA, 1991)
Kid Abelha "Ie Ie Ie" (Warner Music, 1993)
Kid Abelha "Meio Desligado" (Warner Music, 1994)
Kid Abelha "Meu Mundo Gira Em Torno De Voce" (Warner Music, 1996)
Kid Abelha "Autolove" (Warner Music, 1998)
Kid Abelha "Colecao" (Warner Music, 2000)
Kid Abelha "Surf" (Universal, 2001)
Kid Abelha "Acustico MTV" (Universal, 2002)
Kid Abelha "Pega Vida" (Universal, 2005)
Kid Abelha "Greatest Hits" (WEA, 1990)
Kid Abelha "Kid Abelha" (WEA Latina, 1997)
Their greatest hits... en espanol!
Kid Abelha "e-Collection" (WEA, 2000)
A 2-CD best-of set, half hits, half odds'n'ends...
Kleiton & Kledir "Millennium" (Universal/Mercury, 2000)
Early '80s pop from Kleiton and Kledir Ramil (brothers, presumably?)... It's perky and hook-filled, shamelessly overwrought and mechanically produced -- but there's certainly worse music to be found in Brazil's AOR-influenced "brega" canon. Lots of cow bells, hand-clappy drum machines, noodly electric guitar riffs, shimmering string arrangements and smiley-faced vocal choruses. Yikes!
Kleiton & Kledir "Classicos Do Sul" (Universal/Mercury, 1999)
Kleiton & Kledir "Novo Millennium" (Universal/Mercury, 2005)
Kleiton & Kledir "A Arte De Kleiton & Kledir " (Universal, 2006)
Ithamara Koorax "Ao Vivo" (JVC/Imagem, 1993)
Ithamara Koorax "Rio Vermelho/Red River" (Imagem, 1995)
Ithamara Koorax & Luiz Bonfa "Almost In Love" (Imagem, 1996)
Ithamara Koorax "Bossa Nova Meets Drum And Bass" (King, 1998)
Ithamara Koorax "Serenade In Blue" (Fantasy/Milestone, 2000)
Ithamara Koorax "Love Dance: The Ballad Album" (Fantasy/Jazz Station, 2003)
Songbirdish vocals with purposefully gooshy, goopy arrangements... A host of Brazilian and American heavyweight musicians play with Koorax on this one, including Luiz Bonfa, Marcos Valle, Mario Castro-Neves, John McLaughlin, Dom Um Romao and others. She sings in both English and Portuguese, tackling standards ranging from "April In Paris" to Tom Jobim's "Ligia." This album is definitely not for everyone -- I didn't really like it -- but if your tastes tilt towards jazz ballad singing, then this might be a delight.
Ithamara Koorax "The Best Of Ithamara Koorax" (2006)
