Marcelo D2 "Eu Tiro E Onda" (Sony-Chaos, 1998)
(Produced by Marcelo D2, Ze Gonzales & Rodrigo Nut's)
The first solo album by Marcelo D2 (from the band Planet Hemp), an ex-punk rocker whose interests turned towards rap in the 1990s. This is well-produced, classic, energetic, sample-a-delic hip-hop that gives hearty shout-outs to Elis Regina and Tom Jobim, as well as Afrika Bambaata, and all the n***as in the hood. In some ways this is the same-old, same-old gangsta-y routine, but if you're still into hip-hop, this is pretty good stuff, densely packed and richly textured, with plenty of guest performers from Rio and beyond. In terms of musical "Brazilian-ness," he does include some samples of classic bossa nova (old tracks by Sergio Mendes and Baden Powell) but not tons of it... Mostly this is made of modern beats, and other than the Portuguese lyrics and Brazilian street slang, this sounds a lot like American hip-hop... My favorite part of the record? I love how he pronounces "hip-hop" as "heepie-hop": it's so adorable!

Marcelo D2 "A Procura Da Batida Perfeita" (Sony, 2003)

Marcelo D2 "MTV Acustico" (Sony, 2004)

Marcelo D2 "Meu Samba E Assim" (Sony, 2007)

Marcelo D2 "A Arte Do Barulho" (EMI, 2008)

Marcelo D2 "Perfil" (Som Livre, 2007)

Marcia "Eu E A Brisa" (Philips, 1968)
Understated bossa nova ballads... I can't say as I'm a huge fan of her voice, in particular, but these are classy recordings. This album is notable for including the debut recording of Johnny Alf's song, "Eu E A Brisa," which became a bossa/MPB standard. Overall, this disc was a little too sedate for me. (By the way, anyone know if she's the same artist as Marcia Maria, who's listed below? Just wondering... )

Angela Maria - see artist discography

Marcia Maria "Colo Do Rio" (Caravage/L'Arome, 1985)
Clattersome, overly energetic samba-jazz vocals from a Brazilian expatriate living in Paris, backed by an enthusiastic European trio. This is the sort of music that, when I play it at home, my wife is likely to hurl heavy objects at me across the room in order to make it stop. Maria's aggressive approach derives from the Tania Maria-Elis Regina school of shouted vocal power... I found this to be really irritating, though jazz fans might be more forgiving. Apparently, Maria recorded one album earlier in Brazil, not long before she headed for France.

Marcia Maria "Brasil Nativo" (Fremeaux & Asocies, 2008)

Neusa Maria "A Melhor Cantora De 1956" (Sinter, 1957)
A long-forgotten vocalist from the pre-bossa era; Ms. Maria was a pretty-sounding, but relatively bland singer, backed here by light, inconsequential orchestrations. Patti Page comes to mind, or Doris Day, perhaps. Nothing "bad," but also not terribly dynamic or inspiring. Includes a few Italian-themed numbers ("Que Sera Sera," "Arrivederci Roma," etc.)

Tania Maria - see artist discography

Ze Maria "...E Seu Piano De Prata" (Continental, 1958)

Ze Maria "Tudo Azul - Bossa E Balanco" (Continental, 1963)
Here's a real find! Jorge Ben performing with organist Ze Maria (a sort of a Walter Wanderley wannabee), with Ben singing on a couple of his own tunes ("Mais Que Nada" and "Por Causa De Voce Menina"), presumably before his contract with Philips Records kicked in. The roller-rinky accompaniment was nowhere near as funky or soulful as Ben's own solo work would be, but is sure is a kick to hear his youthful voice piping up amid the dit-dit-dit perkiness of Maria's brisk little ensemble. Other artists whose work is covered -- mostly in instrumental versions -- include Carlos Lyra, Joao Mello, Jobim (of course) and several songs by Orlandivo, as well as one oldie by samba composer Joao De Barro. Kitschy and cute, and an interesting early step in the career of one of Brazil's greatest pop stars.

Cesar Camargo Mariano - see artist discography

Torcuato Mariano "Diary" (215 Records, 2004)
A very, very soft jazz fusion set. Not my cup of tea, but for the smooth jazz set, I imagine this'd be kinda nice.

Marina - see Lima, Marina

Marines E Sua Gente "O Nordeste E Seu Ritmo" (RCA, 1961)
I admit, I didn't have high hopes for this album, but I was pleasantly surprised. A female forro star from the 1950s and '60s, "regional" artist Marines ("and her people") recorded several albums for RCA, and if this one is any indication, I'll have to track a few more down and check 'em out. Born Ines de Oliveira Farias, the Pernambucan singer known as Marines had an appealing, childish, spunky voice, and a playful musical approach that stands in welcome contrast to the more severe, manic style of forro's biggest star, Luiz Gonzaga. This has a softer, more melodic feel, and is a record you can listen to and really get into... Fun stuff, definitely worth a spin.

Marines E Sua Gente "Coisas Do Norte" (RCA, 1963)
Another enjoyable set of bouncy, ebullient forro from the pixie-voiced Marines... In addition to being just plain fun to listen to, this album is notable for including over a half-dozen early compositions by songwriter Joao Do Vale, who at the time was poised to attain fame as one of the architects of the bossa nova stage show called Opinao, which catapulted both Maria Bethania and Nara Leao into national stardom. Interesting to hear Do Vale working in the more narrow confines of the "regional" music world... and to hear how good he was at it! Nice stuff.

Marines E Sua Gente "Siu, Siu, Siu" (RCA, 1964)
Another great album... Fun, lively, a melodic treat, with an even richer production palette than her earlier albums. Guess I'll have to track down more of her stuff!

Marines E Sua Gente "Meu Benzim" (RCA, 1964)

Marines E Sua Gente "Raizes Nordestinas" (EMI, 2004)

Marines E Sua Gente "Maxximum" (Sony-BMG, 2005)

Evandro Marinho "O Som Do Barzinho, v.6" (Universal, 2001)

Evandro Marinho "O Som Do Barzinho, v.7" (Universal, 2001)

Evandro Marinho "O Som Do Barzinho, v.8" (Universal, 2001)

Evandro Marinho "O Som Do Barzinho, v.9" (Universal, 2001)

Evandro Marinho "O Som Do Barzinho, v.10" (Universal/Matrix, 2001)
Volume Ten of this intriguing and generally pleasant live acoustic series, with singer-guitarist Evandro Marinho working through an intimate set of MPB ballads, songs written by the likes of Djavan, Gilberto Gil, Gonzaguinha, Beto Guedes, Ivan Lins and Caetano Veloso (as well as some less well-known composers). The audience sings along, sharing an affection for the audience: it might not be the original artists singing the songs, but the magic is still shared.

Francisco Mario "Retratos" (Fantasy/Caju, 1994)
(Produced by Francisco Mario)
This reissue pairs up two albums by Minas Gerais guitarist Francisco Mario, Conversas De Cordas, Courous, Palhetas E Metais, from 1984, and 1986's Retrato, which found him working with many of Brazil's best modern jazz/choro performers, such as Zeca Assumpcao, Paulinho Baga and Raphael Rabello (who played on the Conversas album...) Nice stuff, with a wide variety of regional influences; his use of amplification makes him sound a bit like a Brazilian Chet Atkins... Apparently Mario died in 1988, from HIV disease... Alas! Another voice sadly silenced.

Marisa "Serie Bis" (EMI-Brasil, 2000)
Although most of these recordings come from the heyday of bossa nova (1959-62), the style is a holdover from the pre-bossa "radio singers" era -- semi-big bandish pop vocals with a slight Brazilian twist. This 2-CD set is a nice overview of Marisa Gata Mansa's career, dipping lightly into a few mid-1970s albums that sound much like the older stuff. Not really my cup of tea, but for fans of older Brazilian pop, this might be a nice chance to hear some of the old stuff.

Marisa "Convite A Musica" (Copacabana, 1958)

Marisa "Convite A Musica, v.2" (Copacabana, 1958)

Marisa "A Suave Marisa" (Copacabana, 1959)

Marisa "Marisa Simplesmente" (Copacabana, 1960)

Marisa "Little Club Apresenta Marisa" (Copacabana, 1961)

Marisa "Marisa" (Equipe, 1971)

Marisa "Marisa" (EMI-Odeon, 1974)

Marisa "Marisa A Gata Mansa" (Copacabana, 1975)

Marisa "Encontro De Amor" (EMI-Odeon, 1976)

Marisa "Marisa Gata Mansa" (Coomusa, 1980)

Marisa "Leopardo" (Acai, 1982)

Marisa "Encontro Com Antonio Maria" (CID, 1997)

Marisa "Viagem" (EMI-Odeon, 1973)
An unexpectedly vigorous, challenging set by radio-days old-timer Marisa Gata Mansa... Some of this is standard stuff, restrained ballads, with Marisa in fine form, with a still-strong, quite expressive voice. But some songs get pretty wild, with wailing electric guitars and tropicalia-influenced arrangements. The album ends with a sedate medley of "Um Dia/Menino Do Bracana/Upa! Upa!" which initially seems a bit deflating, but picks up power as it ends -- the choice to end what is, essentially, an experimental album on such a quiet note just lends strength to the aesthetic choices made throughout. This album might not be for everyone, but for those who are receptive, it may hold some nice surprises. It's certainly not as square or as dreary as some of the other ballad-heavy radio-singer comeback records of the same era... worth checking out!

Marku - see Ribas, Marku

Marlene "Serie Bis - Cantores Do Radio" (EMI-Brasil, 2000)
Nice stuff! These are later recordings from one of the radio era's most notable singers. Mainly drawn from albums she did on Odeon between 1958-'60, these songs have a bright, almost girl-grouplike feel to them, which compliments Marlene's girlish voice. Marlene's real heyday was in the late '40s and early '50s, when she starred as a cabaret singer and national radio personality; she still retained a powerful artistic presence well into the modern MPB era. Also included on here are a handful of songs taken from her 1974 live album, Te Pego Pela Palavra -- though the arrangements are sometimes fluffy, her performances are pretty remarkable, especially considering that she'd just turned fifty when these songs were recorded. It also shows the breadth of her interests -- not only did Marlene cover material by modern composers such as Joao Bosco, Milton Nascimento and Gonzaguinha, she actually seemed to have a better sense of how to bridge the gap between their modernistic jazz aspirations and the rough and tumble world of cabaret singing than many of their contemporaries. She certainly compares favorably to the upstart Elis Regina, who was a more daring but less solid performer. Definitely worth checking out, especially for folks who are into the jazz-torchsong side of Brazilian pop.

Marlene "Marlene, Meu Bem" (Revivendo)
Early stuff by this jazz-oriented artist. At first blush, here she may seem merely like a samba-singing Carmen Miranda wannabee and, to be sure, she was definitely molded in Carmen's likeness, even covering many of Miranda's old hits from the 1930s. But there's an extra, undefinable little bounce to Marlene's vocals -- in retrospect, a precursor to her later jazzy-cabaret vocals. She also seems to have covered a fair number of nordeste material, baiaos and rancheira numbers, including some of Luiz Gonzaga's earliest composititions. Kind of an interesting choice for a Paulista of Italian descent... but hey, whatever works!! This disc covers her early work from 1946-59, even dipping lightly into the early Tom Jobim songbook... It's a great CD, one of the most accessible and readily enjoyable in the reviendo catalog!

Andrea Marquee "Zumbi" (YBrazil/Stern's, 2000)
Trip-hop and soul-tinged pop, with nods to the past such as covers of songs by Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben and Zeca Pagodinho, as well as a slew of original tunes. Marquee isn't as forceful as fellow soulster, Daude, nor as spazzy as supersinger Daniela Mercury, though that's the general area she's aiming for. This didn't set off any bells for me, but it may be of interest for others looking for contemporary, post-MPB pop that's a little off the beaten path.

Andrea Marquee "Melhores Momentos" (BMG, 2002)

Jayme Marques "Brasil Pop" (RCA-Spain, 1975)
A Brazilian guitarist who initially took his cues from the Baden Powell/Luiz Bonfa school, Marques was a Mato Grosso native who toured Europe in the early '60s, and is credited with introducing bossa-jazz to European audiences. He later recorded several albums in Spain during the 1970s, becoming a significant exponent of bossa-soul fusion. This early album starts off with fairly standard material -- a jazzed-up version of "Berimbau," followed by several guitar-centered tunes. Breezy keyboards come in midway, and his jazz-fusion tendedncies become even clearer with the inclusion of a couple of Marcos Valle tunes. This is pretty lightweight, muzak-y stuff, a little stiff sounding, but not unpleasant (other than his atrocious soul vocals!) This will probably float your boat if you're into the whole lounge/acid jazz sound.

Jayme Marques "Jayme Marques" (RCA-Spain, 1976)

Jayme Marques "So Much Feeling" (RCA-Spain, 1977)
This has a more deliberate (and more accomplished) jazz-fusion feel... Sleek LA Transfer-style keyboards, flute and bossa rhythms predominate, and while this is decidedly cheesy, easy listening, it's also nice in parts. There are a couple of original tunes on here, along with several well-chosen covers, including a Caetano Veloso's "Irene", and a meandering twelve-minute long(!) version of Milton Nascimento's "Vera Cruz." I'd be a little embarrassed playing this on the radio or listening to it casually at home, but I suppose it's worth checking out.

Jayme Marques "En Directo" (RCA-Spain, 1979)

Jayme Marques "The London Connection"

Mike Marshall "Brasil (Duets)" (Earthbeat, 1996)
Following a trip to Brazil in 1995, newgrass mandolin whiz Mike Marshall decided to tackle an entire album of Brazilian choro music, the zippy, propulsive instrumental style pioneered in the late 1800s, alongside it's better-known musical cousin, the samba. On this album Marshall performs some of the best known songs in the genre, as well as several that are further off the beaten track, playing in tandem with the likes of jazzgrass picker Bela Fleck and Edgar Mayer, West Coast jazz maven Andy Narell, and expatriate Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto. Marshall has a real feel for this material: it enlivens his own playing, while he brings a lightness and playful air to this sometimes-rigid genre. This is a disc definitely worth looking for, particularly if you are already a choro fan, or a newgrasser interested in hearing someone stretching into new, dynamic territory.

Mike Marshall & Jovino Santos Neto "Serenata: The Music Of Hermeto Pascoal" (Adventure Music, 2003)
Delving deeper into his love of choro, and of Brazilian jazz, Marshall explores the work of avantnik multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal, one of the most original and more challenging modern Brazilian jazz players. On the whole, I would say this set is far less "out there" than most of Pascoal's own albums, but the interplay between mandolinist Marshall and pianist Jovino Santos Neto reveals a strong intuitive link, both between the performers and the music they're tackling. Interesting album with some remarkable moments. Pascoal himself adds a flute solo to one track, giving the album that extra bit of authenticity...

Mike Marshall "Mike Marshall And Choro Famoso" (Adventure Music, 2004)
This is the latest in a series of choro albums by Marshall, and is perhaps the mellowest set to date... Nice, relaxing stuff, but still with a little kick and enough virtuoso picking to keep even the grumpiest of us from thinking it's just another EZ listening set... Nice stuff, very true to the style with warm versions of classic choro themes by Paulinho Da Viola, Jacob Do Bandolim, and others. Recommended.

Mike Marshall & Hamilton De Holanda "New Words/Novas Palabras" (Adventure Music, 2006)
A strong, playful collaboration between Brazilian mandolinist Hamiltom De Holanda and American bluegrass mandolinist Mike Marshall, who has become a convert to the jazzy Brazilian choro style, which also features dynamic virtuoso flights of instrumental prowess. The repertoire on this delightful set mixes some bluegrass and newgrass tunes into the choro standards; classics by Jacob Do Bandolim and Pixinguinha are lined up alongside by newgrass-jazz tunes by Marshall and Bela Fleck, as well as that oldie-but goodie, "Blackberry Blossom," which is a fine showcase for both picker's zipping along full-throttle. The introduction of Appalachian music into the choro scene should raise a few eyebrows, although I have to confess I was expecting more of a crosscultural mash-up, once Marshall and De Holanda really got going. Nonetheless, there's plenty of dazzling and lyrical playing here, and Marshall's interest in Brazilian acoustic music shows no sign of abating... Thank goodness, 'cuz he's making some really fine music! This set includes a bonus disc of video material which gives some sense of the giddy, competitive showmanship that is the underpinning of traditional choro. Recommended!

Abilio Martins "Voltei" (Tropicana, 1970)
A popular Carnaval float puxador (someone who leads the crowds in singing the new samba songs), Abilio Martins had a deep, gruff voice, and a plainspoken style that was nonetheless expressive and inviting. The musical backing is what's most unusual on this modest samba set: along with a small, keening female chorus, there's a Walter Wanderley-style organ lacing through the songs, dit-dit-doot-dooting alongside Martins' robust vocals. Not an immortal record, but a nice one, with an unusual feel that makes it a bit of a curio.

Herivelto Martins/Various Artists "Jubileu Herivelto" (RCA Victor, 1957)
This is a tribute album released in 1957, honoring the career of Brazilian pop songwriter Herivelto Martins. Martins doesn't actually perform on the record, but the artists who do -- Nelson Goncalves, Dircinha & Linda Batista, Ivon Curi, Carlos Galhardo, Trio De Ouro, etc. -- represent the creme-de-la-creme of the pre-bossa "radio singers" era. If you like old-fashioned nostalgic music, this is a wonderful collection. Nice instrumental choro/jazz turns from Jacob Do Bandolim and Zaccarias, as well!

Herivelto Martins/Various Artists "SINFONIA DE PARDAIS: UMA HOMAGEM A HERVIELTO MARTINS" (Som Livre, 1999)

Mart'nalia "Pe Do Meu Samba" (BMG-Brasil/Natasha, 2002)
(Produced by Celso Fonseca)
The daughter of samba superstar Martinho Da Vila, Mart'nalia has a modest voice, but uses it well, projecting warmth and joyfulness, as well as a sense of reserved super-coolness that she seems to have inherited from her dear old dad. This set features backing from guitarist Celso Fonseco, Arthur Maia on bass, and percussion by Ramiro Musotto... This young ensemble creates a nicely textured update of the classic pagode-samba sound, with a bit of bossa nova cool in there as well... A couple of tunes sound a bit by-the-numbers, but others have a fresh approach, notably the expansive percussion arrangements on "Filosofia," an old Noel Rosa song that starts the album off... Nice, pretty-sounding music that's definitely worth checking out. Old-school samba is alive and well in Rio....

Mart'nalia "Ao Vivo" (Universal, 2005)

Mart'nalia "Menino Do Rio" (Quitanda, 2006)

Mart'nalia "Em Berlim: Ao Vivo" (Biscoito Fino, 2006)

Ana Martins "Futuro Amantes" (Rip Curl, 2000)

Ana Martins "Linda" (Rip Curl, 2001)
A pleasant, if underwhelming, second album by singer Ana Martins, daughter of Nelson Angelo and braz-jazz guitarist Joyce. The modest bossa arrangements and her relaxed vocals are reminiscent of '60s-era chanteuses Nara Leao and Astrud Gilberto. Overall, I'd have to say Martins lacks spark -- this disc, sprinkled with guest performers and contributions by both her parents, travels familiar ground, and while it's nice enough, it's a bit on the slack side. Worth checking out, though.

Ana Martins "Samba Sincopado" (Video Arts, 2004)

Edinho Marundele & Onias Comenda "Eu, Bahia" (Philips/Fontana, 1972)
An interesting album of berimbau and Orixa-related percussion by two players I've never heard of before. Each artist takes one side of the LP -- Marundele (whose real name was apparently Edson Emerete de Sant'Anna) is the drummer, and his side is dynamic and intense, running through rhythms from Angola and their Brazilian permutations. Similarly, berimbau master Onias Camardelli plays capoeira music from Angola and Bahia, as well as improvisations of his own creation. Some of it is spooky and haunting, some of it seems kind of static and same-y. I don't think the average fan of Brazilian pop would get much out of this, but for cultural scholars and capoeira students, this album would be a goldmine.

Patricia Marx "Millennium" (Universal, 2002)
For the most part, this is pretty terrible. Soft pop with few redeeming or interesting qualities, taken from her 1994-98 stint on the Lux label. There are some fairly abysmal soul songs as well, including covers of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and "Never Can Say Goodbye," as well as some homegrown soul from Carlos Dafe, Tim Maia and others. Although this best-of is a really awful record, the disc opens with a couple of nice live duets, one with Marcos Valle, off the Casa Do Samba concert album, and a forro-tinged tune recorded with Nando Cordel... She's okay on these songs, but the rest of the record is wretchedly bad.

Patricia Marx "Respirar" (Trama, 2002)
Super-mellow, downtempo electronic soul ballads, sort of in a languid, Sade-ish mode. Not my cup of tea, really, and not as engaging or as stylistically adventurous as other Trama releases. But if you just want some relaxing makeout music, sung in another language, this might fit the bill.

Patricia Marx "Patricia Marx" (Trama, 2004)

Ruy Maurity "Este E Ruy Maurity" (EMI-Odeon, 1970)

Ruy Maurity "Safra 74" (Som Livre, 1973)

Ruy Maurity "Do Coracao" (Kuarup, 1998)

Brazilian Music - More Letter "M"

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