O Samba: Brazil Classics 2

In 1989, David Byrne compiled and released on his own label BELEZA TROPICAL, which featured the artists of MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira), post bossa nova singers and songwriters like Caetano Velso, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, and Gal Costa, all of whom reached their greatest popularity in '70s and early '80s. This was perhaps the first time an American audience had been exposed to contemporary Brazilian songcraft other than the ever-familiar songs of Jobim.
Happily, Byrne followed up with this equally revelatory collection of contemporary samba, this time featuring singers even more obscure to North American ears. The highly percussive samba is Brasil's national music, at times furiously rhythmic yet still capable of sustaining a rich songwriting tradition. As befits a "peoples" music (which reaches a yearly apotheosis in the wildly competitive samba schools of Carnaval), the melodies are tougher, the lyrics earthier than the romantic pop music that people usually associate with this most musical of nations. Once more we must thank David Byrne for introducing us to great singers like Clara Nunes, reigning samba queen till her untimely death in 1983, as well as the equally celebrated Beth Carvalho and Martinho Da Vila.|