A roundup of great masterpieces and popular songs of Brazilian music

Bebete VãoboraJorge Ben Jor

Jorge Ben Jor – 08 Bebete vãobora – Jorge Ben 1969

A 1969 song by Jorge Ben.

It’s a track that blends the bright, light sounds of samba with the heavy, solid groove of R&B—what’s known as samba-funk—and it rode the wave of the jazz boom of the ’70s.

This distinct Jorge Ben style, which incorporates funk, soul, and rock, is beloved by many.

VoltaGal Costa

GAL COSTA – VOLTA – 1973

A track included on the 1973 album Índia.

Sung by Gal Costa—whose clear voice made her a beloved figure of the Tropicália movement—in a guitar-and-vocal style.

Beautiful bossa nova music with a touch of melancholy.

Oração ao TempoMaria Bethânia

Maria Bethânia – Oração ao Tempo (DVD Tempo Tempo Tempo Tempo)

Maria Bethânia, who is also Caetano Veloso’s sister.

From her 40th anniversary concert.

Her singing, with a spiritual aura as if seeing into people’s hearts, reaches straight into your soul.

Her voice is wonderfully steady, gaining even greater depth with the passing years.

Bat MacumbaOs Mutantes

Os Mutantes – Bat Macumba (1969)

A classic of funky Brazilian psychedelia and a quintessential work of the Tropicália movement of its time.

A song that brilliantly fuses psychedelic rock with traditional Brazilian music.

It appears on their debut album released in 1968.

Pra Que Discutir com MadameTeresa Cristina e Grupo Semente

Teresa Cristina e Grupo Semente – Pra Que Discutir com Madame

This is a song performed by the group Teresa Cristina e Grupo Semente.

The fact that João Gilberto and other samba and bossa nova artists have covered it proves that it is one of the quintessential masterpieces representing samba.

Samba da Minha TerraDorival Caymmi

Dorival Caymmi – O Samba Da Minha Terra

Titled “Samba of My Homeland,” this piece is by Dorival Caymmi, a master of the Bahia school who greatly influenced Brazilian music.

Inspired by the samba dance, it was released in 1957 and remains a beloved classic to this day.

O QUE É QUE A BAIANA TEMCarmen Miranda

CARMEN MIRANDA – O QUE É QUE A BAIANA TEM

Carmen Miranda was a singer and actress who was active in Brazil and the United States in the early 20th century.

“Baiana” refers to a woman from the state of Bahia, and this song sings about the charms they possess.

When people think of the Carnival baianas, they picture full-figured women in long dresses, adorned with various decorations on their heads, spinning as they dance.