Going Back To (Tropi)Cali(a)?

Brilliant Brasilian music legend Gilberto Gil has announced he will step down from his government position as Minister of Culture to again focus on his music. This just came across the AP wire a half hour ago:

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) — Gilberto Gil stepped down as Brazilian culture minister Wednesday, saying he wanted to dedicate more time to his music and his family.

The Grammy-winning musician, who revolutionized Brazilian music in the 1960s as a founder of the Tropicalism movement, had been culture minister since 2003, when President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva started his first term in office.

Gil tried to step down twice before but Silva had persuaded him to stay. This time the president accepted his resignation.

"I am leaving the government to dedicate more time to my artistic endeavors and to my family, which is growing with the addition of a new grandchild," Gil, 66, told a news conference. [1]

...

Gil and longtime friend Caetano Veloso are credited with inventing the Tropicalism movement, a blend of rock and bossa nova.

Tropicalism eventually influenced such musicians as David Byrne, Paul Simon and Beck, but the political content of its lyrics offended the nation's 1964-1985 military dictatorship. Both Gil and Veloso were jailed in 1968 and lived in exile in London from 1969 to 1972.

Gil has sold millions of records over his 45-year career, and won a Grammy in 1998 for best world music album. [2]

Here's a favorite of mine featuring Gil & Caetono Veloso, 'Alguem Me Avisou' by Maria Bethânia.

Police Officers or Murderous Thugs?

The car caring Joao Roberto Amaral, age 3, when he was murdered by Rio police.
photo credit: O Globo

Rio's most disgraceful were at it again this week. This from the Washington Post:

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Police killed at least eight people in a raid on drug traffickers in a Rio de Janeiro slum, a spokesman said on Friday, following widespread anger and fear over police brutality in recent weeks. [1]

And from the same article...

Earlier this week, a street vendor and a motorist were shot dead in botched police operations in the famed tourist city. [2]

According to a police spokesman, those killed were allegedly involved in the drug trade. The problem is, every time the police kill someone here, they are 'allegedly involved in the drug trade'. Sadly, they usually get away with these acts of murder, unquestioned by the mainstream world of the 'asfalto'...except when the 'alleged criminal' is three years old. When this is the case, even the Rio secretary of security, Jose Mariano Beltrame, must acknowledge his boys fucked up big time:

"There are no apologies for such a tragedy. This was a disastrous incident. As a father and a police officer, I am ashamed at what happened....There was a total lack of preparation and discernment on the part of the police." [3]

So what exactly did happen? This from Canada.com:

Two police officers late Sunday fired 15 shots into the car carrying the killed boy, Joao Roberto Amaral.

He was hit in the back of the head, in the buttocks and in an ear, and was declared brain dead after being taken to hospital.

His nine-month-old brother who was with him was unhurt, while his mother, Alessandra Amaral, who was driving the car, was hit with fragments.

The father, taxi driver Paulo Roberto Amaral, told reporters after arriving at the hospital that the police "shot up my wife's car without any possibility of defense. There were kids in the car. They almost killed my entire family."

Witnesses said it looked as if the police had confused the car with another being driven by suspects being pursued. [4]

WTF? WTF? WTF?
Am I the only one who feels that even if the popo had the right car, it probably wasn't the best idea to let loose with a torrent of automatic weapon fire in the middle of traffic? In every article I could find online about this incident, there was not one reference to what the actual suspects were accused of. Perhaps this is because this is information that would only further embarrass the 'police'. Who knows... maybe the 'police' had been dispatched by a criminal faction to take out memebrs of a rival faction. Sound far fetched? Not really. From the BBC:

...11 soldiers were accused of involvement in the deaths of three young men from the shanty town of Providencia, one of hundreds of such favelas in Rio de Janeiro.

Three of the soldiers - including the lieutenant in charge of the unit - are said by police to have confessed to having handed over the men to a drug gang in a neighbouring district.

There, they were tortured and killed, before their bodies were thrown onto a nearby rubbish dump.

The soldiers had earlier arrested the three men after accusing them of showing disrespect, and a lawyer for the lieutenant has said they did not think the men would be killed by the drug gang. [5]

Wha? Huh? Makes your head spin, doesn't it. Another argument put forth containing zero logic. They didn't think the rival drug gang would kill them? What the fuck were they even doing delivering them to a rival drug gang, facilitating a game of inter-favela futbol?

Last year alone, police murdered 1,330 'suspects' in Rio alone, a 25% increase over the previous year [6]. Rio's governor, Sergio Cabral, would have you believe that such lead fisted tactics are required to combat the problems of the favelas. In my opinion, schools, health care, infrastructure, economic opportunity and a general inclusiveness into the society at large would be more effective 'weapons'.

I was reminded today of a quote by the great R. Buckminster Fuller... "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change
something, build a model that makes the existing model obsolete."

Word.

Interview With Dj Beware (Man Recordings)

Born in Hong Kong, raised in the UK on a steady diet of skateboard culture and the music that accompanied it, and now based in Vienna Austria, Dj Beware is a one man international line up. Who better then to be one of the newest international artists to contribute to the funk carioca sound, a sound that prides its self on its ability to draw inspiration from all corners of the globe.

Earning his stripes in the trenches of DMC dj battles, Beware eventually garnered the attention of Daniel Haaksman, international funk carioca evangelist and owner of Man Recordings, baile funk's biggest non Brazilian distributor and proponent. He's contributed production to the Stereo MCs (remember them? well they're back!) and MC Gringo as well as a dj mix for Man Recordings.

I had been chatting a bit with B via the internets and when I heard he was coming through RJ on a mini tour do Brasil, I knew I had to track him down and say 'wutup'. I caught up with him after his show at Circovoador, before his gig at 00 (Zero Zero) and during his set at Diesel. The kid was going nonstop but was cool enough to take a breather long enough to conversate with the San FranCarioca. The four minute video was created from this conversation.


(L to R) Tee, the delightful and talented Joyce Muniz and Dj Beware

New Beat Nicker Remix

'Me Bota Pra Dancar'
Beat Nicker San FranCarioca Remix
Edu K feat. Marina

listen here via myspace
or
download the 320kb MP3 here [via sendspace]

I started this back in SF and then put it away. I finished it recently after soaking up the vibe here the past few weeks. I guess it's sort of where I've been heading, production wise, with the San Francarioca thing...fusing funk carioca influences with a bit of electro 'frisco freakiness.

The remix contains some classic tamborzao funk elements, a groove lifted from a Fernanda Abreu track, some Macumbinha elements from the north..and some chopped guitar from they might be giants. hmmmm.

Godfather of Funk Carioca: Dj Marlboro

The Godfather Meets The San FranCarioca: Zero Zero, Rio de Janeiro, BR

We went out to Zero Zero last night to support a new party thrown by my girlfriend's friend, Polyana. Instead of the usual house music fare, the night was devoted to what Cariocas call 'Black Music', or what we know basically as funk. The distinction is necessary because what they call 'funk' is something entirely different. When they say funk, it means only one thing... carioca funk, or what we know as baile funk.

I had the pleasure of kicking it part of the evening with the godfather of carioca funk, Dj Marlboro....another old friend of Roberta (I swear, she knows the whole city). I think she was a tad hesitant to introduce me for fear I would geek out on him on the music tip and embarrass her (full disclosure: of course i did. but by the end of it we were singing his version of 2 live Crew's 'One & One' [the numbers song] in Portuguese together). The man really is a rock star here as the camera crew following him around and the constant stream of well wishers/jockers would attest. Despite all this, he came across with a deep humility and great sense of humor....a true ambassador to his art.


In 1989, Marlboro forever changed the course of Brazilian party music when he featured local MCs rapping in Portuguese over Miami style electro beats on his first album, 'Funk Brasil' [via rapidshare]. Even the great British dj, compiler and BBC Radio 1 presenter, Giles Peterson, couldn't hype him enough on his podcast from Brazil in 2007. I have taken an excerpt of the interview and posted it below for your listening ease but the whole series is worth a listen. [thanks to schnezzy for putting me up on this!]


Giles Peterson interviewing Dj Marlboro for his 'In Brasil' podcast

Marlboro returned to the pre funk carioca old school last night, hyping the dance floor with a throbing mix of 70's funk (Funk Americano, yo!) and disco. Nothing too deep or obscure, just solid party rockers presented in a way unique to carioca funk djs; cd mixer as instrument. Using the cue button, he would trigger sections of a cut in a percussive manner (it's all about the percussion here) while ridding out the previous track. I captured a bit of his set with my digi cam but, as you would expect, the audio leaves a bit to be desired. Irregardless, the godfather of funk carioca (a fairly rough & tough genre of music) returning to his disco roots... and feelin' it... is a fun moment worth sharing. Boogie on, brother.

Dj Marlboro dropping 'Let's Groove Tonight' for the kids at 00

Some Photos

[ If any of these photos are of interest to you, you will probably want to view them bigger here ]

Sany Pitbull: Master of the MPC & Tamborzão Pioneer

I had hoped to be posting an interview today with baile funk legend, MPC master and head of the Pitbull Soundsystem, Sany Pitbull. I was supposed to have gone to the funk ball in the favela Cantagalo last night to watch the man in action and to conduct the interview. Instead I slept on it... literally.

Fear not not dear reader, this interview will happen. Sany and his equipe (or soundsytem) have been holding it down in Cantagalo every Saturday night for the last 12+ years. There will be more opportunities.

Instead, I'm sending you over to Dj Rideon's excellent blog, 'Rio Baile Funk', to check out an interview that he did with Sany in 2007. In it, they cover Sany's innovative use of the MPC 500, the social roll of funk in the favela and the dominance of the tamborzão style in carioca funk at the moment. Read and enjoy and when I finally do get around to doing my interview, you'll be well up to speed.

Eu Amo Brasil: A Mix To Ease You Into The Weekend

It's Friday, the summer is here (at least for those of you in the northern hemisphere) and I'm posting a little mix to help ease you into the weekend. I put this together from records I picked up last time I was in Rio. It's a mix of música brasileira (tropicalia, funk, samba soul, psychedelic & folk) from the 60's and 70's and I challenge you to listen and not want to grab your bikini/trunks, suntan oil and head south to Rio immediately! have a great weekend, com beijous do Rio! xo->t.



[ download mp3 via sendspace. 66.5 MB ]

Tonight in Lapa: BUMP!

I'll be playing out tonight in Lapa at BUMP! with djs André Amaral & Icarodátilus, two djs I met when I was here in April. These guys know how to get down and I fully expect the bundas to be bumping on the dance floor floor this evening. I'll try and take some photos to share as I realize most of you won't be making it to this gig ;)




[ Update: BUMP! was bumpin'! Here's a few flicks I snapped when I wasn't trying to figure out how to plug in my serato set up ]


clockwise from top: the dance floor with sick video by dennis, icarodatilus, andré amaral

Diggers Diary Pt. 1

clockwise from the top: inside of Plano B, the listening station + a few results, my man Fernando holding up my newly scored copy of 'Chicken Strut', me playing with Fernando's 'Ioto Stimulos'...from Kraftwerk's first US tour, I believe ;)

This is the first installment of what I hope to be a recurring feature on the San FranCarioca: Diggers Diary. I'll be taking you along with me as I uncover Rio's hidden emporiums of funky wax and sharing with you the results.

Today as I was trying (unsuccessfully) to navigate my way back from the Cinelandia Metro Station, my 48th wrong turn of the day led me right past a store front called Plano B. And what made me notice this otherwise nondescript store front? A copy of 'Chicken Strut' by those inimitable ambassadors of NOLA funk, The Meters...the only Lp of theirs missing from my collection...was starring back at me through the dirty window. I don't know how many times I resisted the temptation to pick up the reissue of this album in hopes of scoring the original someday (without the pain of having to bend over to pay someone on ebay), just to be able to play the 'Hand Clapping Song' out at the club. Sometimes you find the heat, some times the heat finds you. Needless to say, I was straight in there.

Plano B is a record store as record stores should be...or used to be. The owner himself, Fernando his name was, sat behind the counter having a smoke next to a discarded disco ball. Crates of wax from every genre of music that matters filled the small room, competing for space with unidentifiable electronic apparatus' from the 60's and 70's. Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh, god yes! (I know what your thinking and you're right on both counts. Yes, I do live for this shit and, Yes, I am a total dork)

As usual when entering previously undiscovered record shops, the timing of the event seemed to correspond with some sort of disruption in the space time continuum. When I finally walked out, it was dark and I had missed an appointment with someone about a dj gig...and I still wasn't exactly sure how to get home. Of course the euphoric rush had yet to wear off and I would not become fully cognizant again until well after I finally had found home.

The other discovery I made upon returning to the flat is potentially the best. On the bottom of the small stack I picked out were two 12"s that were unintentionally mixed up in the mele. The first, a Brazilian pressing of 'Whoot There It Is' (Oops No You Didn't) that will get returned tomorrow and a heretofore unknown oddity....'Electonicus: música brasileira interpretada em moog sinthesizer' by Renata Mendes. You don't need to speak Portuguese to work out that title. Two of my favorite genres on one record...Brasilan Popular Music and tripped out Moog recordings....sick!

See? This is why I choose to leave the map at home.


'Electronicus' by Renata Mendes

Plano B
Rua Francisco Muratori 2A, Lapa
Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
tel: (55) (21) 2509 3266
www.planb.net

i'll update this post with some audio as soon as i get a chance to digitize a few choice selections

The Favelas, The Asfalto and Santa Teresa

View of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Guanabara Bay from the Parque das Ruinas

I spent this afternoon exploring my hill top neighborhood of Santa Teresa and it really is a place of beauty. It’s one of Rio’s oldest neighborhoods and as such has a completely unique vibe; old Portuguese architecture engulfed in tropical flora, crooked cobblestone streets and the some of the illest, most colorful graffiti to help remind you just which epoch you are inhabiting.

I hiked up to the Parque das Ruínas to take in its nearly uninterrupted views of Rio and Guanabara Bay. I posted up in the garden next to it and sat quietly watching three small monkeys at play in the trees above. But it’s far from some utopia here. Don’t get it twisted.

While geographically close, Santa Teresa is a world removed from Copacabana, Ipanema and the more modern center of town…the asfalto, or flat lands. But at the same time it’s not a typical morro (hill side) community either, although it is surrounded by 5 to 7 favelas. Yeah, there’s no mistaking that fact.

My apartment over looks two favelas in the fore ground as well as a few others in the distance. Opposing criminal factions control the two closest favelas and each one would be more than happy to relieve the other of their turf. I know this because it is what I have heard (literally) and seen…the unmistakable POP POP POP along with occasional red, military grade tracers I can see whizzing back and forth at night.



The view, as you can see, really is quite nice. But, like a politician, a picture can offer a thousand words on a subject but still manage to avoid the whole truth.

The favelas, the criminal factions and their traficantes (traffickers), the general inhabitants of these hill side communities and, of course, the police will be explored in greater detail in future posts so…um…stay posted.

Nega Teresa and the Bahian Magic That Is An Acarajé

The acarajé, essentially a black eyed pea fritter fried in dende oil and smeared with shrimps and a spicy shrimp sauce, may be a staple in the diet of many Bahians but it’s popularity has spread to cities all over Brazil inhabited by migrants from the north. So popular in fact is the acarajé, it has sparked controversy over who may serve the lucrative snack. In Bahia, it is said that a quality acarajé vendor can reach a level of notoriety normally reserved for footballers. In my neighborhood of Santa Teresa in Rio, we are blessed with our own Ronaldo of the acarajé, Nega Teresa. With her colorful head wrap, traditional white blouse and billowing skirt, an outfit rooted in the practice of candomblé (a masala of traditional African animistic and mystic mythologies with a touch of catholicism sprinkled on [I found out today that I had this wrong. Umbanda is mixed with catholicism, while candomblé leaves out the guilt trip]), she holds court every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights just around the corner from my flat. While these days even Emeril has his own acarajé recipe, if cariocas I’ve spoken with are to be believed, you would be hard pressed to uncover a better acarajé than Nega Teresa's in all of Salvador de Bahia!

Ingredients: black-eyed peas soaked over night, dried shrimp soaked 30 minutes, onion, garlic, fresh ginger, cayenne pepper, salt, olive oil, dende oil to fry fritter in.

• mash up softened peas and combine with shrimp, onion and garlic and form into burger size discs
  
• fry in adende oil until a golden brown, rotating as necessary
  
• remove from oil, blot dry, slice open and fill with more shrimp and cover with the mole de acaraje, essentially a creamy shrimp paste with onion, ginger and red pepper
  
• Eat carefully around the edge, “not like a burger, gringo!”
  

The Sunday Market In Gloria

Every blog has it's first post so let's start off this one on a mellow Sunday style tip. I'll crank it up a few notches after I finish tightening this thing up and settling into my new spot. So, without further delay....a stroll through the Sunday market in Gloria, near my home in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Note the variety of fresh peppers, tropical fruits, fresh seafood and, of course, bananas. (love the little girl peeping the live crabs around the 1:02 mark!)