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This is just a small selection; a lot are available in the U.S. You know where to look for them on the Web, right? Please note that all our books are now at the Sheila Thomson Collection of Brazilian Culture at Florida International University in Miami.
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The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil. Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998. Illustrated, comprehensive guide to the rich musical culture of Brazil. Chris said it was going to be bigger and better than the 1991 edition and it is. This is a major reference book about Brazilian music. Everybody should have a copy! |
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Masters of Brazilian Contemporary Song: MPB 1965-1985. Charles A. Perrone. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993. A scholarly (but don't be scared, it's eminently readable and fascinating!) approach to the lyrics of master songwriters Gil, Caetano, Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento and the João Bosco/Aldir Blanc team. The book is best read to the sounds of their music, so you can put the whole picture together. But who doesn't have their CDs anyway? |
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WHY IS THIS COUNTRY DANCING? A ONE-MAN SAMBA TO THE BEAT OF BRAZIL. John Krich. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1993. The author travels through Brazil in search of an answer to this question. Encounters with famous and anonymous songwriters, a tour of Afro-Brazilian religions, and more. |
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Samba. Alma Guillermoprieto. New York: Vintage Books, 1991. Journalist and dancer Guillermoprieto joined the famous samba school Mangueira for a year. A story about carnaval but also an examination of the history and culture of black Brazilians. |
Música Brasileira: A History of Popular Music and the People of Brazil. Claus Schreiner. New York: Marion Boyars Publishers Inc., 1993. Originally published in Germany in 1977, the book has been updated and translated into English. It's a wonderful compedium of Brazilian Popular Music, covering the folklore, choro and different types of samba, carnaval, instrumental groups, censorship, copyright, etc. You must add this one to your shelf like I'm doing.
Making Simple Musical Instruments. Bart Hopkin. Ashville, NC: Lark Books, 1995. If you want to make your own cuíca for carnaval, check this out. Bart shows how to build one from a coffee can! A friend gave this to me. The instructions are very clear, with plenty of illustrations, a list of materials and a playing guide! Try it and let me know how it works out!