We are pleased to share a review of the new, third edition of "The Brazilian Sound," just published on Amazon by Dr. Reeves Medaglia-Miller, a professor of Popular Culture studies at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada: Amazon.com review of the Brazilian Sound.

The Brazilian Sound is now on Twitter:

We invite you to come join our Brazilian music group at Facebook (vem nos visitar no facebook):

The Brazilian Sound at Facebook

The Brazilian Sound blog at blogspot:

At the "Brazilian Sound" page at blogspot, I have added a section called "The Listening Room." which features links to the myspace pages of select Brazilian musicians, so you can sample their songs. Come visit now and hear the music of spotlighted Brazilian artists such as Luisa Mayta, Daniela Procopio, Mariana Aydar, Roberta Sá, Thalma de Freitas, Luciana Alves, Mario Adnet, Yamandú Costa, Hamilton de Holanda, Mart'nália, Marcos Sacramento, Nilze Caravalho, Siba, Adryana BB, MV Bill, Marcelo D2 and Vanguart. 

Those who are familiar with Brazilian music, including the rich history of samba, will enjoy this comment left on our page by Canadian musician RE-VO*, who is one of the wittiest personalities on MySpace. Here he transforms the lyrics of the old samba "Gosto Que Me Enrosco" by Sinhô and Heitor dos Prazeres:

"Bom dia, The Brazilian Sound!

Cheers, Chris and Ricardo. I hope that you are well.

'One shouldn't email a comment about someone
unless one has been emailed.
It would be better if he was texted.
May God keep me away from today's
social networking aficionados:
they despise a man just because
he is a Luddite.'
(Sinhô, dos Prazeres, & Revomento)

Here's wishing you a weekend of great social interaction, late-night carousing, and, of course, samba.

Peace, love, and batucada,
RE-VO"

*RE-VO can be found in our friends' section. He has also playfully altered lyrics by Dorival Caymmi and others in our comments section.

The Brazilian Sound was mentioned, and co-author Ricardo Pessanha quoted, in a New York Times article today about the Brazilian musician Otto, a singer, composer and percussionist from Pernambuco. The Larry Rohter piece, Brazilian, but With a Different Beat (August 20, 2009), is an excellent profile of Otto Ferreira, who started out with Recife's "mangue bit" movement and went on to release the acclaimed solo albums Samba Pra Burro and Condom Black, which mix regional rhythms such as maracatu and frevo with drum'n'bass, electronica and other contemporary touches. His latest album, Certa Manhã Acordei de Sonhos Intranquilos, will be released by NuBlu in the U.S. on Sept. 1 and soon after that in Brazil.

Recent reviews of the new, revised edition of The Brazilian Sound:

Bill Walker - Library Journal
"Originally published in 1991 and revised in 1998, this book has been revised and expanded again to be bigger and better than the previous highly praised incarnations. Ten years on, the music is still evolving, with many new artists and hybridizations, and McGowan and Pessanha are certainly keeping up with the changes. Their book features new coverage of funk, rap, and hip-hop and profiles new samba artists as well as artists on the rise in electronic dance music and other genres. Now that the Internet has made it easier to find and explore once-exotic musical genres, people looking for information about all the kinds of music in Brazil will love this book. Lavishly illustrated with 175 black-and-white photos, 12 maps, and 12 figures, it covers the remarkable breadth of Brazilian music in a highly readable, lively manner. Highly recommended for all public libraries and world music collections, even those owning an earlier edition."

Fernando Gonzalez - Jazziz:
"The good just got better."

Kazadi wa Mukuna, CHOICE (American Library Assn.):
"An excellent resource on some of the most popular music in Brazil, this book made its first appearance in 1991. This revised edition treats the subject in ten chapters, each devoted to an aspect of this music, including Musica Popular Brasileira, i.e., works of a group of composers and musicians who gained fame in the 1960s-70s. McGowan and Pessanha stress the cultural value of such major genres as the samba, bossa nova, and choro and discuss some of Brazil's most representative cultural manifestations. The authors divide the discussion geographically, pointing out the genres popular in the area; they include a map of Brazil to provide proper geographic perspective. Clearly written and offering information valuable for understanding Brazilian music in general, the book also looks at similarities and differences between instrumental music in Brazil and the US. The authors conclude with detailed endnotes and a glossary, in addition to the standard apparatus. Anyone interested in the evolution of Brazilian popular music and some of its most prolific artists of the past centuries will appreciate this title. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers."
(Kazadi wa Mukuna is co-director of the Center for the Study of World Musics, Kent State University).



The Brazilian Sound is available worldwide through Amazon.com. Order links:

The Brazilian Sound (Ordering Links & Further Reviews)

The revised, 3rd edition of The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova and the Popular Music of Brazil, by Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha, is now available. Updated and redesigned, it remains the leading guide to Brazilian music in the English language.

Book description:

Here is an illustrated guide to the rich music of Brazil—its history, styles, performers, instruments, and impact on musicians around the globe. From the boisterous rhythms of samba to the cool elegance of bossa nova to the hot percussion of Bahian axé music, The Brazilian Sound celebrates a world music phenomenon. This revised and expanded edition includes discussions of developments in samba and other key genres, the rise of female singer-songwriters in recent years, new works by established artists like Milton Nascimento and Marisa Monte, and the mixing of bossa with electronica. This clearly written and lavishly illustrated encyclopedic survey features new entries and photographs, an extensive glossary of Brazilian music terms and more. This edition of The Brazilian Sound contains new discussions of:

-música sertaneja and música caipira
-Brazilian funk, rap/hip-hop, and electronic dance music
-important new samba and MPB artists
-Plus! An updated bibliography and glossary, and a list of Web resources

From the Back Cover:

“Essential reading for anyone interested in Brazilian music.”—Dave Hucker, Straight No Chaser (U.K.)

“It continues to be the most informative -- and eminently readable -- book about Brazilian popular music."—Don Heckman, The Los Angeles Times

“The coverage is complete.... Above all, this welcome survey is responsible and reliable.”—Charles Perrone, Luso-Brazilian Review

“Well researched...its breadth of coverage is impressive.”—Randal Johnson, Hispanic American Historical Review

Where to find it:

The Brazilian Sound can be ordered from the publisher (Temple University Press) or through Amazon worldwide:

The Brazilian Sound: Press Reviews & Ordering Information

The Brazilian Sound (at Amazon USA)

The Brazilian Sound (at Amazon U.K.)

The Brazilian Sound (at Amazon Canada)

The Brazilian Sound (at Amazon Germany)

The Brazilian Sound (at Amazon France)

The Brazilian Sound (at Amazon Japan)

In Rio de Janeiro:

The Brazilian Sound can usually be found at these two bookstores in Rio: Toca do Vinicius in Ipanema (R. Vinicius de Moraes 129; 2247-5227) and Bossa Nova & Companhia in Copacabana (R. Duvivier 37A; 2295-8096).