Bahian Music
Bahia is the largest of the 7 Northeast states of Brazil. The capital city of Salvador is the creative cauldron for Afro-Brazilian music
by Bill Hinchberger for fuzzlogic June '97
A short history to the present covering the relationship between the generations of music icons as well as the types of Bahian Carnival music: frevo, Axe, samba-reggae and pagode. Plus an appreciation of that "wide-hipped, bleach blonde back-up dancer named Carla Perez" Jan 2001: Brazilmax.com  Brazil based journalist Bill has launched Brazil-Max under the slogan "Intelligence on Brazil for people who know better." He says he hopes to update his article soon but wishes that something new would come out of Bahia first.

Axé
The word comes from a ritual greeting that means "good vibration" that is used in the Candomblé and Umbanda religions. Originally, anything recorded in Salvador was nicknamed axé. Starting in about 1992 and peaking in 1998, axé became one of the most popular genres in the Brazilian music scene. The root of axé is in guitarra baiana, a 1950s guitar style that used electric guitars to play the frevo from Pernambuco. This genre was purely instrumental, and remained so until the 1970s, when Moraes Moreira (of Novos Baianos) began singing.
more at wikipedia

Maxixe
Also known as Brazilian tango, it originated in Rio in the 1870s. It is influenced by lundu, polka and habanera, and is danced in 2/4 time. It is one of the dances that has influenced samba and lambada.
more at wikipedia

Lambada (Zouk-Lambada)
A sensual and romantic dance, which either originated in Brazil or Bolivia. Originally danced to Lambada music, it is now danced commonly to Zouk.The Zouk-Lambada style is popular in countries such as Brazil, the UK, Holland, Denmark, USA, Japan and Australia.
more at wikipedia

Lundu
The Lundu, originally a dance done by African slaves in Brazil, also gained popularity among the white middle class and upper crust and became Brazil's first national dance. A flirtatious couple dance, usually accompanied by a guitar, but sometimes a thumb piano or drums, Lundu is related to the Spanish fandango and other new-world dances like the Argentine Zambacueca and Bolero - they all involve, to some degree, handkerchiefs, castanets, and holding ones' arms above their heads.
more at wikipedia

Maracatu (Maracatu nação/Maracatu rural)
Maracatu nação (also known as maracatu de baque virado) refers to both an Afro-Brazilian performance genre and the groups that perform it. The origins lie in the investiture ceremonies of the Reis do Congo (Kings of Congo), who were slaves that occupied leadership roles within the slave community. After the abolition of slavery, nações continued to choose symbolic leaders and evoke coronation ceremonies for those leaders. Although a maracatu performance is secular, traditional nações are grouped around Candomblé or Jurema (Afro-Brazilian religions) terreiros (bases) and the principles of Candomblé infuse their activities. The musical ensemble consists of alfaia (a large wooden rope-tuned drum), gonguê (a metal cowbell), tarol (a shallow snare drum), caixa-de-guerra (another type of snare drum), abê (a gourd shaker enveloped in beads), and mineiro (a metal cylindrical shaker filled with metal shot or small dried seeds). Song form is call and response between a solo singer and (usually) a female chorus.

Today there are around 20 nações operating in the cities of Recife and Olinda. Although one or two have an unbroken line of activity going back to the 1800’s, most have been set up in recent decades. Each year they perform during the Carnival period in Recife and Olinda. Maracatu Nação Pernambuco, while not a traditional maracatu, was primarily responsible for introducing the genre to overseas audiences in the 1990s.

Maracatu rural is also known as maracatu de baque solto, maracatu de orquestra, and maracatu de trombone. It is rooted in the Pernambucan interior and evolved in the early 20th century as a fusion of pre-existing forms of Carnival revelry. It is considered to be Afro-indigenous in origin. Its members, typically sugarcane workers, are involved with the native-influenced Catimbó religion. Maracatu rural has a high participation rate with dozens of groups operating all over the state.
more at wikipedia

Brazilian Rock
The first Brazilian rock records were released in 1958, and it soon became the most popular form of music among Brazilian youth. The genre truly came into its own in the '80s with the Rock in Rio event, which drew over a million people during the 10-day event.
more at wikipedia

Jazz
Brazilian Jazz has been receiving increasing recognition as we begin 2001 with a look at 2000. Besides João Gilberto's João Voz e Violão Grammy Award, Downbeat Magazine gave rave reviews Milton Nascimento's Milton, and Virgínia Rodrigues' Nós. 

Afro-Brazilian Jazz  by James Clyde Sellman
"Afro-Latin jazz emerged during the 1940s, primarily from the confluence of American jazz and Afro-Cuban music. In the early 1960s, Brazil succeeded Cuba as the dominant influence in Latin jazz. .... Brazilian jazz is a musical hybrid that reflects borrowings from two directions: American jazz musicians appropriated Brazilian musical forms, and Brazilians adopted jazz improvisation and American popular music conventions, ultimately producing an eclectic musical genre. Brazilian jazz initially grew out of samba, a Brazilian dance music that gained worldwide popularity during the 1940s."

Jazznews.com & www.gmn.com
Classical Music, Jazz & Opera - see exclusive live events, buy CDs, listen to complete pieces of music, watch video interviews with artists and tune into GMN radio
Events Guides

  Dirty Linen The Gig Guide: by Artist || Listing by States/Provinces || Events/Festivals Listing.
The Gig Guide includes Canada, Mexico and a few Caribbean Islands Check out a sampling of what appears in their monthly alternative music magazine (Warning: their site will Break our Frames and the side bar navigation system so bookmark us by hitting the Ctrl D keys now Brazzil.com || Radio USA || Music Clubs in USA
Many articles on Brazilian music.
Pelourinho.com
Brazilian concerts, events and restaurants in Southern California.
Carnaval.com's SF Clubs & Venues ||SalsaSF.com
For Brazilian, Caribbean, Latin and World Music

Favorite All-time CD's
Chris McGowan of The MPB Zone has compiled 6 all-time lists from a distinguised group of experts. The all-time most popular CD (appearing on 5 out of 6 lists is Elis Regina and Tom Jobim, Elis & Tom (Verve 824 418, 1974) Carlinhos Brown also wins for most favorite recent CD with 3 votes for Alfagamabetízado. Chico Science & Nação Zumbi's Afrociberdélia (Sony, 1996) was the other recent standout.  Bruce Gilman, Music Editor for Brazzil magazine is willing to get closer to the present with two '97 picks: Paulo Bellinati and Monica Salmaso, Afro-Sambas (GSP, 1997) and Lenine, O Dia Que Faremos Contato (BMG, 1997)

Drums Not Guns - Drumming for World Peace is a NGO devoted to stopping violence among our youth through the power of percussion.

Sony represents many of Brazil's most important artists

Broad group of artists many w/ AU sound files which require no plug-in and can be replayed like a juke box following download
Pixinguinha, Dolores Duran, Cartola, Jackson do Pandeiro, Benito De Paula, Angela maria, Elisete Cardoso and others

Important company does nice job displaying their CD Art
Kuarup Records || Lumiar Records || Natasha Records
Labels: U.S.A./International

Putumayo.com
Music has always been the quintessential world traveler, transcending borders and interacting with distant cultures.  The new Putumayo Odyssey Series presents regional musical connections and reveals the way in which music supersedes political boundaries and brings people together. Their CD's will contain material from artists who have never had albums released in the U.S.A. alongside more recognizable names who serve as icons for the regions being covered.
Blue Jackel Records    
Producing Jazz and World Music from  Brazil & around the world since '95.

ECM Records || Fantasy Records || Living Music || Lyrichord Records || Rykodisc  ||Verve Records