Brazilian with Fabiana
The many interconnected styles of Brazilian popular music emerged from different regions of the country, building on musical traditions brought to Brazil by enslaved Africans with European elements introduced by the Portuguese in colonial times. The two songs in this unit focus on the samba, the most iconic of Brazilian musical styles, which is closely associated with Brazil’s Carnival parades.
Originally from Rio Claro, near São Paulo in eastern Brazil, Fabiana started out as a flutist and pianist, learning first from her mother who played the organ. Fabiana studied voice at the prestigious University of Campinas in Brazil, then came to the US in 2001 to study at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, California. Two years later, she moved to New York and has been performing ever since with a range of artists in many Brazilian styles, including samba, bossa nova, forró, and axé, as well as jazz and rock.
Other Program Four Resources:
Lessons
Resources for Teachers
The following resources provide background information about the musical tradition and culture. Some are intended to be shared with students; others are for teachers who may want to explore further on their own.
Listening
Samba- Djavan, “Maçã”
- Ivan Lins, “Abre Alas”
- Vinicius de Moraes, “Arca de Noé” (samba canção)
- Gilberto Gil, “Corcovado”
- Gilberto Gil, “O Canto da Ema”
- Dominguinhos, “Eu Só Quero um Xodó”
- Morena Tropicana, “Alceu Valença”
- Daniela Mercury, “Você Abusou”
- Ilê Aiyê, “O Mais Belo dos Belos”
Readings
- Bossa Nova Songbook, Almir Chedia
- Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music that Seduced the World, Ruy Castro
Literacy Extension
- Dancing Turtle: A Folktale from Brazil, Pleasant DeSpain
Image Credits
“Carnival” by CP DC Press.
“Allegorical float of the samba school Inocentes de Belford Rocho” by imageBROKER.