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Caetano Veloso (Brazil)
Song : Soy Loco Por Ti, America
Album: The Definitive Selection (Wrasse, UK)
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Elsewhere in Â鶹ԼÅÄi : CD review
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2003 appears to be Caetano Veloso's year: he has been profiled on ITV's The South Bank Show, published his autobiography, been showered in praise for the soundtrack he contributed to Pedro Almovedar’s film Talk To Her and is now nominated for a Radio 3 Award for World Music.
Veloso is one of Brazil's most respected musicians. Together with Gilberto Gil he pioneered the Tropicalismo movement in the 1960s – this saw them meshing Brazilian bossa nova and samba with rock, pop, jazz and folk influences so creating a truly original fusion. The generals then ruling Brazil considered the musicians subversive and both Veloso and Gil were arrested and jailed.
"Jail changed me a lot," says Veloso. "I went crazy because I couldn't stand it, or understand it. I knew we were touching serious issues in Brazilian life, but I didn't expect that strong response.â€
After two months the pair were put on a plane and sent into exile in England. They arrived in London on July 5, 1969, the day the Rolling Stones played Hyde Park.
"Our intention – and pretension – was to live up to our hero, Joao Gilberto," notes Veloso of those radical Tropicalismo days. "But Tropicalia was the opposite of what Joao Gilberto did with bossa nova, which was a refinement of the good way of making popular music in Brazil. We wanted to open ourselves to imperfection, to let traces of reality show. And we attempted to have a courageous attitude towards our political and historical situation."
After two and a half years exile Gil and Veloso were allowed back into Brazil.
"The hero worship lasted for maybe two weeks," recalls Veloso. "I disappointed everyone by being completely apolitical, quoting Carmen Miranda and playing songs by Joao Gilberto."
Gil continues to make music and is now Minister Of Culture in Lula's new centre left government. Veloso focuses his energies on creating music while also gaining acclaim as a poet, painter and director of music videos.
Garth Cartwright, October 2003
 Read other peoples comments
well... i think it is good, but it is not very hip hoppy. You need to describe what the song is about a bit more!
love from kate x :)
kate
I interviewed and met with Caetano Veloso over a year ago,not only is he a stellar entertainer but a very gracious and humble man with a great sense of humour.
Deirdre
Having dabbled in Brazilian music for a few years, it wasn't until I visited Brazil last year that I picked up a remastered music DVD anthology by Caetano. The music and lyrics (English translation included in my purchase) blew me away. I've now spent a small fortune buying up his back catalogue. His recently released UK "Definitive" compilation is a well put together collection but bizarreley doesn't include his recent Brazilian Top 20 hit from Summer 2003 "Você Não Me Ensinou a te Esquecer" which was all over Brazilian radio and apparently one of his biggest hits in recent years. The collection is a good starting point but some of his albums reflect a place and time so well that you should really hear them in their own right and "in context" rather than as part of a collection. In my opinion, his CDs circa 1967-1969 and 1979-1982 are truly astounding works. Seek out this great artist's past musical output and see why he is truly one of the most innovative Brazilian artists ever.
Nathan
The songs of Caetano looks like a poetry of contained joy, its noise illuminates us.
Marcio Sá
If Caetano Veloso would sing in English if would be next to Bob Dylan John Lennon and Boy Marley. He is amazing....
Teri
He is a genius, pure and simple.
Rafaella
caetano is wonderful
daniel
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