Brazil Classics, Vol. 7: What's Happening in Pernambuco
Those with only a passing knowledge of Brazilian music probably assume that many of the countryâ€™s great artists comes from such major cities as Rio or Sao Paulo, but this is not always the case. Located in the country's northeastern corner, Pernambuco and its capitol of Recife have spawned such great cutting-edge musicians as Chico Science and NaÃ§Ã£o Zumbi as well as a long but little-known list of followers â€" of the 13 artists featured here, all but Zumbi have little to no reputation here in the States. This makes for a great crash course in the music of the area. Infused with such modern sounds as mellow funk, jittery electronic music, hip-hop scratching, rock and experimental production, Pernambuco music still has that warm earthy feel we've come to expect from Brazilians thanks to such rural traditional rhythms as cirada, coco, embolada and maracatu. As part of Luaka Bop's incredible Brazil Classics series, this hip collection easily measures up to the lofty watermark left by past must-haves. â€"-Tad Hendrickson