by Rachel Brodsky
There is no exact way to measure the massive success Brazillian boss nova and Tropicalia has seen around the world, except to discuss with those who knew it best. Tropicalia, (AKA Brazillian pop music), rose in the 60's along with names like Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa, while the movement's jazzy cousin Bossa Nova made a household name of João Gilberto and other players from the beaches of Ipanema. Even today, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vincius de Moraes' smash hit "The Girl from Ipanema" is one of Brazil's best known and most well-loved tunes, and has been covered by everyone from jazz musician Stan Getz to Ella Fitzgerald.
This Saturday, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts will screen Beyond Ipanema: Brazilian Waves in Global Music, a documentary by Guto Barra and Béco Dranoff, which deals with Brazil's influence on today's artists. The documentary features interviews with anti-folk hero Devendra Banhart, new-wave connoisseur David Byrne and Os Mutantes, who are easily most famous for re-interpreting classic Tropicalia while adding to it a biting political edge.
What: Beyond Ipanema: Brazilian Waves in Global Music
Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
When: Saturday, January 16 (7:30 & 9:30)
How Much: $8