Brazilian jazz can refer to both a genre, largely influenced by
bossa nova and
samba, that exists in many nations and the jazz music of Brazil itself.
Música instrumental Brasileira
The term "música instrumental Brasileira", which literally means "Brazilian instrumental music", is used in Brazil as a generalized term to refer to jazz as well as several instrumental forms of art music drawing on national styles such as
choro,
samba and
bossa nova. The term's ambiguity allows for the fact that Brazilian musicians themselves do not always have much in common with each other and might be willing to play in several genres. Terms for subgenres such as ''brazuca'', ''ecm'', and ''fusion'' are more specific to jazz.
Examples of musicians associated with this instrumental style include
Hermeto Pascoal
Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is a significant figure in the history of Brazilian music, mainly known for his abilities in orches ...
,
Egberto Gismonti
Egberto Amin Gismonti (born December 5, 1947) is a Brazilian composer, guitarist and pianist.
Biography
Gismonti was born in the small city of Carmo, Rio de Janeiro, Carmo, state of Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, into a musi ...
,
Moacir Santos
Moacir Santos (26 July 1926 – 6 August 2006) was a Brazilian composer, multi-instrumentalist and music educator. Musicians such as Baden Powell, Bola Sete and Wilson das Neves studied under him. As a composer, Santos worked with Nara Leão, Ro ...
, and
Zimbo Trio
The Zimbo Trio is a Brazilian instrumental ensemble, established in 1964 in São Paulo, and originally comprising Amilton Godoy (piano), Luís Chaves (bass) and Rubinho Barsotti (drums). The Trio was one of the most influential groups of Brazilia ...
.
Jazz or jazz-influenced music has at times been controversial for being seen as representing a foreign "contamination" of native forms like
choro. On the other hand bossa nova, a jazz influenced form of Brazilian music, was popular among the upper-class and sometimes faced criticism for being "bourgeois."
Bossa nova and jazz
Bossa's relationship to jazz, and popularity with American jazz musicians, led to Brazilian musicians, such as
Airto Moreira and
Flora Purim, spending time in the United States and connecting to its jazz scene. This, combined with earlier collaborations between America jazz musicians and bossa nova artists, also led to "Brazilian jazz" as a kind of genre American musicians, notably
Stan Getz and
Charlie Byrd played.
See also
*
Bossa nova
*
Samba-jazz
Samba-jazz or jazz samba is an instrumental subgenre of samba that emerged in the bossa nova ambit in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Brazil.
The style consolidated the approach of Brazilian samba with American jazz, especially bebop and hard b ...
References
{{Lusophonemusic
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...