Documentos do Arquivo Pessoal de Gilberto Gil

(1985) MAY 26-JUNE 1 The New Work Times CRITICS' CHOICES Music Compared to Gilberto Gil and a handful his colleagues in Brazil, pop in the Eng speaking world can seem downright isola- tionist. Since the late 1960's, when he began merging the devilishly smooth rhythms and harmonies of Brazilian pop with the punch of rock, Mr. Gil has kept his ears open; re- gae, African music and the latest North American pop all echo in his songs, yet his music retains a distinctly Brazilian playful- ness. Mr. Gil and his band will be perform ing Wednesday at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Gil hails from Bahia, a Brazilian coastal state with folk music that is strongly influenced by Africa and is known for a dis- tinctive chugging rhythm. After playing bossa novas and traditional Brazilian songs for most of the 60's, he joined Caetano Veloso and other leading Brazilian musi- cians in a movement called "tropicalia," an effort to update Bahian and other Brazilian music with the progressive rock cinerging from America and Britain; the Bahian beat was especially compatible. Their songs also took on some of the politi- cal defiance of the late 60's - and as a re- sult, in 1969 Mr. Gil was arrested, jailed and then forced into exile. He lived in London, soaking up the music of Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones and King Crimson, until the Brazilian government relented and allowed • him to return. Since then, he has become one of Brazil's most popular performers - a singer who can be smooth or gritty or sly, a composer of tunes with sinuous harmonies and interna tionalist rhythins. Last year at Sounds of Brazil, he led a band that put an improvisal- tional spin on the songs without sacrificing any of their considerable catchiness. The Carnegie Hall concert is at 8 P.M.; tickets are $13.50 to $16.50. Jon Pareles