Documentos do Arquivo Pessoal de Gilberto Gil

Blame it on the Bossa Nova efore assessing the merits of "Beleza B Tropical" ("Tropical Beauty"), a Bra- zilian pop-music anthology collected by David Byrne of the rock group Talking Heads, let us first cast aside a few snide thoughts. Yes, shelves in good record stores are brimming with Brazilian music, well known and obscure. And, yes, it seems pre- sumptuous for this hip American to act as Brazil's pop ambassador to us. But, yes, the newcomer needs a good introduction to this world, and "Beleza Tropical" is just that. The language of the vocals on this record may be foreign, but the basic musical vo- cabulary isn't. Thanks to the popularity of the bossa nova, the soft vocals and sinuous percussion have an easy familiarity. They are used, however, in a surprising variety of styles. The artists on "Beleza Tropical" were part of the tropicalismo movement, which sought out global culture in the '70s. On "Andar com Fe" ("Walk With Faith"). Gilberto Gil cooks up a Memphis soul stew with samba ingredients. Jorge Ben's "Pon- ta de Lança Africano" ("African Point Man") tops off syncopated '60s guitar rock with call-and-response vocals. On "O Leão- zinho" ("Little Lion"), Caetano Veloso sounds like a folk singer with a fluid sense of where the beat should go. Many of the songs on "Beleza Tropical" deal, very indirectly, with political repres- sion in Brazil. Their light textures mask a darker world. As enjoyable as this music is on the surface, it becomes richer and more complex with repeated listening. RON GIVENS JACK MITCHELL OUTLINE Brazil's pop-music ambassador to us: Byrne NEWSWEEK MARCH 20, 1989