NARA LEAO / Nara Leao Mixtape
Nara Leao’s story is an old story, oft repeated: the backbone attracts much less attention than does the breast, yet what keeps us upright? If you like bossa nova, you would do well to listen to Nara Leao, who was sometimes known as the muse of bossa nova.
But the difference is she was also socially conscious. During the mid-sixties she spoke out and sung out against the military coup that had overtaken formerly democratic Brazil. In both recordings and stage shows she made her opinions known. Nara even spoke out against the “alienating” effects and affects of bossa nova. When the “new beat” became internationally popular it was effectively bleached so that it’s black roots were invisible to general audiences who had no knowledge of the original beats, the roots of the music.
Nara eventually moved to France and did not return until the early seventies. After her repatriation and taking a few years off for college study and to devote to family time, she released award winning music that was widely celebrated throughout Brazil. Her life took a sad turn in 1979 when it was discovered that she had cancer (a brain tumor). Rather than retiring, she redoubled her efforts and recorded eleven albums in the decade before she died in 1989.
—Kalamu ya Salaam
Nara Leao Mixtape Playlist01 Meu Ego (with Erasmo Carlos)
02 Amazonas (with João Donato)
03 Sabe voce
04 Wave
05 Carcará
Show Opiniao
06 Opiniao Birimbau (Ritmo De Capoeira)
07 Deixa 08 Na Roda da Capoeira09 Mal Me Quer
11 Como Sera O Ano 2000
13 Desafinado
14 Wave
15 Corcovado
16 Aguas De Marco
17 Manha De Carnaval18 Chega De Saudade
19 Agua De Beber
20 O Que Sera
This entry was posted on Monday, January 2nd, 2012 at 12:52 am and is filed under Classic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
4 Responses to “NARA LEAO / Nara Leao Mixtape”
January 2nd, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Beautiful. Thanks so much. I love her voice and reading abut her in Ruy Castro’s book on Bossa Nova!
February 28th, 2012 at 7:55 am
Nara Leao non e solo la musa della bossa nova e una donna unica impegnata oltre che artisticamente anche politicamente durante la dittatura militare che duro per oltre vent’anni
lei e la musica della bossa nova e la musica del Brasile
una donna una artista una giornalista insomma Nara Leao.
October 13th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Nara was a cool cat in the realest way. She understood that she came from a life of privilege but also represented the ideas and causes that were important to her with a lot of sincerity. From what I know, she never seemed to pretend to be something she wasn’t. Such a charming, talented and humble woman. Thanks for this lovely post about her.
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