Brazilian Websites

If you are looking for more information on Brazilian music, Marilynn highly recommends these sites:

A Agenda do Samba & Choro: A page, in Portuguese, that is chock full of information on groups, CD releases, and concerts in Brazil. There is also a link to “partituras,” Portuguese for sheetmusic, where you can download a motley collection of leadsheets and arrangements in Encore or pdf form.

Loronix – Music from Brazil: Zeca Louro promotes forgotten Brazilian music not commercially available. There are descriptions and links to out-of-print LPs of all sorts of Brazilian music– Choro, samba, bossa nova, early MPB. The site is in English, with numerous translations available.

Instituto Moreira Salles: Interesting biographies, w/ pictures and music, of early Choro composers (click “Musica”), a “Musica do Dia” button w/ a new tune to listen to every day, and an archive of historic recordings. The site is in Portuguese, but the recordings are worth your effort to find them.

Dictionario Cravo Albin da Musica Popular Brasileira: Yes, it’s in Portuguese, but that’s what Google Translate is for. This is an astonishingly comprehensive encyclopedia of Brazilian composers and performers of all styles of music. I have the book version, but now this resource is online, for free. Invaluable.

Instituto Jacob do Bandolim: Again, the site is in Portuguese, but there are recordings (click Ouça) and sheetmusic (click “Partituras”) to download in addition to the wealth of written info.

Bandolim.net: Fernando Duarte has an interesting site with music and information. It’s in Portuguese, but Fernando speaks English well, so email him if you have any questions.

BrazzilMag: “Since 1989 trying to understand Brazil” is their tagline. You’ll find articles on Brazilian news and culture (sometimes music) in English.

    • “Smudging the lines between folk and classical is an intrepid endeavor… Mair’s a superb mandolin player who has brought the instrument to unexpected places…” – Jim Macnie, The Providence Phoenix (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair has always had the keen ability to balance classical mandolin traditions and repertoire, while constantly breaking new musical ground…a superb and versatile mandolinist and composer.” – – Butch Baldassari, Mandolin Magazine (USA)

    • “Mair travels by mandolin to Brazil and brilliance… her commitment to the music shines through.” – Rick Massimo, The Providence Journal

    • “Stepping back to the 18th-century masterworks gave her the opportunity to highlight her technique with a fresh light… her playing is thoughtful, vibrant and a delight to listen to.” — Terence Pender, Mandolin Quarterly (USA)

    • “She’s a fabulous player with a wonderfully clear and lyrical sound.” – The Ottawa Citizen (Canada)

    • “Mair displays an exceptionally gifted approach to this music, using her formidable mandolin technique with grace and sensitivity… It’s the next best thing to a trip to Rio.” – David McCarty, Mandolin Magazine (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair performs Brazilian mandolin music… she plays the mandolin as an instrument for all occasions.” – Vaughn Watson, The Providence Journal (USA)

    • “Bring a talented ensemble of gifted musicians together playing some of the great concertos and chamber music pieces of the 1700s, present the extraordinary classical mandolinist Marilynn Mair front and center, and you have a rare combination of the right musicians performing the right music at the right time.” – David McCarty, Mandolin Magazine (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair é uma bandolinista americana de formação erudita” — Paulo Eduardo Neves, Agenda do Samba Choro (Brasil)

    • “Mair is unstoppable… capable of evoking any landscape, past or present, you’d care to conjure.” – Mike Caito, Providence Phoenix (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair on mandolin…touches the deepest and most engaging reaches of the ancient and passionate ‘Latin soul’.” – Carlos Agudelo, Billboard Magazine

    • “A lovely concert! We estimate your spell-bound and enthusiastic audience at close to 1800 people…” – Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors (USA)

    • “The final repeat of the melody transmitted a strong feeling of peace and tenderness that escaped no one in the audience. It is this sensitivity and subtleness that characterized the overall performance.” – Brian Hodel, Guitar Review (USA)

    • “A brilliant concert from beginning to end…The performance was extraordinary.” – La Rioja (Spain)

    • “A sparkling concert… absolutely brilliant!” – Guitar Magazine (England)

    • “Marilynn Mair acquits herself very well indeed, a most accomplished player, able to deal with the many intricacies the repertoire demands of her.” – Chris Kilvington, Classical Guitar (England)

    • “Marilynn Mair lives up to her reputation as an excellent mandolinist, with clear tone, a beautiful tremolo, and creative expressiveness.” – Zupfmusik Magazin (Germany)