Rio de Janeiro has a rich cultural history, but is probably best known for its contribution to the world of dance and music.
Samba
Samba was first performed at the Rio Carnival in 1917 and is the most popular of all Brazilian rhythms. Derived from African rhythms, it caught on quickly among the masses and soon became their national symbol as the arrival of radio and records promoted samba around the world.
It was during samba's golden age in the 1930s that Brazil's most famous singer, Carmen Miranda, made her name appearing in Hollywood musicals. Her glamorous costumes and fruity headgear symbolised Brazil and the samba scene and are still imitated today at every carnival.
Bossa Nova
A much newer form of popular music took root in Brazil during the 1950s. Bossa Nova, as it was called, was more than a musical style or movement. It captured the imagination of the middle-classes and became an international hit.
This new style of playing instruments and singing was more operatic and florid, representing a quieter, more relaxed sound than samba. Its devotees describe it as having a basic samba rhythm, but incorporating a more intimate, harmonic style.
International singers such as Frank Sinatra recorded Bossa Nova hits, but the greatest of all was Brazil's own Elis Regina, known to her public as furacão (the hurricane). She sang Bossa Nova with intense emotion. When she died in 1982 by accidental overdose, she was at the peak of her career. Her fans across Brazil went into national mourning. And no mention could be made of Bossa Nova without Tom Jobim - the king of Bossa Nova. Jobim's smooth and innovative sound can be heard at jazz concerts and in bars, restaurants, supermarkets and elevators all over the world.
Contact the concierge to arrange to spend an evening enjoying the spectacle of Samba dancers or Bossa Nova musicians.
