Audio Archives
Introduction
Randy Morse produced and hosted the weekly radio program The Best of Brazil from 1999 through 2010. Many of the features from the program are archived here, organized by category and broadcast date. Here are brief descriptions of each category.
Featured/reviewed albums
Reviews of new releases usually begin with introductory remarks about the album and listing the names of the musicians. Randy often gives a biographical sketch of the artist and sometimes translates the Portuguese lyrics of one or more songs into English. Finally, he describes the CD booklet in detail. Sample tracks are interspersed throughout the presentation. This category includes reviews of Brazilian music DVDs as well as CDs.
Memorial tributes
After the death of a composer or musician who has played a significant role in Brazilian music, Randy pays tribute with a feature that includes a short biographical sketch of the artist plus one relevant piece of music.
Interviews
These are interviews with musicians who perform and/or write Brazilian music.
Special features
These include observances, in words and music, of special days in the Brazilian calendar such as Independence Day, the June festivals, Dia de Zumbi dos Palmares, National Choro Day, Carnaval, etc. Other examples include The Best of Brazil's annual “sneak previews” show, extended features on songs such as Dorival Caymmi's “O Vento” and Jorge Ben's “Mas que Nada,” and a celebration of the 100th anniversary of composer Ary Barroso's birth.
Beyond Brazil
Occasionally, Randy finds a new album of non-Brazilian music that he thinks should be brought to the attention of his listeners. In the “Beyond Brazil” feature, he briefly describes the album and plays one sample track.
Reviews of new releases usually begin with introductory remarks about the album and listing the names of the musicians. Randy often gives a biographical sketch of the artist and sometimes translates the Portuguese lyrics of one or more songs into English. Finally, he describes the CD booklet in detail. Sample tracks are interspersed throughout the presentation. This category includes reviews of Brazilian music DVDs as well as CDs.
Memorial tributes
After the death of a composer or musician who has played a significant role in Brazilian music, Randy pays tribute with a feature that includes a short biographical sketch of the artist plus one relevant piece of music.
Interviews
These are interviews with musicians who perform and/or write Brazilian music.
Special features
These include observances, in words and music, of special days in the Brazilian calendar such as Independence Day, the June festivals, Dia de Zumbi dos Palmares, National Choro Day, Carnaval, etc. Other examples include The Best of Brazil's annual “sneak previews” show, extended features on songs such as Dorival Caymmi's “O Vento” and Jorge Ben's “Mas que Nada,” and a celebration of the 100th anniversary of composer Ary Barroso's birth.
Beyond Brazil
Occasionally, Randy finds a new album of non-Brazilian music that he thinks should be brought to the attention of his listeners. In the “Beyond Brazil” feature, he briefly describes the album and plays one sample track.
The following links give information on key sources, favorite links, copyrights and contacts.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Clicking on the “Listen” links in the archives opens a small pop-up window with the audio player. If you wish to hear the features, be sure your browser's security preferences are set to allow JavaScript and pop-up windows. Click on a category to get started.