Gilberto Gil

July 31, 2008 1:56 AM

Brazil's Gilberto Gil, now 66 years of age, is stepping down from his position as Minister of Culture to concentrate, once again, on his music career. That's good news for his fans, and here's some more good news: a huge chunk of his recorded work is available as streaming audio for your listening pleasure.

Here's a vintage clip of Gilberto with mondo-Brazil-rock trailblazers Os Mutantes. More Os Mutantes.

posted by flapjax at midnite (19 comments total)

Gilbert Gil, previously.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:58 AM on July 31, 2008

Oh. My.

Will be spending some time at the streaming site.

Muito Obrigado!
posted by telstar at 3:04 AM on July 31, 2008

What a fantastic idea - having a minister for culture who has actually done culture.

(as opposed to the norm, which is usually being a career politician with perhaps a stint as a lawyer or at a large management consultancy thrown in for variety).
posted by rhymer at 3:25 AM on July 31, 2008

Thanks for this! I was just rolling up some pages to do a Jorge Ben Jor FPP, too!
posted by not_on_display at 5:09 AM on July 31, 2008

having a minister for culture who has actually done culture.

Not just a fantastic artist, Gil was also a political activist who spent some time in jail in the 1960s as a guest of the Brazilian military junta.

Odd, however, that he's only streaming his music.... as big supporter of Lawrence Lessig's Creative Commons I would have expected something different. I'm enjoy it nonetheless however.

Another fine post flapjax. Obrigado!
posted by three blind mice at 5:44 AM on July 31, 2008

I saw Gil a few months back at Ravinia. He was indefatigable, on top of his game. Must be that macrobiotic diet.

I friend of mine worked for Partido dos Trabalhadores, Lula's party. He said having Gil around was like having Bob Marley on the cabinet. Once in a while he'd end a press conference by pulling out his guitar.

Thinking about how that would go down in the US makes me kind of glad we don't have a minister of culture.
posted by hydrophonic at 5:57 AM on July 31, 2008

Let me drink free beer!
posted by hydrophonic at 6:01 AM on July 31, 2008

It's not just free beer, it's good beer.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 6:12 AM on July 31, 2008

If you want a couple places to START from, you should check out:
Aquele abraço
Eu só quero um xódo
posted by whatzit at 6:20 AM on July 31, 2008

Why is it today, of all days, that my headphones decide to crap out? WHY?
posted by Kabanos at 6:26 AM on July 31, 2008

wow. this just about makes up for the last 8 years or so of human history all by itself. thanks flapjax!
posted by saulgoodman at 6:44 AM on July 31, 2008

good news: a huge chunk of his recorded work is available as streaming audio for your listening pleasure.

Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle! There must be 500 tunes there. Lyrics, too.
Nice looking site. I love the the animated geodesic progress indicators.

Great find, Flapjax, thanks.
posted by Herodios at 7:07 AM on July 31, 2008

*
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:36 AM on July 31, 2008

wow. this just about makes up for the last 8 200,000 years or so of human history all by itself. thanks flapjax!

fixo isso para você.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:40 AM on July 31, 2008

Wow. Thank you!
posted by rebel_rebel at 8:23 AM on July 31, 2008

Here's my playlist:

Procissão
Roda
Geléia geral
Batmakumba
Marginália 2
Pega a voga, cabeludo
Cérebro eletrônico
Can't find my way home
Chiclete com banana
Expresso 2222
O sonho acabou
Abra o olho
Jurubeba
Refazenda
Baião atemporal
posted by hydrophonic at 8:24 AM on July 31, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

An interesting book about the Tropicalia movement in Brazil (in which Gil was an important figure) is Brutality Garden: Tropicalia and the Emergence of a Brazilian Counterculture.

And now to settle down to listening to the music!
posted by winna at 9:30 AM on July 31, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

This is awesome, thanks!
posted by c*r at 12:21 PM on July 31, 2008

This is great, I've never heard this guys stuff before. Thanks a bunch.
posted by nola at 3:35 PM on July 31, 2008