This research guide was created as part of Columbia University's participation in Brazilian World Music Day, as a way to highlight some of the many resources available through the Columbia University Libraries. 

Brazilian music is home to a myriad of styles and influences, including many well-known genres such as Samba and Bossa Nova; yet, those only scratch the surface of Brazil's musical heritage. Furthermore, there is a growing wealth of scholarship covering a wide range of topics in Brazilian music, from anthropophagy to Zumbi of Palmares.

This guide, coupled with an exhibit on display at the Music & Arts Library, offers a way to get acquainted with the many forms of Brazilian music, as well the accompanying literature. The Subject Headings tab is useful for those interested in a particular genre. However, selected listings of CDs, DVDs, and books are also included. These lists highlight Columbia's holdings more generally, and offer a browsable entrance point for those new to the subject. 

I created this guide as part of an internship with Columbia's Latin American Studies librarian, Sean Knowlton. In the process I was able to expand my own knowledge of the subject, and to share that here. I hope you find it useful in your study and appreciation of Brazilian music.

John Kroondyk
Dual Degree Student, MLS & MA in Latin American Studies
Indiana University-Bloomington
jkroondy@umail.iu.edu

Recent print reference sources include:

"Enciclopédia Da Música Brasileira." Eds. Marcondes, Marcos Antônio, et al. São Paulo, SP : Art Editora, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library (Reference) ML101.B7 E53 2000g

Encyclopedia of contemporary Latin American and Caribbean cultures
New York: Routledge, 2000. 3 vols.
Butler Reference R980 En19
Latin American Studies Reading Room F1406 .E515 2000

História da música no Brasil / Vasco Mariz 
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil : Editora Nova Fronteira, c2000.
Music & Arts Library ML232 .M26 2000

Music in Latin America and the Caribbean : an encyclopedic history / Edited by Malena Kuss. Austin : University of Texas Press, c2004-
Music & Arts Library ML199 .M858 2004
Notes: Ask at Music circ desk for accompanying CDs.

Music of Latin America and the Caribbean / Mark Brill
Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall/Pearson, 2011.
Music & Arts Library ML199 .B75 2011

Knowing the correct Library of Congress Subject Heading can greatly improve your results. Here are some possible headings to help you improve, expand or narrow or search. To use them, do a "Subject" search in CLIO or WorldCat. To identify others, begin with a keyword search and look at the Subjects listed in the catalog records of your search results.

General Subject Headings

Music > Brazil. (1,155)
Folk music > Brazil. (124)
Popular music > Brazil. (740)
Songs, Portuguese > Brazil. (140)

Brazilian Genres

Bossa nova (Music) (78)

Candomblé music (2)

Capoeira (Dance) > Songs and music. (5)

Choros. (48) / Choro (Music) (2)

Computer music > Brazil. (3)

Dance music > Brazil. (66)

Forró. (3)

Frevos. (2)

Funk (Music) > Brazil. (5)

Indians of South America > Brazil >Music. (5)

Instrumental music > Brazil. (93)

Popular instrumental music > Brazil. (80)

Jazz > Brazil. (94)

Música sertaneja (11)

Rap (Music) > Brazil. (9)

Rock music > Brazil. (38)

Sambas. (200)

Tropicália (Music) (10)

Vocal music > Brazil. (14)

Sacred vocal music > Brazil. (8)

Browse these call number ranges in person or virtually to discover additional works on Brazilian music.

ML 410 – Composer biographies

ML3487.B7 – Brazilian Popular Music

ML3575.B7 – Brazilian Folk Music

Below is a selected discography from that offers exemplary recordings in various genres. For Columbia’s compete Brazilian music holdings, use the CLIO subject headings provided above.

AfroReggae. "Nenhum Motivo Explica a Guerra."
Brazil : Gege Produções Artisticas, 2005.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD14520

Azevedo, Teófilo de. "Brasil Com "S", 60 Anos."
Rio de Janeiro : Kuarup Discos, 2003.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD8583

Ben, Jorge. "Ben É Samba Bom."
São Paulo : Universal Music, 1964.
Offsite CD92663

Ben, Jorge. "África Brasil."
São Paulo : Universal Music, 1976.
Offsite CD92657

Ben, Jorge. "Jorge Ben."
São Paulo : Universal Music Brasil, 1969.
Offsite CD92668

Ben, Jorge. "A Tábua De Esmeralda."
São Paulo, Brazil : Universal Music, 1974.
Offsite CD92661

Brown, Carlinhos. "Alfagamabetízado." Eds. Badarou, Wally and Arto Lindsay. Missasauga, Ontario : Virgin Music Canada, 1996.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD12471

Buarque, Chico. "Chico."
Rio de Janeiro : Biscoito Fino, 2011.
Offsite CD92775

Buarque, Chico. "Chico Revisitado: de Chico Buarque De Hollanda N° 4 1970 a Chico Buarque 1984." Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Dubas Música, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10281

Bueno de Almeida, Israel and Izaías. "O Choro e Sua História: Izaías E Israel Entre Amigos." Eds. Almeida, Israel and Izaías de Almeida. Brasil : CPC UMES, 2005.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD14486

Campos, Abdias. "Literatura De Cordel: Cantada e Declamada."
Brazil : A. Campos, 2005.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10821

Carolina, Ana. "Ana & Jorge Ao Vivo." Ed. Seu, Jorge.
Brasil : Sony/BMG, 2006.
Offsite CD92639

Coro da Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo. "Canções Do Brasil."
Brasil : Palavra Cantada, 2001.
Offsite CD92651

da Cuíca, Osvaldinho. "História Do Samba Paulista."
Sáo Paulo : CPC UMES, 1999.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD4698

Duprat, Rogério. Gil, Gilberto. Veloso, Caetano. Costa, Gal. Leão, Nara. Mutantes. "Tropicália."
São Paulo : Philips, 1993.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD9724

Fresh, Tio. "Brazil Hip Hop Clube."
São Paulo : Humbatuque, 2011.
Offsite CD92755

Gil, Gilberto. "Gil & Jorge Ogum Xangô." Ed. Ben, Jorge.
São Paulo : Universal Music, 1975.
Offsite CD92660

Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho. "Capoeira Angola."
Washington, DC : Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2003.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD8297

Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho. "Capoeira Angola from Salvador, Brazil." Washington, DC : Smithsonian/Folkways, 1996.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD9170

Ilê Aiyê. "Canto Negro." Brazil : Gravado Eldorado, 2009.
Offsite CD92699

Inaicyra. "Ọkanawa: Cânticos Da Tradição Yorubá."
Brazil : Atração Fonográfica, 2002.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD9367

Jobim, Antonio Carlos. "Antonio Carlos Jobim em Minas ao Vivo: Piano e Voz." Rio de Janeiro : Jobim Biscoito Fino, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10895

Jobim, Antonio Carlos & Regina, Elis. "Elis & Tom." Brazil : Philips, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10179

Lee, Rita. "Rita Lee." São Paulo : Mercury, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD6272

Melo, Maciel. Cruz, Juraildes da. Antunes, Jackson. Monte, Heraldo do."Só Forró." Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Kuarup Discos, 2001.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10195

Miranda, Carmen. "Carmen Miranda, the Brazilian Bombshell: 25 Hits 1939-1947." London : ASV, 1998.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD9256

Monte, Marisa. "Infinito Particular." Brazil : EMI :, 2006.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD16079

Moreira, Cida, et al. "Cantorias E Cantadores."
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Kuarup Discos, 1997.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10187

Mutantes. "Mvtantes."
Rio de Janeiro : Sony BMG Music Entertainment Brasil, 2006.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD14471

MV Bill. "Falcão O Bagulho É Doido." Rio de Janeiro : Universal Music, 2006.
Offsite CD92623

Nascimento, Joatan. "Eu Choro Assim."
Brazil : Maianga Discos, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10812

Nascimento, Mílton. "Belmondo & Milton Nascimento."
Brazil : Biscoito Fino, 2009.
Offsite CD92720

Orquestra e Coro Vox Brasiliensis. "História Da Música Brasileira."
Brasil : Estúdio Eldorado.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD7735

Pinheiro, Paulo César. "Capoeira De Besouro."
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Quitanda, 2010.
Offsite CD92765

Pixinguinha. "Só Pixinguinha." Eds. Velha, Zé da and Silvério Pontes.
Rio de Janeiro : Biscoito Fino, 2006.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD14425

Pixinguinha. "Salve Pixinguinha!". Eds. Azevedo, Waldir, et al.
Manaus, Brazil : Warner Music Brasil, 2007.
Offsite CD92654 CD3

Pixinguinha. "Teu Nome, Pixinguinha."
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Biscoito Fino, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10183

Rastapé. "Cantado a História Do Forró: Ao Vivo."
São Paulo : EMI Music Brasil, 2005.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD16030

Regina, Elis. "A Arte De Elis Regina." Brazil : Universal Music, 1988.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10180

Rita, Maria. "Maria Rita." Manaus, Brasil : Warner Music Brasil, 2003.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD9758

Rita, Maria. "Samba Meu." Brazil : Warner Music Brasil, 2007.
Offsite CD92762

Santanna. "Forró Popular Brasileiro."
São Paulo : Atração Fonográfica, 2006.
Offsite CD92616

Setton, Eliezer. "Amores Do Meu Forró."
Brasil : Set-tons, 2005.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10897

Seu Jorge. "America Brasil O Disco."
Brazil : EMI, 2008.
Offsite CD92690

Sociedade Brasileira de Música Eletroacústica. "Coletânea De Música Eletroacústica Brasileira."
Brasília-DF, Brasil : Sociedade Brasileira de Música Eletroacústica, 2009.
Offsite CD92688

Souza Lopes, José Ananias. Gloeden, Edelton."Uma Festa Brasileira: Música Para Flauta E Violão." São Paulo : Paulus, 1998.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD4731

Szidon, Roberto. "100 Anos De Piano Brasileiro."
Manaus : Kuarup Discos, 1998.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD5871

Toquinho. "Toquinho E Mpb4 40 Anos De MúSica."
Brazil : Biscoito Fino, 2008.
Offsite CD92597

Various Artists. "Anos 1970: O Renascimento Do Choro."
Manaus, Brazil : Warner Music Brasil, 2007.
Offsite CD92654 CD5

Various Artists. "Chega De Saudade: História Da Bossa Nova."
France : Iris musique, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD8293

Various Artists. "Festival De Música Carnavalesca Do Recife 2011."
Rio de Janeiro : Biscoito Fino, 2011.
Offsite CD92753

Various Artists. "Recife Rock Mangue."
Brasil : Garanguejo Records, 1998.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD9526

Veloso, Caetano. "The Best of Caetano Veloso."
New York : Nonesuch Records, 2003.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD8233

Veloso, Caetano. "Sem Lenço Sem Documento / Without Handkerchief Without Document." Brazil : Polygram do Brasil, 1989.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD8132

Veloso, Caetano. "Tropicália 2." Ed. Gil, Gilberto.
New York, N.Y. : Elektra Nonesuch, 1994.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD4366

Villa-Lobos, Heitor. "Choros 1-7." Eds. Oramas, Carlos, et al.
London : ASV, 2003.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD8516

Villa-Lobos, Heitor. "Os Chôros De Câmara."
Rio de Janeiro, RJ : Kuarup Discos.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD6300

Viola Quebrada. "Sertaneja."
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Kuarup Discos, 2002.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD10185

Violeiros Matutos. "Terra Brasil."
Brazil : Violeiros Matutos, 2008.
Offsite CD92672

Zé, Tom. "Estudando a Bossa Nordeste Plaza."
Brazil : Biscoito Fino, 2008.
Offsite CD92718

Zeca Pagodinho. "Agua Da Minha Sede."
São Paulo : Universal Music, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library CD5863

A selection of films, concerts and documentaries that highlight Brazilian music and musicians. 

Buarque, Chico, et al. Chico E as Cidedes.
BMG Music, São Paulo, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD380

Camus, Marcel, et al. Orfeu Negro Black Orpheus.
Criterion Collection, Irvington, NY, 1999.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD333

Jobim, Antonio Carlos, et al. Musicalmente.
Televisione svizzera, São Paulo.
Butler Media Reserves DVD3918

Kaurismäki, Mika, et al. The Sound of Rio Brasileirinho.
Milan Entertainment, Burbank, CA, 2007.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD719

Lins, Ivan. Cantando Histórias.
EMI Music Brasil, Miami Beach, FL, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD386

Marre, Jeremy, et al. The Black Music of Brazil.
Shanachie Entertainment Corp., Newton, NJ, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD312

Monte, Marisa, et al. Mais.
EMI Music Brasil, Brasil, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD384

Nascimento, Mílton, et al. Milton Nascimento, Tambores De Minas.
Warner Music Brasil, Manaus, 2003.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD383

Paes, Cesar, et al. Saudade Do Futuro.
Laterit Productions, Paris, 2000.
Offsite MUSDVD90226

Seixas, Raul, et al. O Baú Do Raul.
Som Livre, Brasil, 2004.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD385

Toquinho, et al. Toquinho.
Biscoito Fina : Kau Laser, Brazil, 2000.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD381

Veloso, Caetano, et al. Caetano Veloso Em Prenda Minha.
Universal, Universal City, Calif., 1999.
Wiener Music & Arts Library MUSDVD304

Zimbalist, Jeff, et al. Favela Rising.
Genius Entertainment, Santa Monica, CA, 2007.
Butler Media (Circulating) DVD11882

A selection of monographs that explore the history and greater relevance of Brazilian music.

Andrade, Mário de. "Dicionário Musical Brasileiro." Eds. Alfarenga, Oneyda and Flávia Camargo Toni. Brasília : Ministério da Cultura, 1989. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML100 .A553 1989g

Basualdo, Carlos, ed. "Tropicália : A Revolution in Brazilian Culture (1967-1972)." São Paulo : Cosac Naify, 2005. Print.
Avery Fine Arts N6650 T74

Buenosaires, Oscar de. Bossa Nova and Samba : History, People, Scores, Books, Lyrics, Recordings. Albuquerque, NM : FOG Publications, 1999. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3575.B7 B84 1999g

Castro, Ruy. Bossa Nova : The Story of the Brazilian Music That Seduced the World. Chicago, IL: A Cappella, 2000. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 C3913 2000g

Crook, Larry. Focus : Music of Northeast Brazil. New York: Routledge, 2009. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 C76 2009

Davis, Darién J. "White Face, Black Mask : Africaneity and the Early Social History of Popular Music in Brazil." East Lansing : Michigan State University Press, 2009. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 D38 2009

Dent, Alexander Sebastian. "River of Tears Country Music, Memory, and Modernity in Brazil." Durham : Duke University Press, 2009.
[Online]

Dunn, Christopher. "Brutality Garden : Tropicália and the Emergence of a Brazilian Counterculture." Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, 2001. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 D86 2001

Galm, Eric A. "The Berimbau : Soul of Brazilian Music." Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, 2010. [Online]

Henry, Clarence Bernard. "Let's Make Some Noise : Axé and the African Roots of Brazilian Popular Music." Jackson : University Press of Mississippi, 2008. [Online]

Leu, Lorraine. "Brazilian Popular Music : Caetano Veloso and the Regeneration of Tradition." Aldershot, England : Ashgate, 2006. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 L48 2006

McCann, Bryan. "Hello, hello Brazil: popular music in the making of modern Brazil." Durham: Duke University Press, 2004. E-book. 

McGowan, Chris. "The Brazilian Sound : Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil." Ed. Pessanha, Ricardo. Rev. and expanded ed. ed. Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 2009. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 M4 2009

Nestrovski, Arthur Rosenblat, ed. "Música Popular Brasileira Hoje."
São Paulo : Publifolha, 2002. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3575.B7 M87 2002g

Pardue, Derek. "Ideologies of Marginality in Brazilian Hip Hop."
New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library GN564.B6 P37 2008

Peppercorn, L. M. "The World of Villa-Lobos in Pictures and Documents." Hants, England : Scolar Press, 1996. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML410.V76 P465 1996

Perrone, Charles A. "Masters of Contemporary Brazilian Song : Mpb, 1965-1985." Austin : University of Texas Press, 1989. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 P5 1989

Perrone, Charles A. and Christopher Dunn eds. "Brazilian Popular Music & Globalization." Gainesville : University Press of Florida, 2001. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 B76 2001

Peterson, Gilles and Stuart Baker eds. "Bossa Nova and the Rise of Brazilian Music in the 1960s : Original Cover Art."London : Soul Jazz Records, 2010. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library NC1882 .B67 2010g

Seeger, Anthony. Why Suyá Sing : A Musical Anthropology of an Amazonian People. Urbana, Ill. : University of Illinois Press, 2004.
Online 

Veloso, Caetano. "Tropical Truth : A Story of Music and Revolution in Brazil." New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. Print.
Wiener Music & Arts Library ML3487.B7 V4513 2002

Vianna, Hermano. "The Mystery of Samba : Popular Music and National Identity in Brazil." Ed. Chasteen, John Charles. Chapel Hill :: University of North Carolina Press, 1999. Print.
Butler Reserves ML3465 .V5313 1999

The ARChive of Contemporary Music (ARC) is launching Brazilian World Music Day (BWMD) in collaboration with Columbia University Libraries, and with the support of Founding Partners Gracenote and the Internet Archive.

ARC will lead an effort to celebrate Brazilian music on Brazil’s National Day, when they will launch a website to present, promote and explore the rich cultural heritage of Brazilian music of the past, present and future. BWMD will offer videos, histories, seminars, concerts, lectures, sound files, sheet music, album cover art galleries, essays, blogs, photos and links all highlightng the importance and beauty of Brazilian music as well as educate a global audience about it's many genres. ARC will also create an interactve map that will pinpoint and link genres and artists by region.

A major component of BWMD will be the database describing ARC’s Brazilian Music Collection and Brazilian recordings held by all archives and libraries around the world. Information on all Brazilian recordings in the world will be posted in a freely available online database for reference and research as part of the website.

Discos do Brasil

Complete discographies of many artists that emerged with Bossa Nova or after it - for example, João Gilberto, Tom Jobim, Elis Regina, Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Edu Lobo, Gilberto Gil, Baden Powell, Maria Bethania, Paulinho da Viola. Dorival Caymmi and Noel Rosa Cartola.

LANIC: Music (Brazil)

Organized directory of web resources on Brazilian music

Latin American Music Center (Indiana University School of Music)

The LAMC fosters the academic study, performance and research of Latin American art, popular and traditional music.
Links to Brazilian music resources

Zona Latina: Latin American Music 

Major portal to media in Latin America, links to radio stations and websites about music.

Researching Brazil (Indiana University)

Devised as a tool to support research in Brazilian Studies, Researching Brazil/Pesquisa no Brasil is both a bibliographic index and a gateway to online resources relevant to the field.