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BEYOND IPANEMA is a mash-up of thoughts and ideas about the repeating cycle of discovery of Brazilian music in the world. Through interviews with David Byrne, Devendra Banhart, M.I.A., Os Mutantes, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Tom Zé, Seu Jorge, Thievery Corporation, Bebel Gilberto, CSS, Creed Taylor and many others, BEYOND IPANEMA surveys the Brazilian music experience outside of Brazil. Artists, producers, DJs and critics analyze how the crosspollination of music styles, as well as sampling and globalization; have helped Brazil to secure a unique position in global culture.
During the film’s production, the crew witnessed the sale of the most expensive Brazilian record ever. An extremely rare 45″ copy of a 1966 recording by the band O’Seis, an early formation of the legendary group Os Mutantes, was tracked by the producers at the New York store Tropicália in Furs. Owner Joel Oliveira was able to obtain the record from a Brazilian collector, in exchange for 200 rare albums. The film then shows the sale of the two-song record for $5,000 to an American-based Os Mutantes fan.
The story of the 70’s psychedelic band from São Paulo is one of the highlights of BEYOND IPANEMA: when production started, they had been retired for almost 30 years and had received international attention and praise from names like Kurt Cobain, David Byrne and Devendra Banhart. The film’s crew witnessed their 2006 American tour, which culminated with a show for 30,000 people in Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival.
BEYOND IPANEMA features a wide range of Brazilian music, covering genres and movements such as Samba, Bossa Nova, Tropicália, Electrobossa, Favela Funk and other modern hybrids.
Carmen Miranda appears in the film singing “Brazil / Aquarela do Brasil” (Ary Barroso), in a scene from the movie “The Gang’s All Here” (1943). As one of the most famous Brazilian songs in history, the track is also included on the final credits in a recording by the Brazilian band Metrô. Miranda also sings “Rebola Bola” (written by Nestor Amaral, Aloysio de Oliveira and F. Brant Horta), in a scene from the movie “Weekend in Havana” (1941).
Four Bossa Nova classics appear in the soundtrack in modern/contemporary recordings. A new version of “The Girl From Ipanema” (originally written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel) was recorded by Apollo Nove, featuring vocals by Geanine Marques. The 90’s recording of “Águas de Março / Waters of March” (Antonio Carlos Jobim) by David Byrne and Marisa Monte for the Red Hot + Rio project appears alongside Bebel Gilberto’s modern take on “Summer Samba / So Nice” (Marcos and Paulo Valle with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel). Gilberto also sings “Momento” (Bebel Gilberto, Masa Shimizu and Mauro Refosco), from her album of the same name.
The Tropicália movement is represented by Gilberto Gil’s original recording of “Cérebro Eletrônico” (Gilberto Gil) and a modern recording of “London, London” (written by Caetano Veloso during his political exile in England in the early 70’s) by Cibelle and Devendra Banhart. Gil and Veloso are also represented by a another composition, “Bat Macumba”, which appears in a live recording by the legendary psychedelic band Os Mutantes. They are also featured in “El Justiciero” and “Technicolor” (both written by Arnaldo Baptista, Rita Lee and Sergio Dias). Tom Zé, Tropicália’s most experimental artist can be heard in “Ogodô, Ano 2000” (Tom Zé). A special highlight is Seu Jorge’s live performance of his portuguese version of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”.
An amazing team of young and forward-thinking new artists and producers of the latest generation round up the project’s soundtrack. From Rio de Janeiro: Brasov, DJ MAM, DJ Lucio K., Feeling Carioca and Brazilian Lounge. From São Paulo: Curumin, Apollo Nove, Mad Zoo, CSS, Deeper & Pacific, Roberto Coelho. As well as Coletivo Universal, from Belo Horizonte, and Bonde Do Rolê, from Curitiba. From New York’s rich musical melting pot comes Ursula 1000, Zuzuka Poderosa, Forró In The Dark and Wax Poetic featuring Otto. Representing the Brazilian sound in Europe we hear music by Suba, Zuco 103 and Lazybatusu.
