Young Brazilian Music

By CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY

When it comes to music, Brazil is more than a country, it's a whole world of sounds. The recent megaconcert Rock in Rio III mapped out some of the territory, including the work of several young Brazilian artists who, inspired by old traditions, are exploring new sounds of their own.

Max De Castro's new album Samba Raro ranks as one of the finest solo debuts in South or North America in recent memory. De Castro, 28, makes beat-blending music. Drawing from bossa nova, soul, drum 'n' bass and other styles, he sways softly like Tom Jobim and breaks off street beats that would do Dr. Dre proud.

Daniela Mercury, 35, is already a superstar in Brazil as a champion of axe music (pronounced ah-shay). Her CD Sol da Liberdade throbs like blood in the arteries with the rhythms of her native Bahia, a region of Brazil with a heavy African influence.

Two vocalists to watch are Marisa Monte, 33 (Memories, Chronicles and Declarations of Love) and Patricia Coelho, 28 (Simples Desejo). Monte, who is considered one of the most accomplished young song stylists in Brazil, imbues samba with modern cool; Coelho's rock- and pop-infused samba has the glossy allure of just licked lips.

All these CDs are in Portuguese; Monte and Mercury are in most record stores. To find Coelho and De Castro, you will have to go to online resources like Amazon.com But it's worth crossing the Amazon River to hear music this good.

--By Christopher John Farley