First Post: Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Some people collect old guitars, golf putters, pogs (remember them?) or Pokemon cards. Over here, it’s versions of the old standard “Brazil”.

Appropriate for today, that great song “Brasil (Aquaerla do Brasil)”. One day left before Ash Wednesday! At any rate, here are a couple of remakes of the song you might not have considered. (The Xavier Cugat purists might blanch, but here goes anyway.)

The first is by a group called Rio Combo. It’s a thoroughly modern version, but true to the original intent, proper rhythm, syncopation, the honking and squeaking of the cuíca at the beginning, middle and end. You can samba to it all day long. If listening to it doesn’t put you in the carnival mood, nothing can.

The other is a Westernized version by the immortal Ray Conniff. We listen to this without any kind of irony. Even though the thing is sanitized for the enjoyment of the matrons dancing the Foxtrot at Arthur Murray ballrooms throughout the United States, it somehow manages to uphold the happiness and buoyancy of the original. Must be the Esquivel-style zum-zum optimism of the background singers, the cascading Ferrante & Teicher tinkling of the piano, the predictable cadence of the strumming guitar, like a 1960s beer jingle, the wide-open possibilities of the Eisenhower/Kennedy days, a lot cooler, much more restrained than what we are unwillingly exposed to today. Ah, well.

No free ones today, but here’s the hire-side…

Rundown
Fair Grounds 3, 4, 8
Turf Paradise 4, 6, 7
Sunland 6, 8, 12

Also coming up in a few minutes’ time is the showdown at the Camp Nou in Catalonia between F.C. Barçelona and Arsenal F.C. The Gunners hold a 2-1 lead in the tie, but the Blaugrana have a vital away goal from the first match. A 1-nil scoreline to the home side tonight will send the Spaniards through to the next round. Obviously, an Arsenal draw or win this evening will give them the massive upset; indeed, even a one-goal Arsenal loss will do the trick for the Londoners if they score more than one goal tonight. Everything to play for! If you don’t like soccer, this Barça-Arsenal matchup should be enough to convert you. These two teams are the samba boys of European football, quick give-and-gos, quick one-twos, one-touch and pass, always movement off the ball, intricate triangles of attacking football floating down the pitch. This Barça-Arsenal will be at the tempo of an ice-hockey match. It will be brilliant, like two dueling frontrunners throttling each other from the break of the gate to the top of the homestretch.

Thank you. Happy Mardi Gras!