Official Name: Federative Republic of Brazil
Capital City: Brasilia
Population: 190,010,647 (July 2007 est.)
Government: Federal Republic
National Language: Portuguese (official), Spanish in border areas
Location: Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Shares borders with: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730.4 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km
According to David McLoughlin of BM&A, the majority of the radio stations in Brazil operate on a payola basis, which means that a lot of independent recordings do not get exposure to the public. Independent productions, however, are booming. In the desire to have a CD available, many artists look to sponsorship from private or public companies. On most indie productions one will find 3 or 4 logos of these companies. Thousands use sites like Trama Virtual to promote their recordings. Very few actually generate revenue from their recordings. Those that do have CD-distribution have to be content with sales of one to five thousand copies.
Digital sales are negligible in the country up to now and the indie sector is unfortunately not very involved. The sale of truetones is still booming but as the music publishers charge an advance of US$200 per track, the indie sector is usually excluded.
The local press and, at times, TV is supportive of local independent production; there are also many blogs and specialized sites.
There is a healthy network of music festivals; together the organizers of these events have set up the ABRAFIN association to help co-promote festivals nationwide.
A few years back the ABMI was created to work on behalf of the independents. Despite some being jaded and cynical about their opportunities of living from their art, the majority are highly articulate about their production, whether it be in commercial or political terms. Most regions have set up associations through which they work at organizing the local sector.
Travel guides for world music fans.
Astrud Gilberto Baden Powell Badi Assad Banda de Boca Banda Mantiqueira Bebel Gilberto Belo Velloso Beto Bianchi Bossacucanova Bragad C Cabruera Cacau Brasil
Carlinhos Brown Carlos Bernardo Carol Saboya Cartola Cascabulho Celia Mara Celso Machado Chico Buarque Chico César Chico Pinheiro Cibelle Cidade Negra Claudia Vieira Clecia Queiroz Clube do Balan Cordel Do Fogo Encantado Cris Aflalo Cyro Baptista Cyz Daniel Santiago Daniela Mercury Danilo Moraes Danilo Moraes & Ricardo Tet Daude David Tavares Dende DJ Dolores DJ Grace Kelly Dori Caymmi Dudu Lima Egberto Gismonti Elba Ramalho Eliane Elias Elis Regina Elza Soares Familia Alcantara Coral Fernanda Cunha Fernanda Porto Fethxá Flavio Venturini Flora Purim Fortuna Fourth World, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim Franky The Genius (Franky O Genio) Fred Martins Fred Menendez Funk'n Lata Gabriel Grossi Gal Costa Gilberto Gil Guinga Hamilton de Holanda Hermeto Pascoal Ivan Lins Jaques Morelenbaum Joao Bosco Joao Gilberto Johann Heyss Jorge Ben Jor Jorge Cabeleira… Joyce Juju Duarte Jussara Silveira Karnak Kouto Beat Ludica Musica! Lenine Leticia Coura Lia de Itamaraca Lu Horta Luca Mundaca Luciana Souza Luciano Nakata Albuquerque Luiz de Aquino, Jr. Luiz Gonzaga Monica Salmaso Marcio Bahia Mambembrincantes Company Mandragora Marco Figueira Maria Bethania Maria Farinha Maria Rita Mariella Santiago Mariene de Castro Marisa Monte Mawaca Mestre Ambrósio Mestre Lourimbau Milton Nascimento Moacir Santos Moleque De Rua Mylene Pires Na Em Pingo D'agua Nacao Zumbi Nosso Trio O Rappa Olodum Orquestra Imperial Oscar Castro-Neves Oxum Panda Afox Paolo Bellinati Passarinhos do Cerrado Paula Juhasz Paula Morelenbaum Paulo Moura Paulo Muniz Pery Ribeiro Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum Rabo de Lagartixa Reginaldo Bessa Renata Rosa Renato Braz Revista do Samba Reynaldo Bessa Ricardo Herz Ricardo Tet Rita Maria Rita Ribeiro Rosa Passos Rubem Dantas Santos Neto Sebastião Tapajós Selma Reis Sergio Augusto Sarapo Sergio Mendes Seu Jorge Siba Silvana Magda Silverio Pessoa Tania Maria Toquinho Toquinho and Paulinho da Viola Totonho & Os Cabra Tri?ro Trio da Paz Velha Guarda da Mangueira Vera Figueiredo Vida Seca Vinicius Cantuaria Vinicius de Moraes Virginia Rodrigues Vitor Da Trindade Xande Cruz Yamandu Costa Ze Bruno Ze Cafofinho & suas correntes Zezo Ribeiro