De Musica Ligera – Ani Cordero

De Musica Ligera is our occasional feature on music from the Americas as well as a song from 1980s Argentine rock group Soda Stereo.

As the Brooklyn Vegan music blog recently described “Ani Cordero is a woman of many projects”.  Indeed, her work has included playing in the band Pistolera and participating as a touring member of famed Brazilian rock group Os Mutantes.  Her latest project is a solo album entitled Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love & Protest, which features songs “from the 1930s-1970s that highlight influential artists who provided the soundtrack for social change.”

Below is a music video from one of the songs on Recordar, a cover version of “Macorina” originally sung by the late Mexican singer Chabela Vargas:

Ani Cordero will be in concert on Thursday at Joe’s Pub in New York and on Sunday at Crossroads in Philadelphia.

Video Source– YouTube user Ani Cordero
 
Online Sources – Brooklyn Vegan; Official website for Ani Cordero

(Belated) Miercoles Musical: Os Mutantes keeps on movin’

One of South America’s best-known classic rock groups will soon release a new set of music:

Founding frontman Sergio Dias Baptista and his new incarnation of the near-mythical Os Mutantes have signed with ANTI- Records with plans to release Haih - their first record in 35 years - on September 8th.

2006 saw a reunion of sorts, with the band playing a handful of shows in London, New York, the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, San Francisco and supporting the Flaming Lips at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, but it is the release of Haih in September that will mark the band's first recorded material since 1974 and their very first album to receive a worldwide release. Conceived by Sergio Dias with collaborations with other Brazilian legends Tom Ze (lyrics) and Jorge Ben (who wrote the song "Minha Menina"), Haih is a vibrant and timely return from one of world music's most important bands.

Aside from the upcoming album, Os Mutantes will go on a North American tour this fall with stops in cities including Los Angeles, Montreal, and New York.

The group has gained some mainstream fame as a result of this 2008 McDonald’s ad, yet their live version of “Minha Menina” is pretty damn good:

Online Sources- Brooklyn Vegan, Os Mutantes Official Website, YouTube

Today's Video: Funk and gas

Q: What do you get when you combine one of Brazil's best-known psychedelic rock bands and a major oil giant?

A: This set of 1960s-era commercials for Shell gasoline by Os Mutantes:

Online Source - YouTube