And what about this for the soundtrack to the tournament? It’s not the first compilation to link Brazil’s first love (football) with its second (music) but it is the first by the German wunderkinds, Jazzanova. Fresh from their joint compilation, Kings Of Jazz with Gilles Peterson (whose got his own Brazilian compilation coming out soon), the DJ/Producer collective based in Berlin have picked a squad of twenty tracks for Peace and Football.

You might think I would have had my fill of Brazilian music of late, having reviewed: La Nueva Onda De Brasil, Samba Is Our Gift , Sexy 70 and The Sound Of Club Brasil but this compilation not only covers all those styles of Brazilian music, but even more to boot!

There are some tracks here as brilliant in their own way as Pele, Socrates, Tostao Ronaldinho Rivelino Jairzinho, Zico, Gerson, Romario etc such as the title track by Marcos Valle (with crowd handclapping), Edu Lobo’s ‘Vento Bravo’ and one of three non-Brazilian originals, the ambient ‘Goddess’ by Pathless. The other couple of tracks not from Brazil are just as equally ‘camourflaged’, Sirius B’s club bomb ‘Samba Selvagem’ (Freestyle/UK) and another cracker, ‘Mash Banana’ by Chris & Nina (Especial Records/Japan).

Apparently the rarest track is ‘Just Like A Rainbow’ by Amanita. As it’s sung in English, it’s slightly ‘off’ but so nueva onda at the same time; it’s all over the place, brilliant. In a similar mode, but this time featuring male vocals with vibes from Orlann Divo, is ‘Beleza Nao Vai Embulosa’.

There’s even one for any whistle-happy referees; ‘Samba Walk’.

If you’ve not heard these tracks before, you’re in for a real treat. Even if you have heard them, you’re still in for a treat. It’ll see your team all the way to the final. At least you can [try to] sing along with ‘Vem Menina’ win or lose. Don’t hesitate, get it.

Reviewed: V/A - Paz E Futebol A Selection Of 20 Winners with a Brazilian Vibe Compiled by Jazzanova (Sonar Kollektiv) Cat. No. SK089CD Release Date: May 2006.

Links:
www.sonarkollektiv.de
www.jazzanova.net