“Before the Portuguese discovered Brazil, Brazil had discovered happiness” Translation from a quote by Oswald de Andrade One of the only original Brazilian philosophies and probably the most radical of all was the Anthropophagic, given by the fruits of Tropicalismo (started in Brazilian music). The “Tropicalistas” brought forward in to everyone´s life the nationalism and the products of a cultural industry. Gil and Caetano were the creators of a new Carnaval communication, associated with the Oswald´s Anthropophagy. The word “happiness” (translation of Alegria) can not be found in dictionaries with a single definition: emotions of great delight, festive gaiety, intense and exultant joy, and so it carries on. Alegria, by Beatriz Azevedo, is the sum of all these meanings. But the title of this album, the third of this eclectic artist (singer, poet, composer…), is not only a reference to the noun but to the all its instantaneous definitions:

I Love this word that starts and ends with an “a” (Alegria). I see as poetic, strong and magical. This word can be considered the best thing we can offer the world. This word was also a choice to communicate like the “Alegria é a Prova dos 9”, from the Manifesto Antropofágico, and also a “Tropicalista” song called Alegria, Alegria – says Beatriz.

The “tradição da invenção” (in her own words) or the “tradition to invent” is celebrated in this album, in an evolution similar to those of Gregório de Matos all the way Chico Science, from those before “Tropicalismo” to those after, like Zé Miguel Winsk. Beatriz is able to filter all these references creating an artistically way only hers with all her inspiration an audible background. Her songs all become built on reaction.

There is no vanity as each song is heard and devoured. Her inspiration pops up in the most unexpected places. Devour (Devoração), from the Latin devoratione, as can be concluded, is the act of devouring. On the CD´s sleeve each of them appear “giving birth” to what builds “Tropicalistas”, Oswald and Beatriz, devourers of the same tribe.

And this “mix-up” also extends throughout its musical region. Being the first record produced by the singer herself, Alegria is, as said before in this text, essentially authorial. Recorded between Rio, São Paulo, and New York, with the musical direction of Cristovão Bastos, the work became full of remarkable richness in its new arrangements tied to the original concept. In this way, pandeiros, alfaias, and congas created harmonies with the guitars, flugelhorns, piano, bass and even a celesta, forming an extremely coherent blending of all this sound. On each stop, a special guest musician: in New York, Vinicius Cantuária participates in the title track, in a partnership with the singer; Jamie Leonhart lends his voice to the luminous Abraçar o Sol; together with Michael Leonhart (o the youngest American to be awarded Grammy, at age seventeen), Beatriz explored the sounds of vintage instruments from last century, like Hammond, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, celesta, besides playing the original theremin. In Rio, Jorge Helder, Carlos Bala and Cristóvão Bastos recorded all the bases of each song; while Bocato contributed with his trombone. In São Paulo, there was the meeting with the perfection that is Tom Zé in the humoros Pelo Buraco.

Completing the work, the CD also contains a Making Of directed by Sabrina Grave, revealing what happened behind the recordings in the studio Biscoito Fino, Rio de Janeiro; the partnership with Vinicius Cantuária in New York; and lastly, the meeting with Tom Zé in the Estúdios Mega, in São Paulo. The graphic design, fun and refined, is penned by the artist Gringo Cárdia.