This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Rdsmith4 (talk | contribs) at 02:45, 11 February 2005 (Reverted edits by 201.9.191.59 to last version by 67.101.35.166). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 02:45, 11 February 2005 by Rdsmith4 (talk | contribs) (Reverted edits by 201.9.191.59 to last version by 67.101.35.166)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Caetano Veloso (born 7 August, 1942) is one of the most popular and influential Brazilian composers and singers. He was born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, Bahia, the fifth of the seven children born to José Telles Veloso ("Seu Zezinho") and Claudionor Vianna Telles Veloso ("Dona Canô"). He chose the name for his baby sister (Veloso's parents's sixth child), named after a famous song of the time (18 June, 1946) by Nelson Gonçalves, Maria Bethânia. His sister preceded him to fame as a singer in the mid-1960s.
He began his career singing bossa nova and he has cited his greatest musical influences from his early period as João Gilberto and Dorival Caymmi. But with such musical collaborators Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Tom Zé, and Os Mutantes, and greatly influenced by the later work of the Beatles, developed tropicalismo, which made Brazilian pop more international, psychedelic, and socially aware. Veloso's politically active stance, unapologetically leftist, earned him the enmity of Brazil's military dictatorship which ruled until 1984; his songs were frequently censored, and some were banned. Veloso and Gilberto Gil spent several months in jail for "anti-government activity" in 1968 and eventually exiled themselves to London. Caetano Veloso's work after upon his return in 1972 was often characterized by frequent appropriations not only of international styles, but of half-forgotten Brazilian folkloric styles and rhythms as well. In particular, his celebration of the afro-Brazilian culture of Bahia can be seen as the precursor of such afro-centric groups as Timbalada.
In the 1980s, Veloso's popularity outside Brazil grew, especially in Israel, Portugal, France and Africa. By 2004, he was one of the most respected and prolific international pop stars, with more than fifty recordings available, including songs in soundtracks of movies such as Pedro Almodovar's "Hable com Ella" (Talk to Her) and "Frida". In 2002 Veloso published an account of his early years and the Tropicalia movement, "Tropical Truth: A Story of Music and Revolution in Brazil".
His first all-English CD was A Foreign Sound (2004), which covers Nirvana's "Come as You Are" and compositions from the great American songbook. Five of the six songs on his third eponymous album, released in 1971, were also in English.