Brazilians may not be the world's greatest intellectuals but there are few who match them when it comes to rhythm and music. They learn to sway to a samba beat before they can stand on two legs and the music enters the blood at an early age.
The variety of styles of Brazilian music is enormous but few artists have received much international recognition. Bossanova and the Girl from Ipanema have managed to cross the sea but only the informed listener could name any Brazilian artists.
Still, with a population of 170 million, Brazilian singers and musicians can afford to make their living in Brazil itself. If they can thier name known through the corporate media monopoly of Globo then a decent fan base is there - although few Brazilians can afford the $10-20 the stores still try to charge for CDs. Fortunately, there are plenty of bootleggers who market discs from temporary stalls on the sidewalk, selling discs for a dollar each and ready to run for it should the police turn up.
Brazlilian music itself is a medley of the influences that make up the melting pot of Brazilian culture itself. There are African rhythms, jazz elements and an overall reinterpretation of modern pop music known as MPB (musica popular Brasieira). And if you're not into the recorded stuff, just head down to any samba or forro club of an evening and get the best of Brazilian music live.