大象传媒

Drawing on traditional music, pop culture, kitsch, rock and modernist poetry to mention just a few of their sources of inspiration, the short-lived Tropic谩lia movement in late 1960s Brazil was provocative and anti-authoritarian. Perhaps most importantly it represented a uniquely Brazilian aesthetic that could only have emerged from that country鈥檚 specific culture and history.

The movement鈥檚 leading lights were eventually arrested by the military regime that governed Brazil at the time, and exiled to London. But Tropic谩lia paved the way for other performers to demand artistic freedom.

With the help of musical examples, Rajan Datar and guests will explore what made Tropic谩lia so disruptive.

Joining Rajan will be singer M么nica Vas莽oncelos and guitarist Gui Tavares, social scientist Professor Liv Sovik from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, who鈥檚 published widely on Tropic谩lia, including a collection of essays entitled Tropic谩lia Rex: Popular music and Brazilian culture; and David Treece, Emeritus professor of Portuguese at King鈥檚 College, London, who鈥檚 written extensively on Brazilian popular music, including the book Brazilian Jive: From Samba to Bossa and Rap.

Produced by Fiona Clampin for the 大象传媒 World Service

(Image: Gilberto Gil in The Unique Concert at The Reunion in France. Credit: IMAZ PRESS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)