Brazilian musician Paulinho Garcia combines the pleasure of listening to great music with the teaching of language and accessible poetry. His album Aquarela – Traditional Songs for Children in Brazilian Portuguese features Brazilian music-flavored songs for children including clear pronunciation, with the intention of teaching Brazilian Portuguese. It’s a fabulous way to introduce children to music from other parts of the world and language as well.
“I reflected on my youth and thought about what I liked,” says Paunlinho Garcia about the project. “I went beyond children’s songs and picked out songs I thought children would like, that I would have liked. Most people in Brazil have some similar experiences and there are some common songs that reflect them, some dating back a century.”
The albums features male and female vocals with delightful interactions between Paunlinho and Silvia Manrique. Paunlinho chose topics that children like to hear about; animals that attract them, like frogs and the fishes; tenderness and love from parents, teachers, and friends. “That’s what the songs are all about,” says Paunlinho. “They are learning, when you talk about love, and that’s the best unselfish love to learn about. That’s the love we dream about.”
The lineup on Aquarela includes Paulinho Garcia on vocals, bass and guitar; Heitor Garcia on percussion; Silvia Manrique on vocals; Cidinho Teixeira on accordion.
Aquarela is a charming and memorable album featuring timeless songs in Portuguese that are rooted in Brazilian tradition.
The wonderful CD booklet contains the lyrics in Portuguese and English-language translations. It is beautifully-illustrated by Daniela Violi and designed by exandra Romero Cortina.
Aquarela is a charming and memorable album featuring timeless songs in Portuguese that are rooted in Brazilian tradition.
Buy Aquarela – Traditional Songs for Children in Brazilian Portuguese
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
