Show #19: Celebrating The Music Of Dori Caymmi

Written by
Tom-and-Dori
A memorable birthday party playing music with Dori Caymmi (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

I absolutely love Dori Caymmi‘s music and I’ve attended all of Dori’s shows. Once, I was waiting in line at Le Café on Ventura Boulevard in 1988 for one of his shows in the intimate little room upstairs. While waiting, I met a young architect who loved Brazilian music as much as I did. His name was Bob Ramirez, and a few months later we were in a group traveling the waterways in the rainforest of Sarawak listening to Dori’s music on our Sony Walkmans. His songs provided the perfect soundtrack for our adventure and Bob and I are still close friends to this day. Another time, Dori and his wife came to a birthday party, I took out my flute and we played together. What a thrill!

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Click for tickets & info for the UpClose event on Friday, 9/27/13. (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

That being said, when asked about the next Rhythm Planet Up Close concert, I knew at once it had to be Dori. He will play songs of his own and of his famous father, Dorival, who launced Carmen Miranda‘s career in 1939 (by 1945 she was in Hollywood and the highest-paid woman in the world!) Dori grew up in an amazing musical family, precociously orchestrated Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa‘s first lp Domingo when just out of his teens. He has worked with an amazing poet for over 40 years, the lyricist Paulo Cesar Pinheiro. I have nothing but respect and awe for his beautiful music. Click here to read a post I wrote back in October 2011 after his gorgeous album Poesia Musicada (Poetry Set To Music) was released.

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Dori Caymmi’s album Poesia Musicada (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

This will be a special night for me and I hope you will be there. Dori will weave an incredible sonic tapestry and seduce everybody with this elegant music and fascinating glimpse into Brazil’s past.

This week’s on demand show is dedicated to his beautiful music and we start with a song from his father, Dorival Caymmi and Carmen Miranda.

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Rhythm Planet Playlist: 8/30/13

  1. Dorival Caymmi & Carmen Miranda/ O Que E Que A Baiana Tem? (What is it about Bahian Women?) / Dorival Caymmi Vol 1 / EMI Brasil
  2. Dori Caymmi / Desafio (Defiance) / Dori Caymmi / Elektra Music
  3. Caetano Veloso & Gal Costa / Coracao Vagabundo (Vagabond Heart) / Domingo / Philips Brasil
  4. Dori Caymmi (with Nana and Danilo) / Voce Ja Foi A Bahia / Para Caymmi 90 Anos / Warner Music Brasil
  5. Dori Caymmi / Pe Do Lageiro / Influencias / Universal
  6. Dori Caymmi/ Estrela De Cinco Pontos (The 5 Pointed Star) / Poesia Musicada / Music Taste
Here is a video of a Dori Caymmi original, “The Harbor”, recorded in Salvador, Bahia, in 1991. He weaves a spell with his gorgeous melodies.

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