A World of Music: Tom Ze

Brazil's Tropicália movement was predicated on the notion of combining traditional Brazilian music, Bossa Nova, samba, and the like, with whatever international inspirations presented themselves, be they concrete poetry, rock & roll, existentialism, African rhythms, western pop, or urban grooves. The result was a politically-charged cultural expression at once distinctly Brazilian and unmistakably global. And while he may be a lesser-known name than the movement's figureheads Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, Tom Ze was arguably the artist who took the notions of experimentation and amalgamation the furthest in his music, while always hewing close to Brazilian tradition. Equally comfortable featuring a solo on a blender, typewriter, or homemade instrument as presenting a breezy bossa nova, Ze's angular pop is a perfect blend of accessible and engaging. Though if you ask him to describe his art, he would tell you simply, "I don't make art, I make spoken and sung journalism."