These Are the Best Cities in Brazil for Live Music-From Samba to Indie Rock

"One afternoon in 1962, lyricist Vinícius de Moraes and composer Antônio Carlos "Tom" Jobim were sitting at Bar Veloso, in Rio de Janeiro, when they recognized a woman walking by. The two men were so taken with her beauty that they decided to express their admiration in a poem, and the words they jotted down on a pair of bar napkins that day would later end up in their song "The Girl from Ipanema.""

"It helped turn bossa nova-the laid-back, jazzy form of traditional samba-into a global phenomenon. But Brazil's musical culture extends far beyond one genre. Samba, tropicália, axé, forró, electronic music, and more make for a national songbook that's as diverse as the country's people. Here are four cities with great venues where you can learn about these styles and catch them being performed live."

A spontaneous poem written on bar napkins in 1962 became the lyrics for "The Girl from Ipanema," which reached No. 5 on U.S. charts in 1964 and was covered by major international artists. Bossa nova helped globalize a jazzy form of traditional samba, but Brazil's musical culture includes samba, tropicália, axé, forró, and electronic music. Rio de Janeiro hosts vibrant samba, rock, hip-hop, and baile funk scenes, with live spots like Rua do Ouvidor, Blue Note Rio, and Circo Voador, plus statues honoring musical greats. São Paulo features a prominent electronic scene with venues such as Crema Club and intimate listening bars like Matiz and Casa de Francisca.

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