Gilberto Gil

For the Brazilian musical idol Gilberto Gil, the cultural always is the political -- and vice versa. It has been that way since the 1960s, when Gil and several artistic comrades were imprisoned and driven into London exile by Brazil's ruling military junta. Ostensibly, Gil and his colleagues, including Caetano Veloso , were guilty of stirring up the populace with a genre-shattering, socially alert, Afro-rock hybrid called tropicalismo . It was indeed a radical act in a country that takes music (and soccer)

From 2003 to '08 Gilberto Gil served as Brazil's culture minister, helping underprivileged kids gain access to technology and forging global aesthetic links with a missionary's zeal. On Tuesday night at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Gil was back in that role, paying tribute to mentors such as the great Brazilian singer-composer-accordionist Luiz Gonzaga and quietly schooling his audience in the complex ties between the accordion-based baião music of his native northeast Brazil and geographically (but not sonically)

Twelve guitar strings, four cello strings and two vocal cords -- those were the components of what Gilberto Gil described with mathematical precision as the "very simple concert" he performed Saturday night at UCLA's Royce Hall, where the Brazilian singer-guitarist was accompanied by cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and Gil's son Bem on guitar. And aside from the tambourine Bem picked up near the end of the two-hour show, Gil's accounting proved essentially accurate: This was a determinedly uncluttered presentation of material from throughout Gil's 40-year career, from early songs about cultural upheaval to a pair of new tunes (one written for his daughter Maria's recent wedding)

Twelve guitar strings, four cello strings and two vocal cords -- those were the components of what Gilberto Gil described with mathematical precision as the "very simple concert" he performed Saturday night at UCLA's Royce Hall, where the Brazilian singer-guitarist was accompanied by cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and Gil's son Bem on guitar. And aside from the tambourine Bem picked up near the end of the two-hour show, Gil's accounting proved essentially accurate: This was a determinedly uncluttered presentation of material from throughout Gil's 40-year career, from early songs about cultural upheaval to a pair of new tunes (one written for his daughter Maria's recent wedding)

From 2003 to '08 Gilberto Gil served as Brazil's culture minister, helping underprivileged kids gain access to technology and forging global aesthetic links with a missionary's zeal. On Tuesday night at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Gil was back in that role, paying tribute to mentors such as the great Brazilian singer-composer-accordionist Luiz Gonzaga and quietly schooling his audience in the complex ties between the accordion-based baião music of his native northeast Brazil and geographically (but not sonically)

Brazilian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gilberto Gil is so revered by his countrymen that, in 1992, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva appointed him minister of culture -- a position he holds to this day. Saturday's solo performance at Royce Hall was a rare opportunity to hear the icon's most renowned songs performed with voice and acoustic guitar, re-creating the recently released compilation disc "Gil Luminoso."

Brazilian composer Gilberto Gil is known as an alchemist, a magician who, beginning in the '60s, swirled together rock, jazz and, later, reggae with facets of his homeland's rhythmic tradition to create an entirely new musical element, the Brazilian pop genre known as tropicalia. It was this festive, electric, dance-crazy music that dominated Gil's packed show at the House of Blues Sunday.

KCRW fest: An item in Thursday's edition of The Guide previewing Sunday's Hollywood Bowl concert featuring Gilberto Gil and Devendra Banhart characterized the show as the kickoff to KCRW's 2008 World Music Festival. In fact, that festival began last week with the Thievery Corporation's show at the Bowl.

Gilberto Gil has stepped down as Brazilian culture minister, saying he wants to dedicate more time to his music and his family. The Grammy-winning musician, who revolutionized Brazilian music in the 1960s as a founder of the Tropicalism movement, had been culture minister since 2003, when President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva started his first term in office. Gil, 66, tried to step down twice before, but Silva had persuaded him to stay. This week the president accepted his resignation.

"The Legendary Joao Gilberto" (Capitol/World Pacific) This is the fountainhead -- bossa nova in the process of being invented. Three LPs are included in the single CD: Gilberto's first release, "Chega de Saudade," from 1959, as well as "O Amor, E Sorriso E A Flor" from 1960 and "Joao Gilberto" from 1961. It may be hard to find, but it's worth whatever it takes to locate a copy. "Getz/Gilberto" (Polygram) Stan Getz had already had a bossa nova breakthrough via 1962's "Jazz Samba."

For the Brazilian musical idol Gilberto Gil, the cultural always is the political -- and vice versa. It has been that way since the 1960s, when Gil and several artistic comrades were imprisoned and driven into London exile by Brazil's ruling military junta. Ostensibly, Gil and his colleagues, including Caetano Veloso , were guilty of stirring up the populace with a genre-shattering, socially alert, Afro-rock hybrid called tropicalismo . It was indeed a radical act in a country that takes music (and soccer)

Gilberto Gil has stepped down as Brazilian culture minister, saying he wants to dedicate more time to his music and his family. The Grammy-winning musician, who revolutionized Brazilian music in the 1960s as a founder of the Tropicalism movement, had been culture minister since 2003, when President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva started his first term in office. Gil, 66, tried to step down twice before, but Silva had persuaded him to stay. This week the president accepted his resignation.

Gilberto Gil has released more than 50 albums in his career -- the latest is "Banda Larga Cordel," which came out this month. That puts him about 45 ahead of Devendra Banhart, but the Brazilian musical icon, 65, and the Los Angeles-based folk-rock eccentric share a passion for eradicating distinctions among musical genres, as they'll demonstrate when they play at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday as part of the KCRW World Festival series.

KCRW fest: An item in Thursday's edition of The Guide previewing Sunday's Hollywood Bowl concert featuring Gilberto Gil and Devendra Banhart characterized the show as the kickoff to KCRW's 2008 World Music Festival. In fact, that festival began last week with the Thievery Corporation's show at the Bowl.

Brazilian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gilberto Gil is so revered by his countrymen that, in 1992, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva appointed him minister of culture -- a position he holds to this day. Saturday's solo performance at Royce Hall was a rare opportunity to hear the icon's most renowned songs performed with voice and acoustic guitar, re-creating the recently released compilation disc "Gil Luminoso."

A recent banquet here honoring a visiting Brazilian dignitary was typical of such affairs -- the big hotel ballroom, the well-heeled audience and especially the glowing introductory speeches. But when the honoree took the stage, it was obvious he was no ordinary government official. The soft-spoken man seemed slightly uncomfortable with all the attention. He barely spoke more than a few thank-yous.

Gilberto Gil has released more than 50 albums in his career -- the latest is "Banda Larga Cordel," which came out this month. That puts him about 45 ahead of Devendra Banhart, but the Brazilian musical icon, 65, and the Los Angeles-based folk-rock eccentric share a passion for eradicating distinctions among musical genres, as they'll demonstrate when they play at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday as part of the KCRW World Festival series.

World Festival '99 could not have made a better choice than Gilberto Gil to close out the debut season of world music at the Hollywood Bowl. On Sunday, in a program titled "Tropical Heat," the incomparable Brazilian singer-songwriter transformed the giant venue into a swarming den of wildly enthusiastic dancers.

"The Legendary Joao Gilberto" (Capitol/World Pacific) This is the fountainhead -- bossa nova in the process of being invented. Three LPs are included in the single CD: Gilberto's first release, "Chega de Saudade," from 1959, as well as "O Amor, E Sorriso E A Flor" from 1960 and "Joao Gilberto" from 1961. It may be hard to find, but it's worth whatever it takes to locate a copy. "Getz/Gilberto" (Polygram) Stan Getz had already had a bossa nova breakthrough via 1962's "Jazz Samba."

It's not too much of a stretch to think of guitarist-singer-composer Joao Gilberto as Brazil's Charlie Parker. Like the enormously influential alto saxophonist, Gilberto transformed the music of his country. His approach to rhythm, his integration of voice and guitar, the harmonic implications of his chording, all took existing elements and molded them into a new form of musical expression.