Put a Little Marisa Monte in Your Life

Marisa Monte is a Brazilian popular singer, and one the biggest stars of contemporary Brazilian Popular Music. She was born on July 1, 1967 in Rio de Janeiro.

While classically trained in opera singing, she grew up surrounded by the sounds of the Portela samba school, and combines diverse influences into her music. While most of her music is in the style of modern MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), she has also recorded traditional sambas and folklore tunes, and songs by Marvin Gaye,and Lou Reed.

Much of her work has been in collaboration with musicians/songwriters Carlinhos Brown, Arnaldo Antunes, and Nando Reis, and producer Arto Lindsay. She has also worked with foreign artists such as Laurie Anderson and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

After 5 years in silence, Marisa Monte has just released two new albums: 'Infinito Particular' (Private Infinite) and 'Universo ao meu redor' (The Universe Around Me).

In 'Infinito Particular', as the name reveals, Marisa dives into her own production: old tape recorded material, incomplete songs, and interrupted ideas. Along with Arnaldo Antunes, Carlinhos Brown, Seu Jorge, Marcelo Yuka, Nando Reis and Adriana Calcanhoto (all contemporary Brazilian musicians) her new album is created. Ale Siqueira is the producer. He also produced the album Tribalista of Marisa Monte, Arnaldo Antunes and Carlinhos Brown.

In 'Universo ao meu Redor', Marisa gathers sambas, some new, while others more traditional along with sambistas, such as Dona Ivone Lara, Argemiro Patrocínio, Jayme Silva, Paulinho da Viola , and Adriana Calcanhotto. In this album, Marisa re-intertprets the samba genre with the help of producer Mario Caldato. With a perfect beat, and without shocking the traditionalists, Marisa expresses her views of what samba is. Her way is revolutionary, as well as subtle, just like Paulinho da Viola (a respected sambista from Rio de Janeiro), who, by the way, plays the guitar in the song that receives the name of the album: Universo ao Meu Redor.

For those who are already familiar with Marisa Monte's work, these albums are pearls, and must not be missed. For those new to this Brazilian musical universe, there couldn't be a better way to get initiated.

GreenerPaths.com has teamed up with Amazon.com to offer the best of Brazilian contemporary popular music. You can pre-order your Marisa Monte's CDs now. They will be shipping around April 14^th.

Sad anniversary!

Peace without a voice is Fear!

International Women's Day

International Women's Day
8 March 2006

The theme of this year's International Women's Day -- the role of women in decision-making -- is central to the advancement of women around the world, and to the progress of humankind as a whole. As the Beijing Declaration tells us, "women's empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making process and access to power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace."

The international community is finally beginning to understand a fundamental principle: women are every bit as affected as any man by the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century -- in economic and social development, as well as in peace and security. Often, they are more affected. It is, therefore, right and indeed necessary that women should be engaged in the decision-making processes in all areas, with equal strength and in equal numbers.

The world is also starting to grasp that there is no policy more effective in promoting development, health and education than the empowerment of women and girls. And I would venture that no policy is more important in preventing conflict, or in achieving reconciliation after a conflict has ended.

We do have achievements to celebrate in women’s representation around the world. In January of this year, the proportion of women in national parliaments reached a new global high. There are now 11 women Heads of State or Government, in countries on every continent. And three countries - Chile, Spain and Sweden - now have gender parity in Government.

But we have far, far more to do. The rate of progress overall is slow. Let us remember that in individual countries, the increase in the number of women in decision-making has not happened by itself. Rather, it is often the result of institutional and electoral initiatives, such as the adoption of goals and quotas, political party commitment and sustained mobilization. It is also the result of targeted and concerted measures to improve the balance between life and work. Those are lessons every nation -- and the United Nations -- need to take very seriously.

At the 2005 World Summit, world leaders declared that "progress for women is progress for all". On this International Women's Day, let us rededicate ourselves to demonstrating the truth behind those words. Let us ensure that half the world's population takes up its rightful place in the world's decision-making.

(Department of Public Information, United Nations 2006)