Caetano Veloso brings a bit of Brazilian warmth to London

Even with forecasters predicting rising temperatures this week, British Summer starts once more in deep need of some mood boost – after all, it was only yesterday that we were wearing jumpers. What could be better than some tropical music to warm up our hearts and kick start the season? And what could be more tropical than Caetano Veloso, the Brazilian superstar and one of the fathers of the musical movement Tropicalismo?

A composer, singer, guitarist, writer and political activist, Caetano is Brazil’s answer to Bob Dylan. A friend of Almodovar and collaborator with David Byrne, the musician remains in a league of his own and is one of the most important figures in contemporary Brazilian music, if not the most. The man is not only an icon, he is also a machine – more than 30 studio albums and a career that spans over 4 decades without signs of fading. At every new album, there is a renewed musician. His latest work, Zii & Zie, is a masterpiece of
surprising songs with hints of bossa-nova, bursts of electric guitar, handclaps and a samba-tinged vibe that capture the innocence and joie de vivre that are Brazil’s trademark.

Caetano Veloso’s performance is part of Barbican’s annual Summer series Blaze, that include other major international artists such as New York band Dirty Projectors and legend Youssou N’Dour, along with
open-air concerts and events in the historic Hackney Empire.