Luciana Souza : NPR

Saudade: An Untranslatable, Undeniably Potent Word

Gilberto Gil, pictured here on the cover of Luar (A Gente Precisa Ver o Luar), is one of the many artists we listen to this week to understand the concept of "saudade." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Courtesy of the artist

Alt.Latino

Saudade: An Untranslatable, Undeniably Potent Word

January 8, 2015 • The Portuguese term — which embodies a particular mix of melancholy, longing and loss — has no direct equivalent in English. But it does find full expression in bittersweet music.

Saudade: An Untranslatable, Undeniably Potent Word

Listen · 40:30 40:30

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/282552613/283477942" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Concerts

Luciana Souza Sings (And Quacks) 'O Pato'

WBGO

October 2, 2008 • The bossa nova style comes naturally to Luciana Souza. In "O Pato," the Brazilian-born chanteuse sings (and quacks) in Portuguese in a light-hearted concert moment at the Kennedy Center.

Welcome to the Jungle

Audio is no longer available

Music Interviews

Luciana Souza: Revising Pop by Way of Bossa Nova

October 21, 2007 • On The New Bossa Nova, Brazilian singer Luciana Souza makes a daring move, infusing pop classics by the likes of Joni Mitchell and The Beach Boys with the sultry, shifting rhythms of bossa nova.

Luciana Souza: Revising Pop by Way of Bossa Nova

Listen

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/15411275/15492077" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Review

Music Reviews

Souza's 'New Bossa Nova' Covers Pop Standards

October 15, 2007 • Luciana Souza's The New Bossa Nova features pop standards set to a Brazilian bossa nova beat.

Souza's 'New Bossa Nova' Covers Pop Standards

Listen

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/15305318/15299110" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Music

Souza Lends a Fresh Note to Brazilian Music

May 14, 2005 • On her new CD, Duos II, Luciana Souza adds vocals to a Brazilian instrumental tradition: the choro. It's a break from tradition, but it seems to fit a performer who is equal parts samba singer, jazz singer and classical singer. Souza chats with Jacki Lyden.

Souza Lends a Fresh Note to Brazilian Music

Listen

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/4651485/4652471" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Luciana Souza: From Bossa Nova To Chet Baker

Luciana Souza has two new albums out, Duos III and The Book of Chet. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Luciana Souza: From Bossa Nova To Chet Baker

August 31, 2012 • The Brazilian singer's two new albums of cover songs explore her love of both jazz and bossa nova.

Luciana Souza: From Bossa Nova To Chet Baker

Listen · 8:16 8:16

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/160310203/160406086" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

Poems In Song: Turning Words Into Jazz

90.5 WESA

April 6, 2009 • April is Jazz Appreciation Month, as well as National Poetry Month. Hear five songs that were originally written as poems to be read, not as lyrics to be sung. Each jazz artist here transformed a poem into lyrics that fit his or her particular style and phrasing, and then composed music to round out the interpretation.

Luciana Souza. Gabriel Rinaldi hide caption

toggle caption

Gabriel Rinaldi

Concerts

Luciana Souza On JazzSet

WBGO

September 15, 2010 • Souza is grace personified. The vocalist evokes her native Brazil in new bossa novas and her own interpretations of North American classics at the Kennedy Center Family Theater.

Luciana Souza On JazzSet

57:59

Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/95285900/129884803" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

All Songs Considered

The Best CDs of 2004

December 28, 2004 • 2004 was a year when a handful of artists with their best days long behind them surprised us with their strongest music; Loretta Lynn and Brian Wilson come to mind.

The Best CDs of 2004

Only Available in Archive Formats.

Real Media