In this episode, we dive into the chaotic heart of 1980s Brazil—when inflation exploded, drug wars raged, and samba went underground. Meet Bezerra da Silva, the last true sambista of the favelas. From sleeping rough in Rio to becoming the unlikely voice of a silenced generation, Bezerra didn’t just sing samba—he weaponized it. Discover how one man’s music told the raw truth about life in the hills, crime, police brutality, and resilience in a city at war with itself.

This week, Lost Samba goes straight to the source — to the man who didn’t just create Bossa Nova… he whispered it into existence.João Gilberto was no ordinary musician. He was a musical monk. A sonic alchemist. A barefoot sorcerer with a nylon-string guitar and a sixth sense for silence.Born in the dry backlands of Bahia, João was as eccentric as he was brilliant:🔹 He could hear a buzzing no one else could — even when it was the subway five blocks away.🔹 He showed up to concerts four hours late, or not at all.🔹 He redefined Brazilian music while living like a recluse, locked away with only a cat and a guitar (and legend says even the cat tried to escape).🔹 He called people at 3am just to talk.🔹 He made Miles Davis' jaw drop.João didn’t play music — he bent time with it. His rhythms were strange. His chords, unnameable. His voice, barely there — and yet somehow unforgettable.In this episode, we trace the odd, obsessive path of a true genius: from the dusty towns of Bahia to sold-out halls around the world… from samba to silence, from folklore to international legend. And we ask: can a man who seemed so detached from the world actually have shaped it more than anyone else in Brazilian music?🎶 Featuring the haunting classic Wave🎧 Tune in, breathe out — João Gilberto is waiting.

Everyone talks about Bossa Nova and Tropicália — but real samba lovers know the truth. This week, we dive into the story of Paulinho da Viola, the quiet giant of Brazilian music who never chased trends or fame. While Bossa Nova became the darling of the elite and Tropicália flirted with pop rebellion, Paulinho stayed rooted in the soul of Rio’s samba — raw, joyful, and real.Born in Botafogo, raised among legends like Pixinguinha and Jacó do Bandolim, Paulinho didn’t just play samba — he lived it. From backyard rodas to Portela’s old guard, his music carries the heartbeat of a city and a people often left out of Brazil’s glossy musical exports.Discover why the Tropicália stars came to him when they wanted real credibility — and why, decades later, his music still resonates on the streets of Rio.🎶 Warning: This might change how you hear Brazilian music forever.