Brazilian avant-garde tropicalista Tom Zé just re-released his 2008 album Estudando a Bossa (Nordeste Plaza) and the Studies box set that includes that same album along with 2004's Estudando o Pagode; a Tom Zé with Tortoise Live at the Barbican 45; a conversation between Tom Zé, David Byrne, and Arto Lindsay on CD; an original essay on Tom Zé by Brazilian scholar Christopher Dunn, presumably on paper; and a key to receive all vinyl content by digital download. A master of not just deliverable media, Zé is still one of the most unheralded geniuses of Brazilian music, and Bossa is probably the most accessible entry point to a voluminously weird discography. "Solvador, Bahia De Caymmi" is from Bossa and is characteristically off-kilter pop with smooth edges. But, if you like your Zé zanier, it's definitely on the sane side of things.
To get a better idea of Zé's character, motivation and general awesomeness, read our feature from the January 2006 issue of the magazine here.
Download: Tom Zé, "Solvador, Bahia De Caymmi"
