Release Date: 31 August 2003
Label: Naxos - Nostalgia / Naxos Nostalgic
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 636943271926
Genres: Jazz
Description
CARMEN MIRANDA South American WayOriginal 1939-1945 RecordingsIf you were to make a mental list of the things thatsymbolized American popular culture in the 1940s, somewhere on that list wouldbe Carmen Miranda. She flashedacross the show business sky briefly, but she blazed a distinctive trail thatlingers warmly in memory more than fifty years later. The fact that Latin American rhythms and melodies are sofreely accepted by today's record buyers is at least partly due to Miranda, whowas at the forefront of the Latin American craze of the 1940s.In truth, Miranda was a star long before she lit up Broadwayin 1939's Streets of Paris. BornMaria do Carmo Miranda Da Cunha in Portugal on 9 February 1909, her familyimmigrated to Rio de Janeiro when she was a child. Miranda and her sister, Aurora, therefore grew up exposed not just to thetraditional Portugese music and culture of their parents, but also the nativerhythms and melodies of Brazil. Both children had natural talent and outgoing personalities, but Carmenwas the one who built the largest public following when she was just ateenager, singing in local clubs, on radio, in the recording studio and in ahandful of Brazilian films.When Americans began to respond to the Latin music ofperformers such as bandleader Xavier Cugat in the late 1930s, producers jumpedon the bandwagon. Brought to NewYork to appear with the comedians Olsen and Johnson in Streets of Paris, shequickly became the toast of the town, the liveliest act to hit Broadway inyears. Her big number in the show,South American Way, soared to the top of the charts and got frequent radioplay, spreading her fame all across the U.S.As America went Latin crazy, it was only natural thatHollywood should want to latch on to this latest fad. Miranda's signing by 20th Century-Fox also coincided withHollywood's push to develop the South American market as a partial replacementfor the loss of European bookings due to the Nazis. As well, the U.S. government was pushing for greaterPan-American cooperation and expanded ties between North and SouthAmerica. In very short order,Miranda became the unofficial poster girl of that movement.Miranda's first Hollywood film was the Betty Grable-DonAmeche musical, Down Argentina Way. One of her numbers was a reprise of her by-now trademark South AmericanWay. Such was her fame (or Fox'sdilemma in not knowing quite how to present her) that Miranda was simplyshowcased as a famous Brazilian bombshell named Carmen Miranda! Down Argentina Way was a box officebonanza. It not only launchedMiranda's American film career, but also established Betty Grable as a top starand set the pattern for a whole string of Fox Technicolor musicals during thewar years.One of the Hollywood people who developed a deep affectionand admiration for Miranda on the set of the film was songwriter Harry Warren,who wrote the music for five of her Fox musicals. He
Tracklisting
Various
Wisdom:Grenfell:Murray
Whiteman
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
