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Biography
Despite the moniker Brazilian Girls, the four-piece alternative dance group is without any Brazilians and has only one female member. That woman is the charismatic and multi-lingual Italian Sabina Sciubba, who alongside keyboardist Didi Gutman, bassist Jess Murphy, and drummer Aaron Johnston form the Brazilian Girls. Prior to the formation, Sabina had released a pair of jazz albums “You Don’t Know What Love Is” and “Meet Me In London”, before settling in Brooklyn, New York’s music scene. Aided by the East Village club Nublu, where the band found favour with patrons, the Brazilian Girls were offered the Saturday night residency, and became the staple jam band of the East Village.
After Murphy and Johnston made appearances on John Zorn's 2003 album “Voices in the Wilderness”, and members contributed to the Wax Poetic album “the Nublu Sessions”, the band signed with the prog-pop Verve imprint Verve Forecast. In 2004, Brazilian Girls released they debut EP “Lazy Lover”, and began crafting their debut album. Following another EP released in 2005 entitled “Don’t Stop”, the band’s eponymous debut full-length was released in February 2005. Issued by Verve Records, the album led to extensive touring, including Camp Bisco festival, which exposed the talented jam band to a huge audience, .
Brazilian Girls’ sophomore album “Talk to La Bomb” was released in September 2006, once again on Verve Records. The album features the same sensual, multi-lingual vocal delivery as its predecessor, with the instrumental members flirting around the genres of house, dub and rock. The single “Jique”, taken from the album was later performed on their international tour, and on the TV shows David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel.
The band subsequently contributed to the AIDS benefit album “Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin”, with a cover of the Talking Heads single “Crosseyed And Painless”. Brazilian Girls’ third full-length “New York City” was issued by Verve in 2008. The album earned the strongest reviews of any previous album from the musical press, and later received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording in 2009.
Live reviews
After a two year hiatus, which for devotees must have felt like an eternity, Brazilian Girls are back, reunited, recording, and doing live shows in 2014. For those who were wondering, Brazilian Girls are not Brazilian but from New York, and only feature one girl in their lineup (thought I should get that out of the way first). Their music tends to move between genres - there’s some reggae, electro, some rock and some dance-punk. There’s a strain of varieté or maybe cabaret. The first thing you’ll notice when the band takes to the stage will inevitably be Sabina Sciubba’s outfit. Apparently people who have seen Brazilian Girls since their hiatus report that the outfits are slightly less exotic now, but at one time they did include a nude body suit with black cut-out rectangles, and another with easel drawings on her torso. She’s a fantastic singer with a sexy, expressive voice and a commanding, cheeky stage presence. Dreadlocked keyboardist Didi Gutman plays all manner of synths and triggers loops and samples to great effect. Drummer Aaron Johnston is a powerhouse, dishing out grooves that are tightly knit with bassist Jesse Murphy’s supple lines. The three of them make for an unstoppable dance unit, and with Sciubba’s (multilingual) vocals added you have a truly unique and talented band. High points in their set included ‘Pussy’, ‘Don’t Stop’, and ‘St. Petersburg’, among others. But theirs is a terrific show overall, that merges sophisticated pop with simple good old hedonism.
philsomervell
The live tour of New York alt-electro outfit Brazilian Girls would be discredited to be described as a simple gig, it is a bonafide, all guns blazing performance. The future of the group looked very complicated at the end of the 00's yet the members have regrouped and are performing with purpose once again. Led by the power house that is Sabina Sciubba, she is an eccentric and an artistic figure onstage casting shadows and strange positions during 'Critic's More'.
With three albums in their discography, new music is on the horizon and the crowd are treated to an upbeat performance of a new cut titled 'Looking for Love'. It has the whole room moving and dancing under Sabina's command and as she invades the personal space of the front row in her exaggerated outfits and the whole room surges towards her. The lights flash and flicker around the passionate musicians whilst they thrash out the instrumentals to 'Woman In Red' before leading into the tongue in cheek 'Pussy' from their debut record. It receives the best reaction so far and Sabina and co take well deserved bows.
sean-ward
Had the honor of seeing Brazilian Girls back in 2006 (at Voodoo in New Orleans) and then again in 2008 (Chicago). I've been waiting to see them since that point, and they did not disappoint. They have gone under the radar for a number of years now, but have not lost their touch. Howlin' Wolf was a great venue, providing a casual, easy atmosphere to really enjoy their music. Sound did a great job and the lighting was easy on the eyes but still allowed everyone to see perfectly the lovely Sabina Scuibba. I am nothing but pleased with their performance and do hope they return soon.
amnobles
Williamsburg hall show June 26 was better than end of year at Rough Trade show. Like the mix of past songs with the new ones. Been listening to new songs for over a year, where is the new LP?? Going to San Fran in August. Hope to catch this band again. They have become my favorite sound.
Mahersch
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