Veloso was born in Santo Amaro da Purificação, Bahia, the fifth of the seven children born to José Teles Veloso ("Seu Zeca")(1901-1983) and Claudionor Viana Teles Veloso ("Dona Canô")(1907-). He chose the name for his baby sister (Veloso's parents's sixth child), named after a famous song

Atmospheric, Baroque, Bright, Charming, Citational, Clever, Collage, Composed, Conceptual, Contemplative, Cool, Dreamy, Eclectic, Elegant, Funny, Hypnotic, Intimate, Joyful, Pioneering, Playful, Political, Pop, Psychedelic, Quiet, Quirky, Rebel, Rhythmic, Self-reflection, Sensual, Serene, Sexy, Smart, Social revolution, Sophisticated, Subtle, Traditional folk, Witty

Something wonderful happened in Brazil in the late 1960s. Stevie Wonder's soul-funk, Bob Marley's revolutionary reggae, and the smooth bossa nova of Joao Gilberto came together in one person: Brazil's irreplaceable Gilberto Gil. As a youth raised in rural Bahia, Gil was intoxicated by the bossa

Bright, Charming, Ebullient, Eclectic, Joyful, Playful, Political, Rebel, Rhythmic

Bobby McFerrin's voice scours the vast horizon of sound. Though he's only one man, he routinely transforms himself into a five-piece band, a skilled soprano, or a trio of tribal-sounding chanters singing in harmony. His voice can replicate the sound of almost any instrument, from the delicate whistle

Bright, Eclectic, Improvised, Layered, Playful

On certain streets of Northern India it is not the classical sitar of Ravi Shankar that spills from markets and open air restaurants: it's the music of Najma Akhtar. For those who want more juice than the old-school Shankar offers, Akhtar represents the next generation. She backs up classic ghazal

Eclectic, Layered, Modern pop/dance, Pioneering, Rhythmic, Sensual