Susan Young

Umbabarauma

Mike Smith, Susan Young

This film, set to Ponta de Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma) by Jorge Ben, was created to accompany Beleza Tropical: Brazil Classics 1, the first in a series of albums compiled by David Byrne to promote the unique music published by Brazilian artists during a repressive period of military rule in the 1970’s-1980’s. The aim was to visually invoke the album’s sensual and lyrical breadth and depth, and to subtly reflect the underlying social and political issues of that time.

Beleza Tropical

Declan Lowney

David Byrne, Susan Young

This half-hour documentary was screened on Channel 4 in 1989. Charlie Gillett is in conversation with David Byrne and Susan Young. Gillett explores Byrne's interest in the music composed during Brazil's repressive political regime spanning the 1960's -1980’s, and Byrne's aim to introduce a wider audience to this music by compiling a series of albums featuring musicians from that era. Byrne asked Young to direct the animated film Beleza Tropical (Umbabarauma) to accompany the first of these albums. Young describes her approach to the making of the film and reflects upon this subtle and fascinating genre of music. The soundtrack features various artists from the album Beleza Tropical, Brazil Classics 1.