It's the home of carnival, and the whole city seems to be in perpetual funky motion, but for a true musical tour of Rio, head for the favelas, writes John O'Mahony
ON A FRIDAY night in Lapa, a bohemian cluster of bars, clubs and funky little dives in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, nobody needs a guide to the city's music scene.
Just walk out on to any street and you'll hear an astonishing variety of styles and beats. Towering sound systems on the pavements pump out Brazilian rap, rock and pounding samba reggae. Improvised clubs in the backstreets blast out funk carioca, an unabashed musical onslaught pitched somewhere between hard-core techno and dirty-mouthed hip hop, all with a seductive Portuguese accent. On every balcony, long, slender, scantily clad bodies dance with abandon. And where there are no instruments, or sound systems, people gather on the street corners to sing and sway and click their fingers.
Generally, when people think of music and dancing in Rio de Janeiro, one word instantly springs to mind: carnival. But in the grand partying scheme of things, carnival accounts for just four days in the city's cultural calendar. For the rest of the year it gets on with the serious business of showing off its natural musical assets without any help from gaudy floats or flamingo-plumed costumes.
As well as the weekend revelries in Lapa, the city boasts more cafes, pubs, clubs and bars per square metre than any other in South America. In the early evening people begin to drift out to sublime and relaxed little eateries, where some gnarly old bloke is usually crooning and strumming away in the corner.
From there they head to more fashionable joints near the port, go up to arty enclaves of the hilltop district of Santa Teresa or venture into Rio's sprawling shanties.
It's probably best to start our odyssey with the legendary musical phenomenon that inspired carnival: samba. Its giddy musicology can be traced to the slave ships, and probably originated in the courting dances of Congo, but it only really took off in Brazil in the early years of the 20th century, with its first recording, the seductive Pelo Telefone, in 1919. This accelerated the rise of samba schools and kicked off a golden era of samba.
Still thriving in every corner of Rio, these schools have grown from tiny impromptu rehearsal spaces into sprawling samba universities. The one I visited, Portela, is one of the biggest and oldest in Rio, dating back to 1923. Like all samba schools, it throws a huge monthly bash, drawing in practically the entire neighbourhood. We had to push our way through the shimmying crowds even to get a glance at the acts shuttling on and off the stage. But what was much more striking was the audience: waggling kids and languorous grannies, jiggling teens and sober dads, all united under the universal banner of samba.
You don't, of course, have to go to the schools to experience samba - it's everywhere. One of the best-known venues is Carioca da Gema, a bare-brick space crammed with heaving bodies. For a more relaxed feel there's Rio Scenarium, by day an unsuspecting antique shop and by night a quaint, cluttered, trinket-strewn temple to samba.
Rio also offers a myriad other musical styles to choose from. You can catch some terrific bossa nova (jazz-inflected samba) at the no-frills Allegro Bistro Musical, in Copacabana, or the Bar do Tom, a laid-back jazzy joint close to the glory of Leblon Beach. Take in some choro (samba with flutes and cellos) at the tiny Comuna do Semente before sampling some forro (big-band samba) at Asa Branca, another riotous club right in the centre of Lapa.
Rio also boasts some spectacular venues entirely devoted to the hallowed art of dance. The best of these is Clube dos Democraticos, a huge old-fashioned, high-ceilinged hall plastered in stucco murals. It somehow recalls a 1950s Irish dance hall, although only if the comely maidens had been magically transformed into slinky Brazilian beauties all writhing to evil samba beats.
So far, however, this musical journey has only taken us to the relatively safe and decorous sectors of Rio. We've barely touched on the vast parallel universe of the favelas, where a third of Rio's population lives in shoddy red-brick shacks. Like a cubist nightmare spilling on to the hillsides, these shanties are controlled by drug lords, known as traficos, whose henchmen loiter at every corner clutching their AK-47s while, just blocks away, military police poke their rifles over sandbags, recalling Belfast in the 1970s.
But while the favelas are better known for their weekly firefights, they also harbour a vibrant musical culture. Many of the samba schools are located in the favelas. In the largest favela, Cantagalo, we came across one school that had been temporarily shut down by gun-toting traficos so their boss could attend samba lessons.
Elsewhere, the power of music and dance is being used to give young people an alternative to a life dominated by drugs and violence. The international phenomenon known as AfroReggae was born out of one of the favelas' most violent episodes, an infamous massacre in Vigário Geral on August 29th, 1993, when a group of hooded armed men - understood now to be off-duty police officers - ran rampage, killing 21 residents and injuring many more.
In the bloody aftermath an activist named Junior decided to set up the first AfroReggae "nucleus", or centre, which offered workshops in percussion and dance. Since then AfroReggae has grown into a global attraction, with the main band blazing across many of the world's most prestigious stages, their show consisting of high-octane samba reggae and multimedia light shows.
In Rio their extraordinary social movement now boasts "nuclei" in most of the major favelas and has branched out into a circus school and a multimedia college. As well as the international band, which itself is made up of many former gang members, there is a multitude of local subgroups.
In Vigário Geral I attended one of the monthly showcases, which began with the percussion group AfroLata, who treated us to a formation display of virtuoso drumming on plastic containers salvaged from the dumps of the shanties. Then there was a performance by Akoni, a group of all-chanting, all-bongo-bashing teenage girl warriors. It all came to a typically Brazilian climax with an exuberant dance-off.
For the ultimate favela musical experience, it's necessary to find a good guide and head into the shanties on a Friday or Saturday night for a visceral spectacle known as the Baile Funk, which translates roughly as the favela funk ball.
My experience of this mythical street party began on a deserted road winding between the favelas of Arvore Seca and Cutia, where we were met by our guide, Allan. He led us down a teetering path through the jumble of red-bricked huts in the direction of the pulsating music. Four or five blocks of the favela were given over to giant sound systems, enormous walls of juddering speakers, all powered off the improvised, tangled electricity grid. At the approach roads, dealers had set up stalls piled high with bricks of cocaine.
We joined the flow of people. The girls wore skirts so short they should have carried health warnings. The young men passed through in long, serious congas, many clutching shiny pistols or machine guns of huge proportions. The funk itself was an obscene explosion of thumping bass lines and filthy lyrics.
And when the music cranked up the traficos began to sway and bop, holding their firearms aloft, brandishing them to the beat. Dancing just centimetres from this chilling display of firepower was disquieting but enthralling.
Of course, Rio isn't just about music and partying. There are also the beaches, the bay, the mountains, the pristine lake and the scintillating views from the mount of Corcovado.
But wonderful though all of this is, it's impossible not to feel a giddy impatience through the day for that moment when the sun begins to dip spectacularly over the mountains and twilight kicks in. No one on earth knows how to celebrate the darkness hours quite like the Brazilians, and Rio is the country's unrivalled music and nightlife capital. So try not to schedule anything too early for the next morning, go relatively easy on those caipirinhas and get ready for a musical adventure you're never going to forget.
• You can contact most of the main samba schools, including Portela, via www.rio-carnival.net, which also has information on the carnival in English.
• AfroReggae, who perform at the Barbican, in London, on September 25th and 27th, list events on www.afroreggae.org.br or their more limited English site, www.favelatotheworld.org
Brazil's beating heart Where to hear the music
It's the home of carnival, and the whole city seems to be in perpetual funky motion, but for a true musical tour of Rio, head for the favelas, writes John O'Mahony
Go there
John O'Mahony travelled courtesy of STA Travel (www.statravel.co.uk).
Air France (www.airfrance.com) and BMI (www.flybmi.com) fly from Dublin to Rio.
Where to thear the music
Carioca da Gema. Rua Mem de Sá 79, Lapa, 00-55-21- 22210043.
Rio Scenarium. Rua do Lavradio 20, Centro Antigo, 00-55-21-31479005.
Allegro Bistro Musical.
Rua Barata Ribeiro 502D, Copacabana, 00-55-21- 25485005
Bar do Tom. Rua Adalberto Ferreira 32, Leblon, 00-55-21- 22744022.
Comuna do Semente. Rua Joaquim Silva 138, Lapa, 00-55-21-25093591.
Asa Branca. Avenida Mem de Sa 17, Lapa, 00-55-21- 22249358.
Clube dos Democraticos. Rua do Riachuelo 91, Lapa, 00-55-21-22524611.
Where to stay
Casa MangoMango. Rua Joaquim Murtinho 587, Santa Teresa, 00-55-21-25086440, www.casa-mangomango.com. Beautiful mansion-style guest house set in the hills of leafy Santa Teresa. Run by Irish expat Julie, whose knowledge of the Rio music scene is unsurpassable.
Maze Inn. Rua Tavares Bastos 414/66, Catete, 00-55-21-25585547, www.jazzrio.info. For an astonishing favela-lite experience with the best views in Rio. Plus there's an amazing jazz and samba jam session every weekend.
Lighthouse Hostel. Rua Barão da Torre 175, Casa 20, Ipanema, 00-55-21-25221353, www.thelighthouse.com.br. A budget option in the heart of the beach district. Simple and straightforward.
Ipanema Inn. Rua Maria Quitéria 27, Ipanema, 00-55-21-25236092, www.ipanemainn.com.br. Mid-priced joint in one of Rio's most fashionable districts. A short walk from one of the most glorious beaches in the world.
Copacabana Palace. Avenida Atlântica 1702, 00-55-21- 25487070, www.copacabana palace.com.br. If you want luxury in Rio, this is the place to find it. Resist the urge to hum that Barry Manilow song in the lobby.
Where to eat
Miam Miam. Rua General Góes Monteiro, Botafogo, 00-55-21-22440125, miammiam.com.br. Slick and fashionable little joint in a restored old building in the Bay area, serving modern Brazilian fare. Try the nifty cocktails.
Bar do Mineiro. Rua Pascoal Carlos Magno 99, Santa Teresa, 00-55-21-22219227. Set into the hills, this is one of Santa Teresa's most popular spots, serving traditional Brazilian cuisine. Don't miss the deep-fried bean pasties. All low calorie, of course.
Sobrenatural. Rua Almirante Alexandrino 434, Santa Teresa, 00-55-21- 22241003. Another of Santa Teresa's best, serving both Brazilian and spectacularly fresh seafood. Has a very relaxed rustic, down-home feel.
Bar do Beto. Rua Farme de Amoedo 51, Ipanema, 00-55-21-25231443. If you want to get away from the bustle of the beaches for something straightforward but delicious, this hits the spot. Wide variety of beef, seafood and chicken.
Tasca do Edgar. Rua Mario Portela 16, Laranjeiras 00-55-21-25585582. No one quite does Portuguese food like the Brazilians. Lots of fresh seafood in a tasteful setting.
Where to go
Cristo Redentor. Rua Cosme Velho 513, Cosme Velho, 00-55-21-25581329, www.corcovado.com.br. The legendary Christ the Redeemer, with its spectacular views, is a must-see. Pick a clear day.
• The Beaches: Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon. Simply the most beautiful beaches in the world. Take all security precautions and carry only what's necessary. I was robbed on Ipanema in broad daylight.
• The Lake. Just behind Ipanema Beach. Making even pedalos look cool, this is yet another of Rio's great contrasts. All the chic people live here, but it's also great for a terrific little walk when the beaches get too crowded.
• Museo do Bonde. Rua Carlos Brant 14, Santa Teresa, 00-55-21-22422354. The museum of Rio's incomparable bone-shaking tram system. Catch the tram up the hills from Rua Lelio Gama. It's an experience and a half, and if you just clamber on to the running board and hang on for dear life, you don't have to pay.
• Favelas. Favela Tour, Marcelo Armstrong, 00-55-21- 33222727, www.favelatour. com.br. It might sound like the ultimate in tasteless slum tourism, but you won't know Rio till you've witnessed the favelas. Inhabitants welcome visitors, wishing to shake off all of those City of God clichés.
• Warning: do not go into a favela unaccompanied under any circumstances. To attend a Baile Funk, arrange a guide or use the Be A Local service (00-55-21-96430366, www.bealocal.com).