Musical career (1963–present) Gilberto Gil

gilberto gil performing in 2007

when went bahia in 1972, gil focused on musical career , environmental advocacy work. released expresso 2222 same year, 2 popular singles released. gil toured united states , recorded english-language album well, continuing release steady stream of albums throughout 1970s, including realce , refazenda. in 1970s gil participated in resurgence of afro-brazilian afoxé tradition in carnaval, joining filhos de gandhi (sons of gandhi) performance group, allowed black brazilians join. gil recorded song titled patuscada de gandhi written filhos de gandhi appeared on 1977 album refavela. greater attention paid afoxé groups in carnaval because of publicity gil had provided them through involvement; groups increased in size well. in late 1970s left brazil africa , visited senegal, ivory coast, , nigeria. worked jimmy cliff , released cover of no woman, no cry him in 1980, number 1 hit introduced reggae brazil.

in 1996, gil contributed refazenda aids-benefit album red hot + rio produced red hot organization.

in 1998 live version of album quanta won gil grammy award best world music album. in 2005 won grammy award best contemporary world music album eletracústico. in may 2005 awarded polar music prize carl xvi gustaf of sweden in stockholm, prize s first latin american recipient. on october 16 of same year received légion d honneur french government, coinciding année du brésil en france (brazil s year in france).

in 2010 released album fé na festa, record devoted forró, style of music brazil s northeast. tour promote album received negative feedback fans expecting hear set featuring hits. in 2013, gilberto gil plays own role singer , promoter of cultural diversity in long feature documentary shot around southern hemisphere swiss filmmaker pierre-yves borgeaud, viramundo: musical journey gilberto gil, distributed worldwide. film inaugurates t.i.d.e. experiment pan-european , multi-support releases.