{"id":6552,"date":"2026-06-23T08:32:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T08:32:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interspacemusic.com\/blog\/it-began-in-ipanema-daniel-haaksmans-book-traces-rios-music-history\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T08:32:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T08:32:41","slug":"it-began-in-ipanema-daniel-haaksmans-book-traces-rios-music-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interspacemusic.com\/blog\/it-began-in-ipanema-daniel-haaksmans-book-traces-rios-music-history\/","title":{"rendered":"It Began in Ipanema: Daniel Haaksman\u2019s Book Traces Rio\u2019s Music History"},"content":{"rendered":"

Daniel Haaksman<\/strong>, founder of the Man Recordings<\/a><\/strong> label, has published a new book that maps the musical and social history of Rio de Janeiro through 50 songs spanning more than a century. Titled It Began in Ipanema<\/em>, the work moves beyond the city\u2019s postcard imagery to spotlight tracks from favelas, nightlife, and political undercurrents.<\/p>\n

A Two-Decade Relationship with Rio<\/h2>\n

Haaksman\u2019s connection to the city began in 2004, when a friend brought him funk carioca CDs from Brazil. \u201cI was so blown away by the music that I decided to fly to Rio to check out the music myself,\u201d he said. That first visit led to the compilation Rio Baile Funk: Favela Booty Beats<\/em>. Since then, he has traveled to Rio roughly twenty times, worked with numerous carioca artists, and released many Rio records on Man Recordings. \u201cMusically it\u2019s the most exciting city for me; every time I visit, I discover new records and new artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Curating a City\u2019s Soundtrack<\/h2>\n

Haaksman explained that while classics like \u201cThe Girl from Ipanema\u201d and \u201cChega De Saudade\u201d are widely known, he sought songs that reveal less visible aspects of Rio. \u201cTo avoid the postcard views I was interested in songs that revealed aspects of the city the classics tend to leave out,\u201d he said. He likened the book\u2019s structure to a DJ set: \u201cThe classics are there, but they\u2019re not left alone to do all the work, the real revelations often arrive in the records nobody knew.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the selections, he highlighted tracks such as Cartola\u2019s \u201cSala De Recep\u00e7\u00e3o,\u201d which reflects the dense social networks of favela life; Junior Mendes\u2019s \u201cCopacabana Saida,\u201d capturing the freedom of early 1980s Copacabana nightlife; and Quarteto Em Cy\u2019s \u201cSanto Amaro,\u201d whose vocal lines mirror the geographical and social ups and downs of a favela.<\/p>\n

Uncovering Hidden Histories<\/h2>\n

Haaksman pointed to several other tracks that avoid Rio\u2019s clich\u00e9s:<\/p>\n