In 1974, at the height of his fame, Tim Maia joined Racional Culture, a UFO-obsessed cult led by Manoel Jacintho Coelho. He cut drugs and alcohol, shaved his afro, dressed exclusively in white, and walked away from his lucrative recording contract. Without label representation, Maia started pressing records himself. The commercial failure was immediate, but the ripple wasn’t. This set the stage for a thriving Brazilian funk and soul scene in the late seventies and early eighties, and later echoes can be felt in the emergence of homegrown Brazilian hip-hop.
Presenter Allen Thayer argues these recordings mark the zenith of Maia’s artistry: disciplined, locked-in, and cut from deep grooves, samba-soul, and gospel-inflected arrangements. Once dismissed and hard to find, the albums have been steadily rediscovered prompting a reevaluation of their musical force and their long tail in Brazilian popular music.
About Allen Thayer
Allen “The Ambassador” Thayer is a music journalist, radio host, and club DJ focused on soul- and funk-forward scenes from around the world, with a deep specialization in Brazilian music. Thayer has written about legendary and underground artists for The New York Times, Wax Poetics, Aquarium Drunkard, The Fader, and Utne Reader, and has contributed liner notes and release context for labels including Luaka Bop, BBE, Mexican Summer, Light in the Attic, Org Music, and Psychic Hotline.
Thayer has hosted radio programs in Washington, DC, the Bay Area, and Portland, and hosts the weekly show “The Brazilian Beat” on KMHD Jazz Radio (89.1 FM), now approaching its tenth year. Based in Portland, Thayer also DJs regularly in the Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles, and has opened for touring artists including Cortex, Marcos Valle, Sessa, and Hermeto Pascoal.
The Listening Experience
This program is part of Mono Space’s intentional listening series, a seated, focused format centered around the OJAS hi-fi sound system. Sessions last 60 to 90 minutes, with 30 minutes of open listening before and after. Up to 50 guests gather in a shared setting to experience curated recordings, guided by a host who offers context and reflections as the music unfolds. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available for purchase. Phones and cameras are set aside to support attention and presence. Details about visiting the space, accessibility, and ticketing can be found in the FAQs.
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