The “Brazilian Hour’s” host Sergio Mielniczenko is an exception to the rule. Unlike most young adults who struggle with moving out of their parent’s house and into the college dorms after graduating from high school, Sergio made the big jump from his hometown of San Paulo to the US at the tender age of 19. He attended college immediately after his move and it quickly dawned on him what a drastic decision he had made.
“It was a big change…new system, new language, new culture, new everything,†Sergio explains.
Sergio didn’t know it at the time when he started college, but he would soon be bringing a big part of his Brazilian musical heritage to the US and educating others with its rhythms and rhymes.
The “Brazilian Hour” was born in the late seventies and was created by The Cultural Sector of Brazil in Los Angeles. A milestone event, it allowed Sergio to begin his 30+ year career entertaining audiences around the world with his radio show.
When asked what Sergio’s favorite part of the “Brazilian Hour” is, he explains, “The opportunity to meet and talk to the great musicians, to be able to promote their work and music. It’s an honor to be able to reinforce their voice in America.â€
In the one hour radio program broadcasted on 88.9 KXLU LA on Saturday and Sundays from 9:00AM-10:00AM, Sergio introduces new artists, conducts personal interviews, and plays exotic Brazilian beats. All in the hope that the audience will leave with a greater understanding about Brazil and the music and culture which he loves so much.
“I want to offer them a moment of magic,†enthuses Sergio. “That’s what music is all about and to have it permeate your being. I want to bring them closer to my own culture.â€
Mission accomplished: from interviewing great Brazilian artists or debuting a new artist’s song or album, Sergio Mielniczenko presents you with the very best of samba, bossa nova, musica popular Brasileira, and Brazilian jazz. He takes the listener’s hand and walks them through a personal tour of his cherished landscape of Brazil.
However, Sergio remains very humble when it comes to his popularity, and the fact that he is known as a legend by music lovers and legendary musicians alike.
Since working at the Consulate General of Brazil in Los Angeles since the late 1970s, Sergio has been responsible for bringing the radical new sounds of Brazil to his current home on the airwaves for the past three decades. Friend to artists such as Gilberto Gil, Sergio Mendes, Milton Nascimento, João Gilberto and Caetono Veloso, Sergio is widely recognized as the ambassador of Brazilian culture to the American public.
When Sergio was asked how he felt about having such a large following and audience he simply replied, “I try not to focus on that, when I do my show, I focus on talking to one person at a time.“ Although he likes the idea of having such a dedicated, large audience he explains, “My main goal is to have Brazilian music played everywhere.â€
This intimate and cultural experience of the “Brazilian Hour” is now available online 24 hours a day; this is such a great way for Sergio to stay connected to his audience and Brazilian music lovers alike.
When asked what Sergio personally listens to he replies, “I listen to classical music on the drive to work, indie rock in the afternoon, and Brazilian music all the time,†enthuses Sergio. “Music is a state of mind.â€
It is this fresh perspective and attitude about his love for world music that keeps Sergio’s audience growing, interested, and wanting more.
