Some weeks ago my good friend, Hans, forwarded a link to the inserted video below as a kind gesture according my birthday - enjoy this performance of a tune titled "Happy Birthday To Me"
The composer of this tune is Jarmo Romppanen, who plays the bandolim in the video and is the main soloist in the trio that is officially named Nordic Choro. The Nordic Choro trio is from Finland, Scandinavia, and the ensemble has a profile on MySpace including video performance and audio files of some of the music played by the group, most of it composed by Jarmo Romppanen, who also has a website about his various projects here. - Nordic Choro was founded in the Autumn of 2008 and consists of Jarmo Romppanen (10-string bandolim), Anders Perander (percussions, cavaquinho, banjo) and Fabio de Oliveira (7-string guitar).The repertoire of the ensemble consists mainly of contemporary compositions by Jarmo Romppanen. According to the info of the group-profile, Jarmo has been inspired by Brazilian choro music and musicians, and also influenced by nordic folk-fiddle styles. In the profile of Nordic Choro Jarmo also points to the background of the trio, quote: "If choro music would have been born in the Nordic countries in the late 19th century, it might be sounding like this at the beginning of the 21st. However – excepting the European ones – we didn´t have the same influences here in the North, so this is just a vision and nordic choro is an imaginary genre. Nonetheless, the group Nordic Choro is a real representative of the genre and there is no need to be too serious about different music styles. After all, music is for playing ;-)"
I really like the music played by the Nordic Choro trio, a positive surprise addition to the choro genre with a Nordic folkmusic-touch played by devoted and highly skilled musicians. The trio has just released their debut cd that I should like to have and review later; links to online-retailers of the cd are notated at the MySpace profile of Nordic Choro.
To give you further impressions of the music played by Nordic Choro, I'll insert a couple more of the videos uploaded at YouTube recorded during a live performance of the trio in April 2009 at the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki, Finland). Here is a performance of another composition by Jarmo Romppanen, "Backas the better"
The next tune is also composed by Jarmo Romppanen, "Safe & warm"
Finally, to end this small presentation of Nordic Choro, here is a performance of a composition by the Brasilian 7-string guitarist of the trio, Fabio de Oliveira - the title is "Atras do Prejuizo"
Returning from a break without internet and news media I learned late last night that Paulo Mourahas passed away on July 12 following a cancer desease (lymphoma), 77 years of age. The sad news was announced at his official website by André Vallias the following day and since then obituaries and appraisal articles have been published both in Brazil and the rest of the world. The music world has lost one of its greatest instrumentalists on the contemporary scene.
Paulo Moura was born in the interior of the state of São Paulo on July 15, 1932, as one of 10 siblings who all were taught to play different instruments by their father, himself a reed player. As a teenager Paulo moved to Rio de Jaineiro to study at the National School of Music and at the same time started to play in night clubs and on radio. By the late '50s he had won a spot as lead clarinetist in the orchestra of the Municipal Theater in Rio and at the same time he worked as an accompanist to visiting international artists. In 1978 he decided to quit the orchestra and from then on dedicated himself exclusively to a solo career. Over the next 30 years he made numerous recordings both under his own name and as an accompanist, he also composed music for television and films and occasionally appeared as an actor, in addition he further served as director of the Museum of Image and Sound for two years in the 1980s.
Paulo Moura was a master of both the clarinet and the saxophone excelling in different music styles covering jazz, choro, samba, bossa nova and classical. In 1992 he won a prize as best soloist in classical music, and in 2000 his live album dedicated to Pixinguinha was awarded a Latin Grammy. In 1962 Paulo Moura helped introducing the bossa nova in the US during a famous concert at Carnegie Hall together with Sergio Mendes a.o.. Later he had a close co-work with pianist Cliff Korman introducing their special mix of Gafieira and Jazz to an international public, and during his solo career he toured major parts of the world successfully. Marcello Gonçalves has expressed the versatility of Paulo Moura in short: "No matter where he was playing, he always maintained the same posture and this just added to his elegance."
I first learned about Paulo Moura from Mika Kaurismäki's documentary 'Brasileirinho, Choro in Rio' (2005) where he is featured as a soloist in sequences showing the gafieira/ballroom tradition alive, here is one of the memorable scenes showing Paulo Moura in great interplay with Daniela Spielman on soprano sax - the tune performed is "Chorinho pra Voce"
Paulo Moura had a distinct sound thanks to his Buffet Crampon Clear Lucite clarinet as documented in this video featuring a rendition of K-Ximbinho's "Ternura"
In remembrance of a great musician who has played an important part in the revival of choro on the contemporary music scene, here is a performance by Paulo Moura playing " Pro Paulo"
More info, discography, music and video material to be found at Paulo Moura's excellent website, click here
Fred Hersch, a US jazz piano player, released last year an album that fascinated me. The album is entitled Fred Hersch plays Jobim. Although not a pure Choro album, Fred Hersch dedicated it to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, the great Brazilian composer. In the liner notes Fred tells that he is a great fan of chorinhos - this fascinating for Choro music is to be heard in some of the tunes - enough reason to introduce you to this album. Fred Hersch is one of those jazz piano players who fascinate me. Although he plays and records since the early 1980s I learned about him and his music only a few years ago, thanks to the documentary Let Yourself Goes - The lives of Fred Hersch - a fascinating portrait of a gifted musician in his fight agains his HIV-infection. Last year I heard him in a concert with his Fred Hersch Trio + 2at the North Sea Jazz Festival, in Rotterdam. For this performance Fred had invited two horn players, Ralph Alession trumpet and flugelhorn and Tony Malabyon tenor saxophone. The photos used in this contribution are made, with a simple digital camera, during this concert.Fred Hersch ( North Sea Jazz Festival ( Rotterdam) July 2009( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
Last year Fred released a solo album dedicated to Antonio Carlos Jobim. But few people won't have ever heard the music of Jobim. His bossa nova styled songs like the Girl from Ipanema, Desafinado or Meditation, to list some well known themes, are well known and where all part of the pop charts of the 1960s. Thebossa nova, a mix of Brazilian music and jazz, to keep it simply, was introduced by musicians like Astrud Gilberto, Charlie Byrd, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz. I told about this period in a contribution aboutEliane Elias' tribute to 50 years Bossa Nova In the liner notes Fred tells that he was introduced to the Bossa Nova by a local guitar player Kenny Poole. This men died a few years ago and I found a fragment where you can here him playing.
He learned to play the Brazilian rhythms by drummer Edison Machado. He was one of the first to transfer the rhythms of the Bossa Nova, the Samba, and the Baiao to the drum set. He met Edison at a gig at the New York club Cachaca: I was lucky to be taught on the bandstand by a real master: Edison Machado. During Fred's career he visited Brasil three times and played with Leny Andrade, the great Brazilian singer who often played with the Sergo Mendes band Sexteto Bossa Rio. In Brazil Fred Hersch learned more about Choro. I am a huge fan of chorinhos - the equivalent of Brazilian ragtime - and have learned many of them and written some of my own.Fred Hersch at the North Sea Jazz Festival - Rotterdam ( July 2009)( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
Around 1870 in Rio de Janeiro ( Brazil) a new musical style emerged that would become one of the most creative musical manifestations in Brazil. Choro was primarily an instrumental form, and to a North American ear it might sound a little like a small Dixieland jazz combo playing with strange rhythms, extreme melodic leaps, unexpected modulations, and occasional breakneck tempos. Interestingly, choro's development in Brazil slightly predated the rise of ragtime and jazz in North America. Choro and jazz were both characterized in part by their use of improvisation and African-derived musical elements.( source: Choro: Improvisation South of New Orleans in The Billboard Book of Brazilian Music by Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha p. 151 )
Fred Hersch at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam ( July 2009)( photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
In the album Fred Hersch plays JobimFred didn't want to play only the well known tunes, already listed above, but also some of the lesser known Jobim compositions. One of those less known tunes is O Grande Amor, which he learned from Stan Getz, who recorded it several times ( like in Sweet Rain, March 1967). I played briefly with Stan Getz in the mid-1980s and it was from him that I learned O Grande Amor. It is now one of the tunes I like the best. It starts almost like a classical Debussy-etude before it developed into a more swinging rhythmical theme. Fred Hersch was allowed to make a choice from the hundreds of compositions archived in the Jobim estate. This album contains nine tracks - all tunes were composed by Jobim, but Fred's version is not a copy of the originals. He made a selection of lesser known tunes like Por Toda Minha Vida and Luiza and some more known themes like Meditacao, Insensatez and Desafinado. The latter surprises as it contains rhythms and harmonies you don't expect in this well known theme - Fred says that he was inspired by the Brazilian rhythms he had heard. His interpretation of the slow tunes are more like a meditation - almost introverted, like Bill Evanswould have played it, but the more rhythmical up-tempo tunes like Desafinado and in Brigas Nunca Mais, one of the tunes that surprised me too, the rhythms and harmonies seem to be inspired by the Choro music. On this tune, Hersch is accompanied by percussionist Jamey Haddad. This album was recorded at Ambient Studio in Stamford CT and Hersch plays on a well tuned and great sounding Steinway piano. Love to share with you the tune Insensatez as played by Hersch on this album, dedicated to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Reading through so much of his music reinforced my belief that Jobim is one of the great composers of the 20th century regardless of genre. His bittersweet harmonies, fabulous melodies and superb craftsmanship are evident in everything he writes.( Fred Hersch in the liner notes of Fred Hersch plays Jobim)
What happens when two aces of the violão sete cordas ( the acoustic seven string guitar) get together to make music? The answer to that question is the word 'magic', at least considering the contained recordings on the new cd featuring Yamandú Costa and Valter Silva, a marvellous example of preservation of the special and rare moments when mutual understanding and creative craftmanship reaches a level of magic leaving the listener with a feeling of endless happiness - and a gratitude beyound words. The cd has a special background according to the liner notes by Marcello Gonçalves, well known seven string guitarist of Trio Madeira Brasil, quote: " At a celebration for my birthday in 2004, besides all of the usual suspects, I invited Valter Silva, who still hadn't met Yamandu. (...) The two of them got to know each other, began playing and the party halted in its tracks as everyone stopped to listen. That magic, which we are always searching for, but never know when it will appear, appeared. After everything went back to normal, Yamandu and I looked at each other and said, "We have to record this." And that's exactly what we did. During the sessions we were always searching for that special magic. When it didn't appear, we would move on to another piece and come back to it on another day. It was a fast process but done without being in a rush.- This CD shows the energy of the 70-year-old Valter and the maturity of Yamandu's 30 years. It is an homage to the music of Rio de Janeiro, to the 7 string acoustic guitar, and to Valter himself, a true artist of this music and this instrument."
The cd is produced by Marcello Gonçalves and contains 13 tracks of delightful interplay between Yamandú and Valter, the music is well chosen from a repertoire of classic choros and features performance of compositions by Dilermando Reis, João Pernambuco, Pixinguinha, Jacob do Bandolim, Canhoto da Paraíba a.o.. The set-up of the duo sessions has Yamandú playing the melody while Valter contributes accompaniment adding marvellous modulation and fill ins. Both musicians are left space for improvisation and embellishment and even though Yamandú is playing lead, Valter also gets the chance to show off his ability as a soloist and a great improvisator on the seven string guitar. The performances are very balanced, the two musicians have the ability to listen to each other while playing and create wonderful variations of the musical themes 'on the spot of the moment', the result is magic and a perfect cd, highly recommended. - The cd is available for purchase here and you also have the opportunity to listen to all tracks in streaming audio at Rádio UOL, click here
I have not been able to find uploaded videos featuring Yamandú and Valter performing together, however, to give you an impression of Valter Silva's capacity as a master of the seven string guitar, to end this I'll insert a couple of examples where he is featured. - Here is a fragment of a rehearsel with guitarist Guilherme Lamas, the music performed is a composition by João dos Santos, "Paulista"
Here is a fragment from a live performance/roda da choro featuring Valter Silva, the music performed is Pixinguinha's "Um a zero"
Finally, here you have a performance of Pixinguinha's "Cochichando", Valter Silva in interplay with Ronaldo Santos (cavaquinho) and João Rafael (pandeiro)
Nailor Proveta (Nailor Aparecido Azevedo, b 1961) is a highly estimated Brasilian reed player, composer, arranger and director, who has conducted a career in Brazil both as a sought after instrumentalist and as a founder and leader of the São Paulo based big band Banda Mantiqueira excelling in updated versions of Brasilian music. Proveta has a high place among the best musicians of Brazil. He learned the musical notes before he could write the letters of the alphabet, and at 6 years of age, he was already playing the clarinet. As mentioned, he is the leader and arranger of the big band Banda Mantiqueira, formed in 1991 and nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance in 1998 and again in 2006. Proveta has been playing with some of the best artists in Brazil and also with international artists, such as Joe Williams, Anita O’Day, Bobby Short, Benny Carter, Natalie Cole, Ray Conniff,a.o.. Proveta has also been working intensively in recording studios as a player and arranger and has participated in hundreds of recordings of the most important Brazilians artists.- Musically, Proveta is deeply rooted in choro and the traditional styles of Brasilian music, and to give you an impression of Proveta performing in this context here is a live recording from a oncert arranged by Instrumental SESC Brasil. Nailor Proveta's quintet features Carlos Roberto (piano), Edimilson Capelupi (7 string acoustic guitar), Cléber Almeida (percussion), Jericó (trompet and flugel horn) and Proveta (clarinet and sax), the tune played is "Cochichando", a classic choro by Pixinguinha
Proveta released his first solo cd in 2006, "Tocando para o Interior" featuring arrangements of traditional Brasilian music styles, last year his secound solo issue, "Brasileiro Saxofone" (Acari Discos), was released.
The disc is a result of a project conducted by Proveta. For a long time he has cherished the idea of dedicating a whole album to the saxophone and its story in Brazil. The cd is a result of the project that also has included workshops and concerts to share information and experience with other musicians and a public interested in learning more about the instrument's role in Brasilian popular music. The repertoire of the disc ranges from nineteenth century pioneers such as Anacleto de Medeiros (1866-1907) to contemporary composers such as Christovão Bastos, Mauricio Carrilhos and Proveta himself and includes also a handful of great twentieth century musicians such as: Pixinguinha, Radamés Gnattali, César Guerra-Peixe, as well as a few others specially linked to the saxophone: Moacir Santos, K-Ximbinho, Luis Americano and Ratinho. A website devoted to the project (- both in Portuguese and English) is available clicking here, here you can also read more about the single tracks of the cd and listen to sound clips including two unissued compositions.
The saxophone in contemporary music is mostly connected with jazz and the great American performers of the instrument, however, the instrument has a story outside this field in compositonal/erudite music and popular music as well, and if you are looking for examples of the instrument's importance and story in Brazil, the cd by Nailor Proveta is a great source featuring arrangements of music of high quality challenging a jazz infected ear to take the advantage of a closer listening. The cd is highly recommended as an example of the serious work being maintained by great musicians to preserve and relive an important field of the rich Brasilian music tradition. - Below is inserted an example of the music at the disc from a live presentation at a concert last year at the IX Festival de Música de Ourinhos. Proveta (sax) is accompanied by Mauricio Carrilho ( ac.7 string guitar) and Paulo Aragão (guitar) and the piece performed is a composition by Radamés Gnattali, "Caminho da saudade"
.jpg)
Some weeks ago my good friend, Hans, forwarded a link to the inserted video below as a kind gesture according my birthday - enjoy this performance of a tune titled "Happy Birthday To Me".jpg)
I really like the music played by the Nordic Choro trio, a positive surprise addition to the choro genre with a Nordic folkmusic-touch played by devoted and highly skilled musicians. The trio has just released their debut cd that I should like to have and review later; links to online-retailers of the cd are notated at the MySpace profile of Nordic Choro..jpg)
To give you further impressions of the music played by Nordic Choro, I'll insert a couple more of the videos uploaded at YouTube recorded during a live performance of the trio in April 2009 at the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki, Finland). Here is a performance of another composition by Jarmo Romppanen, "Backas the better"
