Four Months Till Brazilian Music Day!

There are only four more months till Sept 7, Brazilian Music Day.  Already the ARChive has catalogued over 14000 recordings, created links for 2500 artists and related industry organizations and pulled together over 700 videos!    http://www.youtube.com/user/BrazilianMusicDay/videos?view=pl

So please send us your releases and do SOMETHING on Brazilian Music Day – perform, create, dance, give a talk or a concert, host a workshop, sing on the beach.  Have a look at the ideas for contributors and get in touch with Beco or B.  Thanks…

Spok Frevo Orquestra

You know, every time you think you know a little bit about music, you learn you don’t.  A recent complete surprise and delight was the US debut of the Spok Frevo Orquestra at Lincoln Centers free atrium concert last Thursday night.  I’m afraid to ask if maestro Inaldo Cavalcante de Albuquerque’s nickname ‘Spok’ might be a pointy-eared reference, and come to think of it he did keep his hat on most of the evening…  Regardless this 17 piece orchestra took the NY audience where they have never gone before.

The Orquestra hails from Pernambuco (where all the best wood, for all the best violin bows in the world come from).  Riffing off charted arrangements, this carnival street music is transformed through straight up melody, improvisational solos and the hallmark big band four saxophones rising in unison to blow right at you.  One middle-of-a-song duet featured a sax and clarinet in a decidedly Baroque-Italianette language.  The pace is merenge-like and the result is a hyperkanetic kick that says you should be dancing.  This is a far cry from the string based instrumentals, now super-electric, trio electrico frevo carnival music you may have heard.  Then again frevo began when a brass military band in the early 1900s decided to amp up a march, transforming itself into a pepband.  The word frevo is variously derived from and implying; fever, excite and boil.

Spok Frevo Orquestra are back in New York up in Purchase on March 29th and you learn more about the group and see their remaining US schedule @ http://vo-music.com/artiste.php?id=47&lang=en

A quick word about the LC David Rubenstein Atrium.  The sound is great, the setting intimate, Target sponsors a free show there every Thursday and its booked by the best ear in the biz who consistently brings wonderful music to New York, Bill Bragin.

Thanks to Lucy Silva and NicholasLucciani for supplying photos from the show.

NEWS from Brazil – ONG dona de vasto arquivo da MPB planeja shows para a semana de 7 de setembro

An interview we made last September in NYC and Rio, for Brazil ‘s largest media company, O Globo, was published today in the print + online version of the newspaper.   Now I am loath to ever read anything written about ARC -  I just check the dates, thank the writer (Thanks Carlos!), wait for friends to tell you that you sounded smart, dumb, right-on or wrong.  My comments and correction is brackets, and by the way an NGO is EU for a not-for-profit, and in Brazil is ONG, pronounced, “on-geh.”

So here’s the link: http://oglobo.globo.com/cultura/musica-brasileira-tera-dia-em-sua-homenagem-em-nova-york-3644699#ixzz1jFhR5QjP

Here’s the Google translation (bless their heart).  Hope you like it and spread the word about Brazilian World Music Day NEXT September…

Brazilian music has day in his honor in New York

NGO owns vast archive of MPB plans shows for the week of Sept. 7

Carlos Albuquerque       Posted: 12/01/12 – 7:53 a.m.

Bob George, a researcher, creator of the event and founder of NGO Arc, which has one of the largest collections of U.S. pop music: disc collection of 21 000 Brazilian Disclosure [B sez: my guess is they  mean, 'discs']

Independence Day of Brazil will become “independence day”. The next September 7th will be remembered in the United States – more precisely, in New York – as the World Day of Brazilian music. The initiative is the American NGO Arc (Archive of Contemporary Music), a research and documentation that meets at its headquarters in Manhattan, one of the largest collections of pop music in the U.S. with more than two million recordings – vinyl , CD and even cassette tapes – not to mention books, magazines, videos, movies and photos.

In partnership with Columbia University, the organizers of the Brazil World Music Day is intended to promote the week’s events, shows, seminars and lectures, and create a website with information about artists from nearly every genre, from rock to bossa nova, through electronic and forro.

- The interest in Brazilian music has always been constantly abroad. There has never been a fall, and this motivated us to create this date – said Bob George, a researcher, founder and creator of the Arc of the event, alongside Brazilian Beco Dranoff. – Our idea is to make the most of the time activities, including shows in New York and other capitals.

Producer of the single “O Superman,” Laurie Anderson [B sez:: I released the recording, not the producer] which launched in 1981, Bob George created the Arc in 1985 with the sole purpose of not having to throw out the vast collection he had acquired throughout life, especially during the time that was a radio DJ.

- I had about 50 000 records, most of soul, hip-hop and rock. I did not want to sell that stuff and see it diluted or lost in bookstores around. And he had nowhere to store it. As any music lover, I have much attachment for my records – says George. – I tried to give everything for some institutions, but none showed interest. Then I decided to create, even I, an institution from this material.

With the help of some friends, George got money to rent a warehouse and lay the foundations of Arc. The few, those same friends – distinguished people such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, Keith Richards, Nile Rodgers, Paul Simon and Martin Scorsese – were donating items from their own collections. Today, part of the team of Arc, as advisers or consultants.

- Their contribution was incredibly valuable and gave us the support we can grow. In addition, they gave a material of incredible historic value – tells George. – We have, for example, a fantastic collection of blues, courtesy of Keith Richards, the soundtrack of “Taxi Driver”, on vinyl, signed by Robert De Niro, and a large collection of singles from the early days of dance music.

Used by Hollywood Collection

For lack of structure, the files of the Arc are not fully open to the public and can be found only through a request online ( www.arcmusic.org ) or directly on site.

But the material has been used in research programs for the BBC, HBO, VH1, and CBS, and numerous Hollywood productions.

- We have a dedicated team of volunteers, including some technicians, who have helped us to catalog and organize this material, and we hope to fully open the files to the public soon. The partnership with Columbia University has been very valuable in this sense – says George.

Annual contributions of collectors around the world – the U.S. and Japan in particular – have increased the assets of the Arc, so that the institution becomes, increasingly, a reference pop culture preservation. The Arc has about 21 000 records of Brazilian music, most donated by a collector of St. Paul [Sao Paulo] during a visit to the country of George [I WISH there was a country of George!] at the end of 2011.

- There is [not] a Ministry of Culture in the U.S. as it exists in Brazil. There is therefore a clear policy of the authorities on the preservation of cultural material, especially pop music, which many institutions in the U.S. believe, mistakenly, of little value – says George. – We run the risk of going through the same problem as the film industry has for some time, when he discovered that many films produced in 50 years had been lost by neglect or poor maintenance. We can not just throw out the first single on vinyl, Madonna, or just stick with your digital file on a cloud. In the future, it will have a great historical value.

Gil @ NYPL

Friday evening I attended an event focusing on one of my favorite Brazilian artists, Gilberto Gil.  This casual conversation was part of the excellent “Live from the NYPL” series at the New York Public Library, curated and hosted by Paul Holdengräber.  We were treated to glimpses into the creative process, the room sprinkled with song as Gil occasionally illustrated points in time with music.

Both Paul and Gil were charming and smart.  The interview leaned too much towards other musicians, mostly well-known rockers who influenced Gil.  Understandable I think in terms of the audience, an effort perhaps to offer familiar references and context. I would have liked to have heard more about negotiating art in a dictatorship, or perhaps the journey Gil made from outside agitator to government employee as a one-term Minister of Culture.  After all ‘Western’ performers who sling lyrics at power know their efforts register as entertainment, earning a governmental shrug over a ticket out-of-town.  But Gil, like Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Thomas Mapfumo, Manno Charlemagne and countless others faced realworld consequences when their music addressed corruption, abuse and neglect.  Gil’s status in Brazil rests not only on the grace and beauty of his art, but in remaining relevant over a long stretch of time.  Few elder statesmen avoid being a nostalgia act.

One brilliant touch, invigorating a familiar format, was having the interview rendered on paper in real time by artist Flash Rosenberg. Eventually a short animated film will be made, with added touches and music.

You can view some video of past interviews @ vimeo.com/livenypl and see the remaining schedule @ http://www.nypl.org/events/live-nypl.  Thanks to everyone at NYPublic for letting us use the illustration above, created during the talk.   All about Gilberto Gil can be found @ http://www.gilbertogil.com.br/

There are over 100 recordings of Gil’s here at the ARChive.  Here’s a discography minus the Various Artists collections and guest shots…

•  A Arte Maior De Gilberto Gil  (Fontana, Brasil, 6470 537/8, 12″, vinyl disc-2Lp, 1975)

•  A Gente Precisa Ver o Luar   (WEA, Brazil, BR 38.180, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1981)

•  A Voz de Gilberto Gil  (Fontana, Brasil, 6488 111, 12″ , vinyl disc-Lp, 1981)

•  Acoustic  (Warner, Brazil, 82564-2, 5″, compact disc, 1994)

•  Antologia do Samba-Choro  [Gilberto Gil & Germano Mathias ]    (Philips, USA, 6349 361, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1978)

•  Ao Vivo em Tùquio (Live in Tokyo)  (Braziloid, USA, BR 4009, 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1987)

•  Brasil   [Joao Gilberto, Caetono Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethïnia]   (Warner Bros., USA, BSK 3613, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1981)

•  “Chororo” / “Respeita Januario”  (Elektra Records, Brazil, BR 12.024, 7″, vinyl disc-Single or Ep, 1978)

•  Dia Dorim Noite Neon  (Warner Bros, Brasil, BR 36.207 / 610.6012, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp     , 1985)

•  Doces Barbaros  [Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethania]  (Philips, Brasil , 6349 307/8, 12″, vinyl disc-2Lp, 1976)

•  Expresso 2222  (Fontana, Brazil, 6488 194, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1982)

•  Extra  (WEA Latina, WH 50128, 5″, compact disc, 1983)

•  Extra  (Warner, Brazil, BR 36198, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1983)

•  Gil Jorge  [Gilberto Gil, Jorge Ben].   (Verve, USA, 314 512 067 2,  5″, compact disc, 1975)

•  Gilberto Gil  (Abril Cultural, Brasil, n.n., 12″, vinyl disc-LP, 1982)

•  Gilberto Gil  (PolyGram, Brasil, , 12″, vinyl disc-Lp   , 1982)

•  Gilberto Gil  (Philips, Brazil, 6349.006, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp   , 1971)

•  Gilberto Gil  (Abril Cultural, Brasil, HMPB-13, 10″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1977)

•  Gilberto Gil  (Fontana, Brasil, 6488 147, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1982)

•  Le Troubadour du BrÄsil  (Warner Jazz, France, WE 889, 5″, compact disc, 1997)

•  Music from the film Me You Them  (Atlantic, USA, 83430-2, 5″, compact disc, 2000)

•  Nightingale   (Elektra, USA, 6E-167, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1979)

•  O Eterno Deus Mu Danìa   (WEA, Brasil, 670.8059, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1989)

•  Personalidade  (Philips, Brazil, 832 216-1, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1987)

•  Quanta  (Mesa/Blue Moon. USA, , 5″, compact disc, )

•  Quanta  (WEA, Brazil, 063018644-2, 5″, compact disc-2CD, 1997)

•  Quilombo (trilha sonora)  (WEA International, France, 251632-1, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1984)

•  Raìa Humana  (Warner Bros., Brasil, BR 36.201, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1984)

•  Raìa Humana / Human Race  (WEA International, USA, WEA 1805, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1984)

•  Re, Sol Vida  (Warner Bros., Brasil, BR 26.133, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1985)

•  Realce  (WEA Latina, USA, WH 53068, cassette, 1979)

•  Realce  (WEA, Germany, 25.0038-1, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, n.d.)

•  Realce  (Elektra, Brasil, BR 32.038, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp     , 1978)

•  Refavela  (Philips, Brasil, 5349 329, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp     , 1977)

•  Refazenda  (PHILIPS, Brasil, 6349 152, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp     , 1975)

•  Soy Loco Por Ti America  (Braziloid, USA, BR 4000, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp   , 1988)

•  Temporada de verïo – ao vivo na Bahia  [Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa]  (Philips, Brasil, 6349 108, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1984)

•  The Eternal God of Change  (Tropical Storm, USA, WH 56620, 5″, compact disc, 1989)

•  Tropicçlia 2   [Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso]  (Philips, Brasil, 79339 , 12″, vinyl disc-Lp     , 1993)

•  Um Banda Um  (WEA Latina, USA, WH 50006, 5″, compact disc, 1982)

•  Um Banda Um  (Warner Bros, Brasil, BR 26.063, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp     , 1982)

•  Z300 Anos de Zumbi  (Blue Jackel Entertainment , 54634-2, 5″, compact disc, 2002)

Copacabana-Copenhagen

A nice little find this week, a 45rpm plastic record tote from the 1960s, purchased for a song, from the GREAT record shop in Copenhagen, Denmark, ACCORD Records!

Record Hunting in Brazil

While hob-nobbing with Katy Perry was fun, lets get down to the real nitty gritty of the ARC’s Brazilian trip; record hunting.  Our host was Allan Bastos, a collector and dealer from Rio+NYC.  Our point man was Beco Dranoff, a producer, DJ and filmmaker based in NYC + Sao Paulo who is heading up our Brazilian projects.  This dynamic duo made sure ARC met a great many collectors, artists, critics and label and record store owners in Brazil – all in preparation for ARC’s Brazilian World Music Day next September.

My first stop in Sao Paulo was the Galeria do Rock in the old center.  This building used to house a great many record stores, but now has given way to music accessories and swag depots.  More or less the first floor sells hip-hop, the 3d Metal (who could resist the cuddly Goth baby doll), and the 4^th floor rock.

And what floors!

One of the last remaining vinyl outlets is Baratos Afins (Cheap + Willing).  Started by Luiz Calanca in 1978, they rightly proclaim themselves an independent pioneer, as both label and retailer.   The store became a label when os Mutantes vocalist/bassist Arnaldo Baptista enlisted Calanca to release a solo LP.  Soon the store became known for releasing ‘underground’ music and rereleasing out-of-print LPs by os Mutantes and Tom Zé.  In time the label issued a wide range of genres: experimental, post punk, garage, modern pop, jazz and metal.

A big thanks to Mr. Calanca who donated a group of his rock and jazz LPs.  Naturally I couldn’t resist this Twist LP.

Another long-lived store specializing in Discos Vinil is Eric Records in the Pinheiros neighborhood of Sao Paulo.

One nice touch is the guitar mosaics in front of the store, continuing the theme of patterned sidewalks you see throughout the city.  Run by Eric Crauford, the shop is chock-a-block with new and vintage plastic, both local and international, surrounded by memorabilia, room after room deep.  By the way those RS 1.99= $1.10.

Beco, who had just produced the fabulous Red, Hot + Rio 2 album (listen or purchase here), was at Radio Eldorado doing an interview.  Later we toured their archive.  The very first record they ever received was by Tony Bennett, but I liked this one.

Here’s a shot of archivist Edgard Conçalves filing some 45s, who’s been here as long as, well, Tony Bennett.  You can listen to Radio E here.

The highlight of the Sao Paulo trip was a visit to a fabled collector who is relocating his 400,000 recordings – here they are, all boxed and labeled and getting ready to enter their new home.  ARC has offered to help to catalog this collection and a large donation of duplicate will be coming our way later this year.

The next day we were off to Rio to give a presentation (details next blog) at Studio X, a Columbia University initiative.   Outside their window we discovered this tidy street vendor where we found good things, in good condition, at about $1 an LP.  Like this gem featuring Baden Powell.

Another highlight was a tour of the Museu da Imagem e do Som  (MIS, Museum of Image and Sound) in Rio, a government supported institution since 1965.  The museum houses about 80,000 recordings, more than half of them 78 rpm discs.  This is a remarkable collection, yet to be cataloged and the metadata made available to the public – but the 78s are all digitized. They are in the process of building their new space (go two-blogs-back to see what the magnificent new building will look like) in the heart of Copacabana beach.   The goal is to offer interactive access to all the materials in a few years.   Thanks to VP Rachel Valença for her time and attention.  We also visited MIS in Sao Paulo, who’s concentration is more on image than on sound.  Thanks there to Paola de Marco.

A cultural organization in the Urca neighborhood is the Instituto Cultural Cravo Albin.  It’s a not-for-profit, called an ONG here (NGO in the EU), founded and run by Ricardo Cravo Albin in 2001.  Mr. Albin is best known for his encyclopedic Dictionary Cravo Albin da Música Popular Brasileira, published in 1997 and available online.

The Institute is built right into the base of Sugarloaf, the rock breaking into some of the rooms.  (I curse my camera, on the fritz that day).  One treat was a reconstruction of a 1930s radio studio, complete with transmitter and microphones reportedly used by a young Carmen Miranda.   A big thanks to Mr. Albin for the donation of some of his publications and the nice bottle of Champagne we had on his porch overlooking Rio.

On the last day in town we visited journalist and critic, Tarik de Souza.  Tarik has the usual wall-upon-wall of LPs, but here’s a peek at his room of reference files on Brazilian artists.  Mr. de Souza will offer an essay on sambalanço, a genre that emerged and was somewhat eclipsed with the bossa explosion, for our Brazilian World Music Day.

So we urge everyone to visit Brazil and to have a listen to the wide range of Brazilian music out there.  A good introduction is our pal Beco’s recent guest shot on NPR’s Alt. Latino program.  They call Beco a “Super Producer,” and he offers you a super taste of the new and wonderful music from Brazil.

Below is a list of the recordings ARC collected on this trip to Brazil.  You can see all of the Brazilian recordings at the ARC that we have catalogued (this is a beta version) so far @ http://arcmusic.heroku.com/brazil_albums?c=label&d=up

• Manezinho Araujo.   Nova Historia Da musica popular brasileira  (Abril Cultural, HMPB-62-B, 12″, vinyl disc-Lp, 1979)

• Nina Becker.   Azul  (YB music / Nucleo Contemporaneo, Brazil, AB0001000 / YBCD060, 5″, compact disc, )

• Nina Becker.   Vermelho  (yb Music / Nucleo Contemporaneo, Brazil, YBCD059 AB0001000, 5″, compact disc, )

• Jorge Ben.   “Natal Brasileiro (Que natal e esse)” / “Waimea”  (Somlivre, Brazil, 401.6135, 7″, vinyl disc-Single, 1978)

• Maria Bethania.   Talisma  (philips, 6328 302, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1980)

• Maria Bethania.   Drama  (Philips, 6349.050, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1972)

• Bocato.   Aqui Jazz Brazil  (Baratos Afins, Brazil, BA 044, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1989)

• Bocato.   Sonho de um anarquista  (Baratos Afins, Brazil, BA 034, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1987)

• Cafe Creme.   Beatles Disco  (Pathe Marconi, Brazil, S7PT-15.023, 7″, vinyl disc-Single or Ep, 1977)

• Silvio Caldas.   Cabelos Brancos  (CBS – brazil, 70001, 12″, vinyl disc-, n.d.)

• Candeia.   Seguinte…: Raiz   (discobertas, Brazil, DB-080, 5″, compact disc, 2011)

• Beth carvalho.   Beth Carvalho  (Tapecar, LP- X – 19, 12″, vinyl disc-, n.d.)

• The Clevers.   Encontro com Clevers (Twist)  (Continental, Brazil, PPL-12.083, 12″, vinyl disc-, n.d.)

• Andreia Dias.   Vol. 02  (Scubidu , SDU-010, 5”, compact disc, n.d.)

• Andreia Dias.   Vol. 1  (Scubidu , SDU001, 5”, compact disc, n.d.)

• Gilberto Gil.   “Chororo” / “Respeita Januario”  (Elektra Records, Brazil, BR 12.024, 7″, vinyl disc-Single, 1978)

• Earl Grant.   This Magic Moment  (Decca, 012.116, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1969)

• dani gurgel e novos compositores.   agora  (Boranda, BA 0006, 5”, compact disc, 2009)

• dani gurgel .   Nosso  (Boranda, BA 0005, 5”, compact disc, 2008)

• Seu Jorge.   Musicas Para Churrasco Vol. 1  (Cafune, Brazil, 60252775092 / AA0040000, 5″, compact disc, 2011)

• Kafka.   Musikanervosa  (Baratos Afins, Brazil, BA 032, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1987)

• Kafka.   obra dos Sonhos  (Baratos Afins, Brazil, BA 043, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1989)

• Gonzalo Labrado Trio.   Imagens Do Brasil  (Baratos Afins, Brazil, BA 039, 12″, vinyl disc-, n.d.)

• Miltinho .   Um Novo Astro  (Solar Fidelity, Brazil, LPP – 2004, 12″, vinyl disc-, )

• Miucha & Antonio Carlos Jobim.   Miucha and Antonio Carlos Jobim  (RCA Victor, 103.0213, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1977)

• Danilo moraes.   Danilo Moraes  (Scubidu, Brazil , SDU-007, 5”, compact disc, 2003)

• Danilo Moraes.   Danilo Moraes e as criados mudos  (Scubidu, Brazil, SDU-012, 5”, compact disc, 2010)

• Milton Nascimento and Jobim Trio.   Novas Bossas  (Blue Note, 50999 2 14817 2 7, 5”, compact disc, 2008)

• CLARA Nunes.   Alvorecer  (Odeon, Brazil, SMOFB 3835, 12″, vinyl disc, 1974)

• Andre Penazzi.   Orgao Samba Percussao  (Audio Fidelity, Brazil, DFM 3020, 12″, vinyl disc, )

• Percussivo mundo novo.   percussivo mundo novo  (Percussivo Mundo Novo, -, 5”, compact disc, n.d.)

• Elis Regina.   Em Pleno Verao  (Philips, R 765.112 L, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1970)

• Rock in Rio.   Rock In Rio  (–, –, 12″, vinyl disc-, 2011)

• Rubinho.   E Forca Bruta  (Nikita Music, Brazil, NIK001, 5″, compact disc, 2005)

• Raul Seixas.   “Judas” / “Magia De Amor”  (Warner, Brazil, BR 16.096, 7″, vinyl disc-Single, 1978)

• Rodrigo Sha.   Tom  (GO2MUSIC, Brazil, SHA 002, 5″, compact disc, )

• Jussara Silveira.   Entre o Amor e o Mar  (Maianga Discos, Brazil, MG2001c, 5″, compact disc, )

• Jussara Silveira.   Jussara  (Maianga Discos, Brazil, MG0701C / AB0003000, 5″, compact disc, )

• Jussara Silveira e Luiz Brasil.   Nobreza  (Maianga Discos, Brazil, MG1901C / AA0005000, 5″, compact disc, )

• Various Artists.   The New Brazilian Music  (BM&A, Brazil, BMA 2008/01, 5″, compact disc, 2008)

• Various Artists.   The New Brazilian Music  (BM&A, Brazil, BMA 2009/01, 5″, compact disc, 2009)

• Various Artists [ DJ MAM ].   BRazilianLounge RIO  (RIO Prefeitura, Brazil, –, 5″, compact disc, –)

• Vultos.   Filme da alma  (Baratos Afins, Brazil, BA 042, 12″, vinyl disc-, 1989)

• Tom Ze.   Todos os olhos  (Polysom, Brazil, 33069-1, 12″, vinyl disc-, 2010)

Books we added to the collection:

• Chico Buarque De Hollanda.   A Banda  (Livaria Francisco Alves, Brazil,1966).  Paper back. Brittle, spine cracking. Includes lyrics printed from handwritten pages.  Signed, Chico Buarque

• Caetano Rodrigues, Charles Gavin.   Bossa Nova E Outras Bossas : A Arte E O Design Das Capas Dos LPS  (Petrobras, Brazil, 2005).  Introduction by Ruy Castro.  Portuguese / English, 311 pages in 30×30 cm with clear plastic slipcase. 700 illustrated sleeves.  Signed by Charles Gavin to B. George. 23 September, 2011.

• Ricardo Cravo Albin.   Carioquice  (ICCA, Brazil,2011).  “Publicao Trimestral. Ano VII. N:29. Abr/Mai/Jun 2011″  Cultural magazine dealing with life in Rio de Janeiro. Includes articles on Gastronomy, Music, Theater, Urban Issues…

. Choro : Do Quintalo Ao Municipal (Exhibition)  (Faperj / UFF / Sectretarua De Estado De Cultura, Brazil, , ).  Pamphlet is from an art exhibition inspired by the book: Choro : Do Quintalo Ao Municipal (Choro : Cry of the City Yard) by the Author Hernique Cazes

• Lucio Rangel.   Jacob : Revista Da Musica Popular No. 10  (Revista Da Musica Popular, Brazil, 1955).  No. 10 of a 13 part Periodical series.

• Lucio Rangel.   Leny Eversong : Revista Da Musica Popular No. 11  (Revista Da Musica Popular, Brazil, 1955).  No. 11 of a 13 part Periodical series.

• Oito Batutas, Mariza Lira, Fernando Lobo, Clemente Netto, Muniz Sondre. • Pixinguinha – 70 : Cadernos Da Música Popular Brasileira N. 1.  Periodical. Approximately 20p. Collection of Articles about the musician Alfredo da Rocha Viana Jr. aka Pixinguinha. Includes “Bibliografia de Pixinguinha” on the back cover which includes bibliographic information on 16 books.

• Sergio Cabral.   Tom Jobim  (CBPO Campanhia Brasiliera De Projetos E Obras. Brazil, 8585144017, 1987).  Each chapter is first in Portuguese, then repeated in english. 89 pages of Black and White Illustrations. Discography included page 177-213

• Ricardo Cravo Albin.   Vinicius De Moraes  (ICCA, Brazil, 9788598706108, 2010).  Includes CD/DVD.  Signed with personal note to B. George

And

…when you leave Brazil, do pause and have a listen to the sexy, breathy announcetrix at the international airport – flight “niiiiine” “ooooooo0000h” “nniiiiinneeee” delivered in a telephone sex voice.   Maybe you should stay?

Me + Katy Perry

I lied yesterday in this blog; there were only 100,000 people at Rock In Rio yesterday.  That aside, the real mystery is how all of them, and nearly every one of them under 20, knew the words to Queen’s “Love of My Life”?  They threw a 1985 clip up on the big screen, and everyone just sang right along – proof that the Queen’s English still rules.

Entertainment hegemony aside, Rock in Rio was a delight.  The last big festival I attended was Woodstock, so this is not exactly my cup of tea (bowl of mate).  As the queue to the buses was more than four miles long we opted for a three mile hike to the site.  Sound was good, and the outdoor venue a-way out in Barra, was a manicured, astroturfed (they learned lessons from that muddy Woodstock) teenage playland.  The one day ticket price (R190, about $120.00, 600,000 sold-out in four days) meant that everyone was white and affluent.  One nice thing was that the sell-out meant the entire event was broadcast live, for free on TV.  One bad thing was when we spoke with a food concession person she said she earned $11.00 for a full day’s work.

Once de-sambaized, the kid Cariocas could be just another bunch of dorky suburban Americans, without an ounce of rhythm.  They did the pogo jump and swaying hands-above-the-head thing religiously, joyously, from 6 pm to 3 am, until we left after some beers and an ounce of Rihanna.  Clearly the big star was Katy Perry who was perky, sassy, polished – a quick change artist ably assisted by the on-stage aerobic class of characters now essential to amping up the excitement gap that mere singing and playing creates.  Everyone knew every word and cheered every new outfit.  If I was leery of the lasting value, I was taken by the effect, that the music did exactly what pop music has always done, made people happy.

                    Spunky samba schooler VS funky chicken @ Rock in Rio

I was happier the following evening at a samba school.  “Escola de samba” is a phrase meant to add a bit of academic legitimacy to communities, primarily made up of poor people in the poor neighborhoods (favelas), who march in a group at Carnival. Practically every city has schools and parades, but Rio is the mother load.  A theme is developed, a song chosen with costumes and floats created to reflect the themes – some frivolous, but mostly a lot more thought provoking than say, well, a Katy Perry song.   Historical overviews and serious social issues are often explored, complete with nudity and feathers, like all good lectures should be.

To see some nice pics of last years carnival go to: http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/03/rio-de-janeiro-carnival-2011/

Carnival 2012 begins Feb 17^th (145 days, 3 hours from now) and so all the schools are involved in contests to choose the best song to represent their chosen theme.  To raise money and spur interest the schools open up their cavernous rehearsal studios to allow gawkers, gringos and locals to mix, dance and party.  You pay to get in, to get a table to sit and for swag, food and drinks; VIPs in the balconies, you and me on the ground floor.

So, another long trek took me to the rehearsal hall of Salgueiro  (G.R.E.S. Acadêmicos da Salgueiro) in Tijuca.  Formed in the 1950s, Salgueiro is nine times carnival champions in Rio, last winning in 2009.  Their motto is honest, “Not better, nor worse, just a different school” and their logo a snapshot of Brazilian essentials; TV, music and soccer.

Little shows by young dancers and some veterans provide breaks between competing songs.  All this and the fees earn income for the schools to pay for the elaborate and costly floats and costumes necessary to successfully compete at Carnival.  Every item in the place, from napkins to chairs, are sponsored and covered in logos.  The tables are littered with lyric sheets from the various composers hoping for a vote that matters by members of the school, and that their samba will propel the school to victory.  Propel is the right word, as dancers defy physical laws of motion, speed and energy.

“Cordel Branco e Encarnado” (“Peacock White and Red” is Salgueiro’s theme this year and will reinterpret a poetic chapbook from the Northeast of the country, play off a popular telenovela with the same source, combine it with their booming batteria (drum corps), and flood the street with variations on “The Romance of the Mysterious Peacock”.  Lets see a real university try and do that!

                                    film of the batteria of Salgueiro – furioso

Remember ARC will host Brazilian World Music Day – Sept 7 – 2012

Allo Allo Brasil…

B. George here in Rio, typing near-but-not-on a beach, in the peculiar upmarket suburb that everyone insists in IN the city, Barra.  Just a quick note  before a visit to MIS, Rio’s (there is also one in Sao Paulo) Museum of Image and Sound.

While info on this institution that began in 1965 is almost non-existant, and it is difficult to find at its present location, the hub-bub surrounding the new building is monumental and well deserved.  They’ve adopted the NYU method of destroying a wonderful/dreadful/authentic music performance space (in this case the ditry, druggy, whorey, Discoteca Help) to preserve culture.

Our goal is to enlist their help in creating Brazilian World Music Day.  More later on our meetings and record collecting adventures soon.

Our hosts have gotten us Rock in Rio tickets, so me and 500,000 of my closest friends are off to see folks I would never see in any form, for any reason, under any circumstance.  But will enjoy the scene and the people.  Here’s a shot of Katy Perry arriving in Rio with a Carmen Miranda mask, obviously a big influence on her oeuvre…