Popular Bossa Nova Star Astrud Gilberto Dies at 83
Image courtesy of musicfactory-berlin.org
What. A. Legend.
Astrud Gilberto, whose bubbly and dreamy song that brought bossa nova to the United States with the song “The Girl From Ipanema” passed away late Monday night (June 5) at the age of 83. No cause of death was given.
Paul Ricci, a collaborator with Gilberto, confirmed the news on social media. He had been asked to announce it by Gilberto’s son Marcelo.
“She was an important part of ALL that is Brazilian music in the world and she changed many lives with her energy.”
Astrud’s granddaughter, musician Sofia Gilberto wrote on Facebook translated from Portuguese: “I love and will love Astrud eternally and she was the face and voice of bossa nova on most of the planet. Astrud will forever be in our hearts, and in this moment we have to celebrate Astrud.”
She was born on March 30, 1940 as Astrud Evangelina Weinertin in Salvador, Bahia, and was raised in Rio by the daughter of a German father and a Brazilian mother. When she was 19, she married the bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto in 1959. The marriage did not last long, but she managed to keep his name for the rest of her life.
A smart move.
Very smart move.
An open-air pub where the lyrics to Garota de Ipanema was the birthplace to the song. Ironically, the pub has been renamed for the song ever since.
Her big break came with tagging along with Stan Getz in 1963. João Gilberto went to New York to record the album Getz/Gilberto. Producer Creed Taylor wanted to record a version of the Brazilian song “Garota De Ipanema” in English, and Astrud’s father was a language professor. He was the only Brazilian during that session who spoke English. Prior to this, Astrud had never recorded anything before the song that would become a dreamy, bubbly, and effervescent single around the world.
With the “Ahhhhh” sound added on in helping make many guy’s hearts beat a bit faster, the song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and ended up winning the Grammy for Song Of The Year.
Astrud Gilberto was reportedly paid nothing for recording “The Girl In Ipanema,” but the song’s success managed to lead to a movie career which included the film Don Siegel’s The Hanged Man, and played herself in the 1964 movie Get Yourself A College Girl.
She released her debut album The Astrud Gilberto Album in 1965. Around that time, Astrud moved full time to the United States shortly after divorcing João. She toured with Stan Getz, and she continued to record over the rest of the 20th century. In 1966 she worked with Quincy Jones on the soundtrack for the Sidney Lumet spy thriller The Deadly Affair. In 1996, Gilberto teamed up with the late George Michael of Wham! fame on the Brazilian song “Desafinado” for the benefit compilation Red Hot + Rio.
The Guardian mentioned in their obituary that:
“She never enjoyed massive success as a soloist, but was a prolific artist and continued to collaborate with other major musicians. She began writing her own songs in the 1970s, and her 1977 album, That Girl from Ipanema, included a duet with the jazz trumpeter Chet Baker on one of her songs, “Far Away.”
In the early 1980s she formed a band that included her son Marcelo playing bass, and in 1987 she recorded an album with the James Last Orchestra that included several of her own new songs, including “Champagne & Caviar”.
In 2002 she was inducted into the Latin Music Hall of Fame, and released what would be her final album, Jungle, which featured 10 of her original new songs. She also announced she was taking “indefinite time off” from public performances…In 2008 she was awarded a lifetime achievement Grammy by the Latin Recording Academy.”
She is survived by Marcelo, her son with João Gilberto, and her son Gregory, from another relationship.
Here are a few other hit songs from her illustrious career and the reviews I did profiling her most famous albums.
For many years she was the voice of the former Eastern Airlines and appeared in their TV commercials.
Here is the audio from some of those ads:
May she RIP as she forever joins Gal Costa in heaven.
Adriana Calcanhotto Leaves Zero Doubt With Errante
Image courtesy of celulapop.com.br
Veteran singer-songwriter came out with a really cool album on March 31, where the translated title simply means “Wandering.”
It felt like a seamless look through some calm songs, that is until you arrived at the fifth track where she went a bit Jimi Hendrix met Styx type of arrangement for a bulk of the song “Era Iisso o Amor?” (translated meaning “Was That Love?”
Rather, I would say what’s not to love? Track six brings on vibes that Monica da Silva and her husband Chad Alger when they are constantly traveling throughout their home state of California on “Lovely”–brisk, carefree, very light and calm melodies.
And that is the general theme of the final three tracks. The overall length of this album is around 38 1/2 minutes and is a definite must listen. This album, along with most of her discography is available streaming wise on Spotify and Apple Music in addition for purchase on Amazon, eBay and other online outlets.
******************************************************************************************
SPECIAL NOTE: This blog is dedicated to the memory of Rita Lee, who passed away on May 9 at the age of 75. Spanning a career lasting six decades, this supreme vocalist and multi-instrumentalist was one of the first Brazilian artists to record with an electric guitar.
Perhaps her biggest claim to fame was being a founding member of the Tropicália group Os Mutantes, who was regarded as Brazil’s “Queen of Rock.” In later years, as what Chris DeVille mentioned on Stereogum as, “she found the title tacky and preferred to be known as “Patron Saint of Freedom.”
Lee formed Os Mutantes in 1966 alongside brother duo Arnaldo Baptista and Sérgio Dias Baptista. In 1968, they released their self titled album, which combined pop along with elements of fusing psychedelia and experimental techniques such as distortion, feedback, and musique concrète (concrete music). The album includes songs co-written by Brazilian legends like Jorge Ben, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, as well as originals penned by the trio.
Many American rock artists have cited the group as important influences, such as Dvid Byrne, Of Montreal, and the late Kurt Cobain.
As for her solo work, Lee issued her first solo album titled Build Up in 1970, followed by 30 albums between 1972 to 2021. She soon would be participating with her backing band Tutti Frutti before working alongside her husband in 1979. During that time, she spent a year on house arrest for possession of marijuana. Roberto de Carvalho and Rita issued many LPs as Rita Lee & Roberto. Lee composed, played, and sang on a number of different instruments, including piano, harmonica, autoharp, piano, and drums. Her final solo album, Reza in 2012 was the final year of performing for live audiences. Her last single was in 2021 with Lee and de Carvalho released song called “Change,” (link leads to the video on YouTube) along with remixes of Lee’s most memorable works.
I also profiled in one of my earliest blogs from a 2009 concert Multishow Ao Vivo where I talked about her many talents that commanded quite a stage presence:
She will be missed.
Read more: Adriana Calcanhotto Leaves Zero Doubt With ErranteArtist Worth Checking Out: Roupa Nova
This True Crystal Persuasion Is An Awesome Album For Any Time of the Year
Image courtesy of genius.com
Taking a much needed small break from the normal jazz blogs that I enjoy covering, I wanted to profile this soft rock band that might remind some of The Monkees from the late 1960’s, Toto from the 1980’s, and Def Leppard in more modern times.
Their band name translated means “New Clothes.” I am one fan who knows that seeing on YouTube the various costume changes within 30 seconds or less is a definite skill. Just take a look at Taylor Swift from her 1989 World Tour and you will see why.
The group started in 1970, under the name Os Famks, by keyboard player Cléberson Horsth, vocalist and bassist Nando, Kiko on guitars who also does vocals, and the last singer Paulinho who died on December 14, 2020 due to complications stemming from COVID-19.
Their first single was titled Hoje ainda é dia de Rock (Today is still the day for Rock). They changed their name to Os Motokas in 1975. Joining the band was keyboardist and guitarist Ricardo Feghali along with drummer Serginho Herval.
According to their Wikipedia page, the current band name was a suggestion of record producer Mariozinho Rocha–shortly after signing with Polygram Records.
They began to hit superstar status in the 1980’s, with Brazilian hits such as Sapato Velho (Old Shoe), Whisky-a-Go-Go, Linda Demais (So Beautiful), Volta pra Mim (Come back to me), and Videogame. They also composed many memorable theme music for telenovelas produced by Globo TV, the most popular fee to air network in all of Latin America.
Their eighth album from the 1980’s titled Roupa Nova em Londres, released in 2009 commemorated by their recording sessions at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London. That album won them the Latin Grammy for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album, joining an elite group that includes Sergio Mendes (twice), Anavitória (also twice), Seu Jorge, Céu, Tiago Iorc, and 2022’s winner Bala Desejo.
They produced two more albums until a 5 DVD plus 1 EP set came out in 2013.
The album I profiled is from November 2016, and features many memorable hits sung in Portuguese:
Track 3: Vem Me Descobrir (“Daydream Believer” by The Monkees)
Track 6: Medo Medo (“What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye)
Track 10: Voce, o Surf e Eu (“Surfer Girl” by The Beach Boys)
But they also did an awesome cover on Track 4, “My Eyes Adored You” by Frankie Valli
The title track is on Track 14, and it wraps up with O Jeito de Viver (“The Way To Live”.
Lasting over an hour, this would be an excellent addition to your New Year’s Eve playlist or any other time you feel like partying.
************************************************************
Well, 2022 brought with it Brazil’s Bicentennial, their election in defeating their version of The Jerk that occupied the White House between 2017-2020 who talked a lot like Trump (if you could believe it since their COVID hospitalizations and deaths were anywhere between 3 to 4 times more than in the United States since this pandemic began.)
And the year closed out on December 9 in a shocking loss to the country who would finish third in the Croatians tied 1-1, but was eliminated 4-2 on penalty kicks at the World Cup futbol tournament (Americans know it well as soccer) tournament in Qatar (whether you pronounce as Kah TAR, or my preference as Cutter, the bug spray normally used in the summer months around trees and what I did during the 2010’s in spraying bushes aligning the edges of my home prior to mowing my large back yard.)
At least, we no longer have to put up with NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning getting angry over explaining to that one devoted soccer man (can anyone please tell me who that name is from the Doritos ad?)
However, the moment he took him outside and saw all of those fans screaming at the top of their lungs–I would have felt the same way, dumbfounded and perplexed.
You see, ladies and gentlemen–soccer may be the most popular sport throughout the world. But if you noticed here in the USA, it is football aka the “Pigskin” has been setting records right and left in terms of overall ratings and popularity with each passing week.
And of course, the chatter began after Thanksgiving all thanks to NBC News political commentator turned sports chatter in Steve Kornacki. Each Sunday night when Football Night in America, he stands at an LED board saying which AFC and NFC teams have this certain percentage to make the playoffs.
Makes for riveting television, that is you check ESPN for their FPI Index (football performance index, of which they are extremely accurate both during the week and especially after the games.)
Not to get too cocky, but basketball does a similar thing. Similar to FIFA, the NCAA has been known as a corrupt organization and the way they conduct their draw has drawn lots of controversy. In other words, it feels like a 20th century circus.
Meanwhile, if you have been following my other blog (and I recommend that you check it out) since a new president will be taking over on March 1, 2023:
Hope better news will come from Congress as our future leaders will hopefully take advantage not just with NIL, but also trying to get that quality education so they can succeed in the always complex links of a chain we call life.
Again, I plan to blog here at least once but no more than 2 times a month due to my somewhat hectic schedule online and maybe some possible life changes offline.
Thank you again to all of my fans and supporters through the years. You have all meant the world to me, and who knows–maybe if some of my favorite artists return with newer material, I will definitely plan to be one of the first people to interview after their usual press obligations.
Happy Holidays and I will see you again in 2023.
Artists Worth Checking Out: Marilyn Scott
Marilyn Scott was born in Altadena, California on December 21, 1949. She began performing in local clubs when she was 15. She attended college on an art scholarship after moving to San Francisco. She fronted some famous Top 40 and Latin jazz bands around the San Francisco Bay area. Emilio Castillo of Tower of Power found how promising her voice was and that led her to being hired doing backing vocals with the horn-based band. As a result of those recording sessions, she relocated back to Los Angeles as a studio session singer. Performing with the likes of Hiroshima, Spyro Gyra, the Yellowjackets, Hiroshima, Bobby Womack and Etta James, helped her become a household word.
Scott’s first single was a cover of Brian Wilson’s American hit “God Only Knows” and the 1979 full length album Dreams of Tomorrow. In 1991, her release Without Warning received critical acclaim in the jazz community. When “Sky Dancing” became a hit album teaming up with Bobby Caldwell, they were huge in Japan and a successful tour followed.
She then signed on with Warner Bros. Records in 1996 for the album Take Me With You.
The album features plenty of heavyweights in both the American and Brazilian jazz circles. The likes of Boney James, Dori Caymmi, Bob James, George Duke, Russell Ferrante, Ricardo Silvera, and Jimmy Haslip all played major roles. Romantic in nature, sure–but it also includes some elements of blues along with some classic R&B. The album lasts a little over 45 minutes and provides the listener with a decent chunk of satisfying songs from the title track, “Bird of Beauty” (Track 5), and the album closer “Just To See You Again.”
The website Allmusic also mentioned that she did some interpretations of songs on Avenues of Love from 1998, with the album closer “The Last Day” reaching the Top 20 of Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
A move to independent label Prana in 2001 shifted her arc as she vaulted to number 22 on the Jazz Albums chart with Nightcap three years later. Innocent of Nothing (2006) and Every Time We Say Goodbye (2008), which was concurrently released by Venus Records in Japan closed out the decade. Scott returned in the mid-2010’s with her first holiday album, Get Christmas Started!, and a more scaled back and intimate studio album, Standard Blue in 2017. Gary Novak was featured on drums, Haslip on bass, and guitarist Michael Landau rounded out the major performers.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott made some appearances in both New York and Los Angeles. The cover to her website shows a picture from her next album titled The Landscape which shows tropical images set against a cactus. Does one think that this could be another nod to Brazilian jazz?
If the quote prominently on her homepage is any indication, we might be in for another cool surprise:
“The landscape is more than trees and views, it’s what we say it’s what we do, it’s what we are today.”
Similar to what many health professionals and websites have constantly mentioned, even getting outside immersing yourself in nature or doing a leisurely walk along your backyards is not only refreshing for the body, but also the mind. Even this still being the worst pandemic of our lives, we can still savor in the small things when life is at its’ bleakest (especially in the first year plus of this pandemic.)
You can find her work both physically on vinyl and CD on Amazon, eBay, Barnes & Noble, and even Half Price Books. This album can also be found streaming via Spotify and Apple Music.
And that is no pre-April Fool’s joke :o). See what I did there?
After a very hectic month in my other blog with tons of storylines dominating my inbox (and it is only going to get just as busy for the next week plus), I have not forgotten about my online friends.
My regular publishing schedule will return with one or two album/EP reviews in April. Look for blogs mostly featuring some recent artists and potentially some up-and-coming MPB’s looking to make a name for themselves.
And before you know it, most of the northern half of the United States will finally get to see all of this chilly air zoom to the other hemisphere to Australia and New Zealand, in particular the area where the indie pop artist Ella Yelich O’Connor–aka Lorde calls home.
Besides, she said it best during her big 2021 hit song “Solar Power”:
Turn it on
In a new kind of bright
It’s solar (Solar)
(Solar, solar, solar)
Come on and let the bliss begin
Blink three times when you feel it kickin’ in
At least, I can safely say when she sends out emails (usually every month), it is comforting to see her peel back the onion layers and tell us fans what fun things she has been up to being in nature, what music she is tuning into, books she is reading, and her periodic walks.
Sounds like something my favorite artists like to do sometimes…
wonder who they could be (insert thinking emoji here).
I could go on, but I have more data to insert in my other blog, so head on over to fortyminutesofhoopsfun.wordpress.com and find out what you have been missing during my busiest time of the year.
See you all sometime in the spring.
Artists Worth Checking Out: Jovino Santos Neto
Born on September 18, 1954 in Rio, Santos Neto is a pianist, flutist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist out of Seattle.
His concerts and club dates are legendary, which according to his Wikipedia page is “leading Eastside Weekly’s Mark Fefer to comment that Santos Neto is “…a warm, high-energy player, as fun to watch as he is to hear.”
He is also penning an autobiography about his times sounding like the next Vince Guaraldi or Liberace. And after listening to a few songs from his July 16, 2021 album Luz, it is quite a show stopper.
Jovino started playing piano at age 13. Three years later, he played keyboards in a band called the Vacancy Group in a middle class Rio suburb called Bangu. He earned two degrees in college, first majoring in Biology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and later on at Macdonald College of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
In 1977, he joined a group led by Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal (first look at him he would be perfect to play the lead singer of Z.Z. Top if there would be a biopic someday down the road) as he cut his teeth as a pianist, flutist, composer, arranger and producer. He stayed on until 1992 and then made a move to the Pacific Northwest. Flora Purim and Mike Marshall (not the one who played baseball at one time with the Los Angeles Dodgers) were fortunate to share the stage at one point in time.
Currently, he spends his time teaching at Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts and also leads future artists teaching at Jazz Camp West.
This being his 12th album in a career spanning since 1997, it is a definite keeper. All of his works is featured on Spotify.
You can also catch him and his trio doing three songs in a 2019 NPR episode from their wildly popular Tiny Desk series. Enjoy:
https://www.npr.org/2019/10/21/771313647/jovino-santos-neto-trio-tiny-desk-concert
Gregg Karukas Brings Some Joy During 2021 With Sereneta
Gregg Karukas brought some light to an otherwise topsy-turvy 2021 with his 13th album (including a Christmas album recorded in 1993) as a very calm work titled Serenata (translated meaning simply “Serenade”) began with some soothing piano solos.
From the opening track, “Travessia” (translated meaning “Crossing”) to the final track of “Long Ago”, this album is meant for those late Sunday nights where there isn’t a care in the world and hoping that when you wake up on Monday mornings. In other words, think of the music in a more positive way, so hopefully you won’t feel like this poster of Garfield the Cat that decorated the front door to my accounting teacher’s classroom during my junior and senior years in high school:
As the byline to the album shows, he pays tribute to some great Brazilian jazz legends–in particular with the recently passed legend in Milton Nascimento (an artist I proudly covered in my blog, of which you can use the search bar to read my initial impression of his work.)
Each of the track (except on Track 13 titled “Historia Antiga”, translated to “Ancient History” is very slow and flowing in pace. I enjoyed hearing this album so much that it can also qualify as excellent music if and when we get back to having normal parties at home or if you are an invited guest on the road–whether it is a Christmas gathering or maybe taking some time off to cool off in an air conditioned environment. Please don’t forget to also apply a decent amount (not as large as a female hand lotion) of Aloe Vera by Fruit of the Earth to minimize any sunburn you might be suffering from after staying out in the sun for long periods of time.
I give this album five stars, similar to his past work that I covered in Soul Secrets from 2014.
There were also other excellent albums in 2021, but I only have enough time to mention some popular singles that many of my favorite MPB’s released on streaming platforms during this past year.
Please look for that sometime on Thursday. If I don’t hear from anyone in the comment sections, please have yourselves a Merry Christmas along with hopefully a happy and healthy 2022.
Artists Worth Checking Out: Vania Abreu
Born as Vania Mercury de Almeida on May 30, 1967, she is the younger sister of popular MPB star Daniela Mercury. During the 1980’s, they regularly performed in local bars, nightclubs, practically anywhere where people were eager to see what they would be singing on stage.
Stints as a backup singer with Geronimo in 1986, followed by being in the band Biss in 1994 helped earn her stripes when she published her debut self-titled album in 1995.
However, her big break arrived in 1999 with Seio da Bahia (of which the first word translated is not totally appropriate for this blog.) The album, according to her page on Wikipedia briefly touched on doing classic songs from the state of Bahia.
My profile covered her first album in the 21st century released on September 11, 2003 called Eu Sou a Multidão (translated meaning, “I Am the Crowd”.)
And this album certainly was worthy of top billing. It is a lovely and flowing album, with each song painting many different images throughout.
Take for example Tracks 3 and 5, “Minha Cancao” (translated to “My Song”) and Track 5, “a beca” (meaning “The Gown”.) The first has a slow pace, while the other has a rock and dance type beat. Very appropriate album for any party type setting or a long road trip to see friends and family.
This was the fourth of her six albums, with the last one being Misteriosa Dona Esperança in 2007. Will there be a seventh album in her future? Who knows, but I hope you enjoyed my brief review of this 39 minute, 25 second gem of an album.
********************************************************************
SPECIAL NOTE: There was a major tragedy last week on Friday (November 5) when rising star and Latin Grammy winner Marília Mendonça died in a plane crash around 5:45 p.m. Rio time. She was only 26.
She was traveling to a concert in Minas Gerais on a small plane. After departing Santa Genoveva airport in Goiâna, it crashed in Piedade de Caratinga, located north of Rio de Janeiro. Four other people who were on the plane were also killed–which also included her producer Henrique Ribeiro, her uncle and advisor Abicieli Silveira Dias Filho, along with the pilot and co-pilot.
Rede Globo (Brazil’s main television network) mentioned on their website translated:
“Marília Mendonça’s songs swept Brazil with intense and romantic lyrics and melodies. Considered one of the most popular artists in the sertanejo (country music genre), she led a female turnaround in the genre, which imposed women as protagonists of the style hitherto dominated almost only by men, from 2016 onwards, in the so-called “feminejo”. She became a champion singing about women’s empowerment in an environment traditionally dominated by male musicians.
Sound familiar, female musicians in general and any country music fans specifically?
The aircraft was a twin-engine Beech Aircraft, from PEC Táxi Aéreo, from Goiás, prefix PT-ONJ, with capacity only for six passengers.
According to Rodrigo Pedroso and Taylor Barnes of CNN, they mentioned that, “She was the most-listened to artist in Brazil on Spotify in 2019 and 2020, according to her PR firm, and had more than 38 million followers on Instagram.”
She also had the most-watched livestream in the world for an online concert seen at its’ peak with over 3.3 million viewers watching her perform live.
The star was first nominated for a Latin Grammy for her 2017 album ‘Realidade’. Two years later, she collected her first trophy, picking up the Best Sertaneja Music Album award for ‘Todos os Cantos’.
Instant thoughts immediately brought to mind when in 1995 was an even larger tragedy. The “Queen of Tejano Music” was a huge star on the Latin Music scene. She did anything and everything from her teenage years to the time she became a young adult. Besides being a famous singer/songwriter, she was also a businesswoman, model, actress, and fashion designer. Born as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, but devoted fans knew her only her first name as Selena.
But when she suffered a gunshot wound to the subclavian artery on March 31, 1995–it sent major shockwaves around the world that one minute you are on the top of the music world and the next minute, it could all be taken away–sometimes in an instant. Similar to Marília Mendonça, Selena was 16 days short of celebrating her 24th birthday.
While Brazil is in mourning over losing one of their great music stars, at least she left this world with tons of memories.
Marília Dias Mendonça
July 22 1995-November 5, 2021
May She Rest In Peace
Artists Worth Checking Out: Roberto Sá
Born as Roberta Varela de Sá on December 19, 1980 in Natal, she has compiled quite a resume.
Several years after moving to Rio in 1989, her first taste of fame was when she appeared as a contestant on a Pop-Idol Brazilian reality show on Globo TV called Fama. She did not win, but managed to record a version of a Dori Caymmi hit, which would emerge later on during at telenovela also aired on Globo TV titled Novela das Oito (translated meaning Eight O’Clock At the age of 24, she recorded her first album Sambas e Bossas. The following year came Braseiro. 2007 was her breakout year with her third album in four years. Que Belo Estranho Dia Para se Ter Alegria (translated meaning “What A Beautiful Day to Have Joy”) did not produce too well in Brazilian record stores, but has emerged online via Spotify and Amazon Music.
It earned her a nomination in 2008 for a Latin Grammy in the Best New Artist Category.
On February 28, 2011 the airline named TAP Portugal, a state-owned flag carrier airline began airing a new slogan at the time called “TAP With Arms Wide Open”. She teamed up in a music video with Angolan single Paulo Flores and fellow Portuguese singer Mariza. Sadly, I could not find the video anywhere on YouTube.
As sales began to decline over the next five albums–she earned her second Latin Grammy nomination in 2017 for Best Samba/Bagode Album titled Delírio no Circo (translated, “Delirium at The Circus.”)
Her last album is a perfect title, considering everything that has been going on with us still living in the worst pandemic of our lives–and especially for a few southern states in particular that saw nature’s fury become reckless the likes of which the United States has never experienced. More thoughts on this very sad day for over a million people later in this blog.
Quite A Superstar
Some people in Brazilian MPB circles think of her similar to that of Maria Rita, who takes traditional Brazilian music into a more modern vibe. In a September 2019 article by the website Popline (think of it as a Brazilian version of Variety or People magazine, she told Helena Marques why she has turned out be quite a sensation in her own right:
“I really like to walk through Brazilian rhythms. I like samba, MPB, xote, versatility…As I come from Natal, (in the state of) Rio Grande Norte, since I was a child I had contact with my northeastern roots. So coconut, xote, forró in general, all that formed my musicality. I listened a lot to Elba Ramalho, Alceu Valença, Geraldo Azevedo (while growing up)…“
The article did not give too many good quotes, since it ended up repeating itself in a few years–a true case of this being online journalism 201. This of course, followes the very basics as if you were in a high school/college course with 101 and 102 starting with the fact that we should never, ever plagiarize.
When you type out (or write which I hated doing back in the 20th century–remember the little blue books?) the essay, book report, or in my blog as it starts to take shape, give the proper credit to any and all sources (whether it is actual person via a tweet, Facebook post, or appears in any interview on a television program or via podcast) when backing up your statements.
This album features a nice blend of medium to fast paced songs, and is very relaxing in every way. In my case, it is a great album to kick off your shoes (or heels in the case of the ladies reading) and put your mind totally at ease.
Totaling 11 tracks and lasting a little over 41 minutes, it should be a worthy addition to any jazz library. And considering that I chose this particular album on such a frightening and horrific day and night, I hope that this blog gives you some much needed comfort.
**************************************************************************************
SPECIAL NOTE: After seeing all of the catastrophic devastation on Sunday which saw Hurricane Ida (ranked as a Category 4 storm, one level above from what Katrina did on the same date in 2005) knock out electrical power to nearly one million people in and around New Orleans and are also under a boil water order. Up north in Baton Rouge, wind was the major issue as the rain slowly moved east towards Mississippi. LSU smartly cancelled all classes and activities from Saturday through Monday. Unlike in New Orleans, hopefully there is no major damage when first responders and other electrical crews begin their feverish work to try and bring some much needed help to rescue anyone who might be trapped. Somehow, everyone should search for some much needed peace of mind when those stranded really need all of the help they can get following President Biden signing the federal disaster declaration on Sunday night.
Forecast models are showing the hurricane slowly downgrading to a tropical storm that will hit Nashville sometime on Tuesday, skip through eastern Tennessee and Kentucky on Wednesday before finally ending in New Jersey (although 2 to 4 inches of rain could fall in New York City, but it all depends on what direction the tropical storm will take.)
As horrifying those clips have shown, from the dozens of weather meteorologists from Ginger Zee to Jim Cantore, many residents, other companies, and many from the local stations had some of their local news stations lose power in the control room have all shown courage and resiliency at every turn.
But somehow, someway–everyone smartly took shelter inside a hallway with no window. Yet with all of this technology, I am absolutely sure will agree that the brave and courageous news anchors and reporters risking their lives in New Orleans still managed to remain on the air–all thanks mostly to YouTube.
Weather meteorologist Brooke Lazier captured the mood perfectly early Sunday evening:
Scary stuff, isn’t that true ladies and gentlemen?
At least, one rival station of ABC46 helped lend a helping hand thanks to CBS4 affiliate WWL:
https://www.wwltv.com/article/weather/wgno-roof-hurricane-ida/289-3e7560f8-ba6b-404d-9115-c5441e9fb742
Out of the hundreds of tweets, Facebook posts, and images of the utter destruction of businesses and trees snapping power lines along with the crushing of homes, I found a pair of timely tweets.
From when the eye of the storm first approached landfall to when the winds topped in some cases over an unthinkable 150 MPH, we have to seriously consider this being a very crucial time for our planet as a whole and that we should trust science at every turn:
After all, Ginger Zee talks about this subject at almost every opportunity:
If you saw her Facebook page, she showed a very dark hotel room with all of the windows broken. Not great sleeping conditions with all of that wind and rain, if you asked me.
For those who might be reading this in the South whenever your power comes back online, I hope and pray that everyone is safe and try somehow to find the strength to carry on–even when things are the bleakest. Help is on the way, as many states are sending much needed supplies and other key items to keep people from suffering longer than might be what officials have been pegging as ballpark figures.
Many shelters have been preparing sandwiches, many hospitals are running on generators to keep everyone suffering from COVID-19 from not having Ida stand firmly in their way.
From what some of my past family members who have since passed away due to other illnesses while surviving other hurricanes in years past, they told me that it is no fun.
And for the many thousands of people who were fortunate enough to leave for higher ground and in some cases out of state this past week, at least be very grateful that you will have a story to tell. Hopefully, whenever it is safe to return home that they will see that their home survived.
Marisa Monte Releases Her First Album in 10 Years
The last time we heard of four time Grammy Award winning artist Marisa Monte was when she was dancing with an umbrella during the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
In 2011, she produced a winning album O Que Você Quer Saber De Verdade which received critical praise. I recall talking about it and thought it was a great album. You can go back and use the search feature for that and her past works to read my original thoughts.
Album Contains Many Past Songs, With Pandemic Related Themes Throughout
According to Sigal Ratner-Arias in his July 7 article for the Associated Press, the album title translated simply means “Doors.” It was definitely appropriate for this time in being still stuck in the worst pandemic of our lives, with over 40 states seeing surges in the last three weeks.
Five states in particular are seeing positive cases for the Delta variant rise (Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Nevada.)
Similar to Lady Gaga, Liz Phair, Dua Lipa, and Jessie Ware–Marisa’s album was in the initial stages of recording in March 2020 before the pandemic hit.
In the article, the 53 year old came up with I felt came up with the most appropriate thoughts when the final product was released to the world on July 9:
“There are doors that you can open to the outside, but there are also inside doors. And all the symbolic figures that surround the door were there in the song telling people: ‘Well, people try to chose one door, but you can chose more than one. You can go in and out if you don’t like it. And it’s better to let them open to let them breath (breathe).’ It’s a song that I did maybe four years ago, but it’s very current.”
15 of the 16 tracks totaling around 49 minutes are appropriate for waiting around in the doctor or dentist office–just the right blend of slow to medium tempos and hitting just the right notes to keep you alert.
Speaking from her home in Rio, she also mentioned that the first single on Track 2 “Calma” exudes a calm, care-free approach:
“It’s a song about relationships, about someone that is telling to the other to have faith in the future, that things are going to get better, and not to give up in a very assertive, very positive way. It’s a very hopeful love song, and because we are living in such dark times in Brazil, in such a tragical historical moment here not only because of the pandemic…this song is good for people to listen to.”
Track 7 features a nice song called “Praia Vermelha” (translated meaning “Red Beach”) was already finished, but the last track “Pra Melhorar” (translated meaning “To Improve”) featured some very select company singing along–featuring Seu Jorge (a past blog subject) and his teenage daughter, Flor de Maria.
Devoted fans should look out on streaming platforms two other singles, of which there is no firm release date. Marisa mentioned in the article that one will feature Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler, an Academy Award-winner for the song “Al Otro Lado del Río” from the movie The Motorcycle Diaries.)
On a Separate Note, Here’s a Song To Hopefully Bring Any Rain to the Horrible Conditions in the West
The article closed with a brief discussion about the 1993 song “Segue o Seco” (translated meaning “Follow The Dry”). One day at an outdoor concert in Belo Horizonte, a mountain town located in southeastern Brazil. It brought much needed good luck. Once she finished singing, the rain came pouring down.
In her own words, hopefully this will resonate well with many of my past interview subjects from Monica da Silva and Fabiana Passoni in Los Angeles and Halie Loren in Oregon, plus many others who are still deeply affected by the wildfires:
“Carlinhos Brown was the composer and he told me: ‘We have to sing that because it’s an issue that is not solved yet.’ Of course, in Brazil we always have historical droughts. It was ’93 and it’s maybe getting worse because of this climatic change and everything. So I have to keep singing to make people conscious about that. And to maybe help rain to come down.”
Fire up those smartphones to the Rainy Day playlist on Spotify (or better yet, there is an over 8 1/2 hour playlist with songs featuring rain sounds “without any thunder.”)
Otherwise, crank up those phonograph players, and get those microphones tested properly for that true party song by Lady Gaga in collaboration with Ariana Grande and their hit of summer 2020, “Rain On Me.”
Hopefully, I will steer the blog back to the usual lovely review next week with a group which I have never profiled before. Who will it be? As long as everyone has power (or juice in the case of you reading my blogs over on the WordPress app) and your residences are still standing…hope to see everyone back here next week.
Please continue to stay safe, everybody. Thinking of everyone always.
Torcuato Mariano Keeps Bringing on the Hits
First Album in Ten Years From 2019 Contains Some Really Neat Smooth Jazz Numbers
A quarter century after releasing the memorable work titled Last Look in 1994, Mariano returned with So Far From Home in 2009.
Fast forward a decade later and his latest entry is a true gem. Escola Brasieira (translated meaning “Brazilian School”) brings on many singles that are perfect if either you are stuck in a doctor/dentist’s office or the many myriad of surgeries plus other shall I say enhancements (for a lack of a better term) for the ladies that are reading this fine blog.
Bottom line–whenever it is time to be sedated for a reasonable amount of time (whatever reasonable might be depends on your individual situation), request to the doctor/doctor’s assistant smooth jazz if at all possible.
Believe me, it works.
Balancing both medium and slower paces, each of the 10 songs exposes quite a variety of beats and rhythms:
The first six tracks alternate between fast and slow, with very few vocals. However, there is one English track which you can find on Track 4 called “Beyond the Paradise” sung by Toni Scruggs (of whom has zero, nada, zilch followers on her Spotify page–just in case you were curious enough to know.)
A few more fast songs then emerge before a large chant in the final moments of Aruanda closes out the album.
Overall, I like it–a very worthy addition to anyone smooth jazz library in general or Brazilian jazz in particular.
Sadly, this album is not available in physical format.
However, it is available via streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and a few other streaming platforms.
Small Programming Note
With nearly 95 percent of the United States is baking in a true summer heat wave, this is a great time for me to step away from this blog in my semi-annual hiatus (the other one of course is during the holiday season.)
But please do not worry since I only suffered a sore arm 15 minutes after receiving the first of my two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. I am healthy, I am strong and I will continue to dig online in finding other cool albums for me to review.
When I return sometime in July, there will be another run of recent and new MPB artists that definitely should be worth discovering. Some of them have a few singles on YouTube, so I will try to check them out once all of the fireworks end during the long, extended Independence Day holiday weekend in the United States (but since the Fourth is on a Sunday, the next day on Monday is the observed holiday, just FYI.)
Of course, a few days before–north of the border is Canada Day on July 1. I hope that one of my recent subjects in popular CBC Music host of Saturday Night Jazz in Laila Biali continues to bring in listeners from all over the world. Also with her juggling family life during this unprecedented time of producing “quarantunes” at home in Toronto, she continues to present beautifully each week while having a very sweet sound when she speaks so candidly on the many countless stories behind certain songs.
It is definitely worth a listen, even for a hour or two if you can spare the time. I indicated in my blog on July 1, 2020 on where you can find her four hour long program online.
If you miss a show, not a problem. Just head over to the CBC Listen page and search for Saturday Night Jazz at: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/
Thank you so much again for reading and enjoying my blogs. I have seen in recent weeks that a few people have liked a good majority of the blogs that I am fortunate to publish on a periodic basis.
However, I know I am been pleading and trying my best to convince you, my fellow blog fans and any curious onlookers that might be glancing at some of my past entries and somehow stumbled their way here:
I hope that you can please leave some comments behind the blog(s) you like best–preferably positive ones. It definitely helps get the word out, and it tells me inside that my blog really resonates with both musicians who work tirelessly in their craft along with many loyal fans like me who appreciate good music whenever we can find it.
I could go on for hours on this, but I realize what indie pop rocker from all the way in New Zealand named Lorde convinced us on Thursday, June 10 in her hot single “Solar Power” can mean only one thing:
Go outside and have some fun at the beach.
Just remember to lather on that sunscreen at least every two hours (I prefer Coppertone Sport that comes in a vertical spray can with at least a 75 SPF rating.)
And maybe, just maybe–the number of positive COVID-19 cases will steadily go down and the people who are fully vaccinated can proudly say that living in the “new normal” will take over.
Continue to pray for the frontline workers, both the veterans and the newcomers that graduated from medical school. Pray for all of the small music venues for whatever amount that they can get to rehire people and minimize their rents. Without them, a true lifeblood of each city/town’s economy will be a major blow to tourism and other local businesses.
Take care, everyone. Please continue to stay safe and healthy.
Information About Brazilian Jazz Legends and Rising Artists 
You must be logged in to post a comment.