November’s Brazilian Datebook

1

(1983) Maestro Chiquinho dies in Rio de Janeiro.  

2

(1883) João (Teixeira Guimarães) Pernambuco is born in Jatobá, Pernambuco. He is best remembered for his compositions reflecting on the folksong styles of his homeland in the Brazilian northeast, hence his nickname. A move to Rio de Janeiro brought him into close contact with many of Brazilian music’s early pioneers, including Donga and Pixinguinha. Also a recognized master of the violão (Spanish guitar), João was greatly influenced by the music of Heito Villa-Lobos. (1998) Singer & songwriter Jovelina (Farais Belfort) Perola Negra passes away in Rio de Janeiro, of a heart attack at age 54.  Known for her raspy voice and an earthy, undiluted singing style, she left her work as a house maid to begin her recording career at 40. She recorded five albums, one of which earned a platinum rating.

3

(1992) Maestro Cipó (Orlando Silva de Oliveira) dies in Rio de Janeiro. An arranger for radio Tupi show ‘Na Batida do Samba’ in the early 50’s, Cipó also worked for TV Tupi and TV Globo as a conductor and arranger and saxophonist – notably for his shows with Nat King Cole, Quincy Jones and Dizzy Gillespie. He also led the famous Orchestra Tabajara for more than two decades.

4

(1903) Singer, actor, instrumentalist, songwriter and painter Monsueto (Campos de Menezes) is born in Rio de Janeiro. A Sambista at heart, he remarkably passed through many of Rio’s top Escolas, without attaching himself to any particular one. He composed 140 songs and is best known for ‘Mora na Filosofia’ (Life In Philosophy) and ‘Me Deixa Em Paz’ (Leave Me In Peace) which was first recorded by Marilla Batista in 1952.

5

(1913) Songwriter and musician Joel de Almeida is born in Rio de Janeiro. (1915) Composer Humberto Teixeira is born in Iguatu, Ceará. He learned to play flute as a child, and later, the mandolin ahead of his first composition ‘Miss Ermengarde’ at age 13. Moving to Rio to study medicne, his interest in music grew, and by the mid-1930s, his songwriting skills were favorable compared to those of compatriot Ary Barroso. His chosen profession was law, but music remained an avocation and his songs with Luiz Gonzaga and Sivuca have become an important part of Brazilian msuic history. Teixeira later would become a congressman, championing Brazilian music issues.

6

(1916) The very first ‘authentic’ Samba song ‘Pelo Telefone’ (‘On The Telephone’) is officially registered by Donga, in Rio de Janeiro. (1922) Singer Dora Lopez is born in Rio de Janeiro.

7

(1903) Bandleader and songwriter Ary Barroso is born in Ubá, MG. Keeping in step with American contemporaries Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman, Barroso is considered to be one of the most important musicians of his era, composing hit songs in Brazil which topped the radio charts in the USA, including ‘Aquarela do Brasil’ (‘Brazil’) and ‘Na Baixa do Sapateiro’ (‘Bahia’). (1928) Instrumental legend Chiquinho do Acordeon (Romeu Seibel) is born in Santa Cruz do Sol. His passion for the accordion helped move the instrument’s sound from Brazil’s country style – sertaneja – to Bossa Nova in the 60’s and later, MPB.

8

(1909) Composer Alberto Lonato – one of the great mestres of Samba – is born in Rio de Janeiro. (1925) Singer Francisco Petrônio is born in São Paulo. He is best remebered for his top- charting 60’s hit ‘Baile da Saudade’. (1929) Singer Rosita Gonzales is born in Rio de Janeiro.

9

(1983) Singer Altemar Dutra (de Oliveira) dies in New York City. Known as ‘the king of Bolero’ in Brazil and popular throughout Latin America, Dutra spent much of his career in the US, and was a pioneer for popularizing the Latin sound here.

10

(1972) Poet, composer and journalist Torquato (Pereira de Aráujo) Neto dies of suicide in Rio de Janeiro. Neto, who was an originator of Brazil’s Tropiclia movment, also became a counter-cultural icon in the 1970’s.  One of his best known songs is ‘Soy Louco Por Ti, America.’

12

(1941)  Guitarist, Samba singer and songwriter João Nogueira is born in Rio de Janeiro. (1942) Singer and composer Paulinho da Viola (Paulo César Batista de Faria) is born in Rio de Janeiro. He is considered to be one of the greatest voices of Samba.

13

(1953) Poet and MPB lyricist Salgado Maranhão is born in Caixas, AM,

14

(1921) Crooner and pianist Dick Farney (Farnese Dutra e Silva) is born in Rio de Janeiro.  He debuted his signing career at age 16 with the TV show ‘Hora Juvenil’ on Radio station Cruzeiro do Sul do in Rio de Janeiro, earned his first hit record with his verison of David Rose’s ‘Deep Purple’ and found lasting popularity with a generation of same-age fans. In 1946, he came to New York and a two-week stint on NBC TV. He returned to a televison offer in São Paulo to host ‘The Dick Farney Show’ where his reputation as “the Brazilian Frank Sinatra”  began to grow. His unquie style helped to shape Bossa Nova’s early years. Today, Farney’s legacy is often found in the music of Emilio Santiago. (1972) MPB and pop singer, composer, instruemntalist and producer Max de Castro is born in Rio de Janeiro. He is the son of singer Wilson Simonal. (1999) ‘Samba Carioca’ singer, songwriter and actor Zé Kéti (José Flores de Jesus) dies in his birth city of Rio de Janeiro at age 78. Among his many hit songs are ‘A Voz do Morro’, ‘Tio Sam No Samba’ and ‘Leviana’ which was included in the 1955 film ‘Rio 40 Graus’. In 1964, Kéti would write the title song for the groundbreaking MPB stage show ‘Opinião’, with Nara Leão and João do Vale.

15

(1909) Songwriter Zé Pretinho (Manuel do Espirito Santo) is born in Capela, SE. He is remembered for his Sambas, ‘Amar é Bom’ and ‘Cinza do Passado’.

16

(1920) Instrumentalist, pianist and composer Bené Nunes is born in Rio de Janeiro. (1950) Singer and Songwriter Jane Duboc (Vaquer) is born in Belém do Pará. At 17, she received a scholarship to study piano, guitar, voice and flute at the University of Georgia in Columbus, where she met her husband, Gay Vaquer and remained for six years. Duboc is an MPB adherent and many of her albums, such as ‘Paraiso’ (with saxophonist Gerry Mulligan), ‘Parituras’ and ‘Sweet Lady Jane’ are critically acclaimed. (1959) Instrumentalist Tuninho Galente is born in Rio de Janeiro.

17

(1959) Brazil’s most celebrated modern composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos dies in Rio de Janeiro. Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1887, Villa-Lobos received a fellowship from the Brazilian government to study and continue his work in Paris, in 1923. There he came into contact with many of the top composers and artists of the day, including, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Picaso and Rubenstein. On his return to Brazil in 1931, Villa-Lobos was named Director of Musical Education for public schools in Rio de Janeiro, and he founded the Brazilian Academy of Music in 1945.  In all, Heitor Villa-Lobos wrote about 2000 works- operas, ballets, symphonies, chamber music and piano pieces. And while he did not use actual Brazilian folk tunes, his original melodies where developed from the variety of the Brazilian musical spectrum. He’s best known for his Bachianas Brasileiras, nine suites combining the musical idiom of Johann Sebastian Bach with the powerful rhythms and melodic styles of Northeastern Brazil. Upon his passing, the state funeral was the final major civic event held in Rio de Janeiro before the nation’s capitol was transferred to new interior complex of Brasília. (19

18

(1994) Bossa Nova pioneer, songwriter and journalist Ronaldo (Fernando Esquerdo) Bôscoli dies in Rio de Janeiro. His ‘behind the scenes’ role in the birth of Bossa Nova was nothing less than remarkable: Early connections as a journalist brought him to Vinicius de Moraes and Antonio Carlos Jobim – he introduced the two when de Moraes was searching for a composer and arranger for his stage play ‘Orpheu’ (Black Orpheus) – an event analogous to the birth of the Bossa Nova movement. Bôscoli was also married to singer Elis Regina, after courting both Nara Leão and Maysa. Among his best remembered songs are ‘O Barquinho’ (‘The Little Boat’) and ‘Telefone’ with Roberto Menescal, plus ‘Lobo Bobo’ with Carlos Lyra.

19

(1930) Songwriter Osmar Navarro is born in Rio de Janeiro.

21

(1947) Samba and MPS singer, trumpeter and songwriter Alcione (Dias Nazareth) is born in São Luis, MA. Among her many pop radio hits are the songs ‘Garoto Maroto’, ‘Gostoso Veneno’, ‘Não Deixe O Samba Morrer’, ‘Nem Morta’, ‘‘Rio Antigo’ and Sufoco’. (1953) Romantic singer and actor Fábio (Correa Ayrosa Galvão) Júnior is born in São Paulo. (1962). New York’s Carnegie Hall presents the first Bossa Nova show outside of Brazil. Now legendary for its place in history, the concert was poorly attended and plagued by sound amplification problems. It did however, launch the American careers of several Bossa Nova musicians, including Sergio Mendes, Oscar Castro-Neves and Antonio Carlos Jobim. It also helped to propel Bossa Nova’s appeal worldwide.

22

Today is ‘Dia da Música’ (Music Day) in Brazil. (1972) Singer Moreno Veloso, son of Caetano Veloso, is born in Rio de Janeiro. His God Mother is singer Gal Costa.

23

(1962). Singer, songwriter, percussionist Carlinhos Brown (Antônio Carlos Santos de Freitas) is born in Salvador, Bahia. With his stage name inspired by soul singer James Brown, this former percussion star of the group Timbalada has written and recorded with many of Brazil’s most talented musicians, including Sergio Mendes and Marisa Monte, who also joined him to form the supergroup Tribalistas in 2006.

25

(1915) Trombonist Raul de Barros is born in Rio de Janeiro.

26

(1993) Actor, singer and composer Grande Otelo (Sebastião de Souza Bernardes Silvera) passes away in Paris. Orphaned, he was a runaway child until he found his place in the artistic world. His acting career began in 1935 with the movie ‘Noites Cariocas’ and he also will be remembered for the comic act he created with Oscarito.

28

(1922) Composer and violinist Armandinho (Armando Neves) is born in Campinas, SP.

29

(1950) Songwriter, journalist, producer Nelson Motta (Nelson Candido Motta Filho) is born in São Paulo.

30

(1937) Singer Miucha (Heloisa Maria Buarque de Hollenda) is born in Rio de Janeiro. Sister to singer and songwriter Chico Buarque, she was also formerly the wife of Bossa Nova legend João Gilberto, and the mother of Brazilian pop singer Bebel Gilberto. (1980) Legendary songwriter Cartola (Angenor de Oliveira) dies in Rio de Janeiro. One of the pioneers of Samba in the early 1900’s, he was also a founding member of the famous Escola de Mangueira in the late 20’s. His career as a songwriter blossomed in the 1930’s, often with his vocalist daughter Creusa singing his tunes on the radio. His commercial success came late in life with the recording of his first album in 1972 at the age of 66. In all, he has composed or co-written more than 500 songs.

A turn of the calendar begins a the final eight weeks of 2009, and its perfect opportunity to celebrate the Bossa Best -with our theme ‘It’s Bossa Nova, Baby’. New weeklong shows every Saturday!

07 – Oscar Castro-Neves

14 – The Legacy of Sergio Mendes

21 – Gilberto, Inc.

27 – The History of Bossa Nova

To enjoy our free 24/7 Internet Radio stations, plus special show ‘previews’ and Interactive Playlists for each weekly show, please click here.

Enjoy!

Don’t forget to turn your clocks back an hour on Saturday night – or sometime during the day on Sunday if you’re like me. Come to think of it, I usually forget one or two watches completely.

Anyway, this means that Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Brasilia and Sao Paulo will be three hours ahead of New York, four hours in front of Chicago and six hours ahead of Los Angeles.

Brazil is now in mid-Spring, and they ‘fell back’ two weekends ago.

View Full Album

This week on the radio and our webcast channel for The Sounds of Brazil, I’ll bring you a two-hour special on the musical spirit of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Brazil’s most celebrated composer passed away in December of 1994, and he spent several years living here in the US – in fact, a pretty good argument could be made for the idea that Jobim’s international fame came about as a result on his time in America… I’ll have to get around to writing that one up!

No single musician has had as much impact on Brazilian music around the world as the late Antonio Carlos Jobim. As the composer of more than 300 certified hit songs, including Corcovado, Wave, One Note Samba, How Insensitive and of course, The Girl from Ipanema, Jobim wrote in a musical style that reflected two of his greatest idols: George Gershwin and Cole Porter. Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim, or simply “Tom” as he was best known, was born in Rio de Janeiro on January 25th, 1927, son of a diplomat Father and a mother who taught school.

As a teenager, Jobim’s interests centered on soccer and the beach. In fact, he literally “fell” into music at age 18: breaking his back from a fall from atop a human pyramid. Suddenly the family piano, which had been purchased for Jobim’s sister, became he center of his life.

Jobim gave up a brief flirtation with his love of architecture as his musical career grew. His first song was recorded in 1953 and paved the way for the birth of Bossa Nova. When the Oscar winning film Black Orpheus won at The Cannes Film Festival in 1959 he became world famous and his music quickly changed the Brazilian pop scene.

Antonio Carlos Jobim. Brazilian singer, composer and member of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

So there it is – I hope that you’ll enjoy the show. We’ve also added some interesting ‘spirit songs’ penned by Jobim to our weekend playlist for The Sounds of Brazil ‘Extended’ channel. Catch them at Connectbrazil.com, keyword RADIO.

Click here to listen now.

We’ll wrap up October’s ‘Rio Reflections’ theme at Connectbrazil.com with a two-hour special salute to Rio’s most famous musician and songwriter, Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Think back to Rio de Janeiro and those heady days of the late 1950s – halfway ‘round the world, but not so very much different than our own musical revolution. Rock and Roll here, Bossa Nova there.

Here, it was Buddy Holly, Elvis and Chuck Berry. And there, Antonio Carlos Jobim was already writing beautiful songs and learning the art of orchestration. In fact, he was part of a tropical triumvirate: Jobim supplied melody and harmony, Vinicius de Moraes (one of Jobim’s early songwriting partners) penned the lyrics and João Gilberto sang them to change the face of Brazilian music forever.

Today’s rock has progressed to the point where it bears little resemblance to its roots, while Bossa Nova has matured without aging – just call it one of Brazil’s musical contributions to the world.

This week, we’ve created a two hour playlist for Jobim and his songwriting talent with tribute tunes from Stan Getz, and Lee Ritenour plus singers Gabriella Anders, Basia and Astrud Gilberto. Plus new music from Bebel Gilberto, Ed Johnson and Novo Tempo and ‘Bim Bom’ from Ithamara Koorax with guitarist Juarez Moreira – our Connectbrazil.com ‘Editor’s Choice’ selection for Fall, too! And wait ‘til you hear Trio da Paz and their soft Samba take on a Grover Washington Jr. classic.

So here’s the question: Saddle shoes or sandals – which fits your life better today? If it’s the latter, you have the spirit of Jobim to thank for it.

‘The Spirit of Jobim’! Don’t miss this show – on the radio and all week long on our 24/7 webcast channel beginning 3pm ET Saturday, Where else can you heat up and cool down at the same time!

A cool breeze in Summer, and a warm wind when the weather turns cold – that’s The Sounds of Brazil!

If its October, then you can bet that Gal Costa is once again making the rounds to top US clubs and venues, and almost annual tradition that first started several years ago with her first visit to NYC’s legendary Birdland jazz club. It led to an invitation to return and each year has seen an expansion of performance dates, coast to coast. This year, a ‘voice and guitar’ twist as she partners up with Brazilian guitarists Oscar Castro-Neves and Romero Lubambo.

One Saudades fan caught her show in LA, and wrote:

“She played just with Oscar Castro-Neves on guitar and a little piano.  She sounded great–a little scratchy here and there, but otherwise up to form.  Oscar was PHENOMENAL.  A truly expert guitarist with a great sense of humor.  He used little synth effects here and there to great effect, and his piano playing was lovely.

Oscar occasionally sang basso counterpoint, gruff and rough a la Tom, but always hit the harmonies perfectly.  After the formal set people around me called “Tua Estupidez!” and “Meu Nome e Gal!” etc.  The encore was Camisa Amarela. When I first read there would be no band, and just guitar, my heart sank.  But these songs were perfect for that setting and the evening was sublime.  The set was all bossa and Barroso classics (and one Dorival), including (let’s see how many I remember):”

Fotografia
Triste
Wave
Chega de Saudade
Falando do Amor
Brigas Nunca Mas
Corcovado
Coisa Mas Linda
Desafinado
Vatapa
Aguas de Marco (Oscar solo)
A Felicidade
Manha de Carnaval
Brasil
Camisa Amarela

Thanks, Ellis! You can catch Gal in Miami on Thursday night (Knight Concert Hall, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) and then Sunday in Washington DC (Lisner Auditorium).

Here’s a handy link to an excellent interview published this morning in the Miami Herald, and if you can’t make it to her concerts, sit ‘front row, center’ for this wonderful offering from our Mosaic TV channel. And listen for some of our favorite Gal Costa tunes on The Sounds of Brazil ‘Extended’ Channel this week!

Type keyword RADIO at Connectbrazil.com.

Over the past fifteen years, guitarist Ricardo Silveira has earned a reputation as one of Rio’s most admired and respected international musicians. Born in Rio, Ricardo grew up listening to Bossa Nova, Samba and the insistent rhythms of Carnival. He’s a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied alongside jazz greats Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. Silveira has played guitar on hundreds of recordings over his 25- year career and has recorded with such notables as Milton Nascimento, Vanessa Williams, Gilberto Gil, Diana Ross, Moacir Santoss, Gal Costa, Ivan Lins, João Bosco, Greg Karukas, Chico Buarque and Don Grusin, just to name a handful of the incredible artists who appreciate Ricardo’s playing.

This week, my playlist includes songs from the jazzy side of the Brazilian music spectrum – all in keeping with our ‘Rio Reflections’ theme this month. Rio sax star Leo Gandelman puts a tropical turn on Sting’s ‘Fragile’ and Vanessa da Mata & Ben Harper bring a bilingual duet that’s perfect for a chilly autumn night! Plus Vanessa Williams, and Rio-cool tunes fromToco (with Rosalia de Souza), Mike Catalano and Emilio Santiago.

Even new music from Bebel Gilberto, Ed Johnson & Novo Tempo’s ‘Movimento‘ album, and Ithamara Koorax with guitarist Juarez Moreira for our New Music Spotlight this week, with a song from their ‘Bim Bom: The Complete João Gilberto Songbook‘ – its our Editor’s Choice selection for fall.

Tell Your Friends! A cool breeze in Summer, and a warm wind when the weather turns cold – that’s The Sounds of Brazil! On the radio and our 24/7 webcast channel (Just click on the ‘Webcast Channel #1‘ banner )!

By Sean Chaffin, Editor/Senior Writer

Last Updated: October 26, 2009; 9:15 pm CT

It was late-July when we featured an article on poker pro Alexander Gomes. You might say we had a good “read” on this poker face, because the Brazilian poker phenomenon now finds himself among the top 10 of Cardplayer magazine’s Player of the Year rankings.

On July 20 in Las Vegas, Gomes was the first Brazilian to win on the World Poker Tour, taking down the prestigious $15,000 buy-in Bellagio Cup V title and $1.18 million prize. He also won a World Series of Poker event in 2008.

Gomes now finds himself among poker’s elite, ranking 10^th in Cardplayer’s 2009 Player of the Year standings with over $1.9 million in tournament winnings. Since July, Gomes has also scored well in several online tournaments and has quickly established himself as Brazil’s most decorated player on the felt. For more on Gomes’s success, visit his page on Cardplayer.

By Sean Chaffin, Editor/Senior Writer

Last Updated: October 26, 2009; 8:15 pm CT

Gal Costa, one of Brazil’s most revered artists, continues a whirlwind series of shows this week with performances in Washington D.C. and Miami, after receiving accolades on the West Coast.

Costa, 64, was an influential member of Brazil’s Tropicalia movement, and began her recording career in 1965. Throughout her five decades in the music business, she has recorded songs by some of Brazil’s best-known songwriters including Antonio Carlos Jobim, and has sung in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. Her albums have sold millions of copies, and her sound is influenced by jazz, bossa nova, and rock. In 1995, she even starred in the film O Mandarim as Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda.

And now she has made her way stateside for a few shows, including Sunday night’s appearance with Oscar Castro-Neves at the Herbst Theater as part of the San Francisco Jazz Festival. The show received nice reviews for the singers’ “breezy intimacy” and “vocal acrobatics” including a “best of Brazil” section of classic Brazilian songs that took concertgoers on a mental trip to Rio.

For Costa, the appearance followed two shows in Los Angeles at UCLA. Costa has two more shows this week as part the mini-tour, appearing Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, and Sunday, Nov. 1, at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington D.C. If you attend a show, let us know what you think.

To purchase Gal Costa CDs, visit Connect Brazil.