The Whole Music Experience

World   Toninho Ferragutti O Sorriso da manu   Borandá When I think of South American accordion music, my thoughts usually gravitate towards Argentine tango and the late Astor Piazzolla.   However, many wonderful South American folkloric music centers on the accordion brought to Latin America originally by Italian and German immigrants.   Brazil certainly has its share of folkloric traditions in which the accordion plays a key role.   Brazilian accordionist Toninho Ferragutti and his quartet (accordion, clarinet, percussion, and bass) team of with a chamber ensemble of strings and piano as they explore forró and choro dance songs along with an abstract version of flamenco on the recording O Sorriso da manu. Delightfully playful and contemplative in turns, listen to Flamenta with its lively castanets and the titular track with its klezmer-style clarinet.   When I listen to this recording, I’m reminded more of Finnish accordionist an...

World/ Classical   Mario Adnet Villa Lobos   Borandá I had heard of Heitor Villa Lobos for many years while reviewing classical music, but I had not listened to any music by this Brazilian composer until the arrival of Mario Adnet’s Villa Lobos --a beautiful collection of vernacular classical and Brazilian popular songs performed by some of Brazil's finest musical talent.   While I’m not going to delve into history or give you biographical information of Villa Lobos, I encourage you to look up this fascinating early 20th century composer after listening to this stunning recording. As an homage to Villa Lobos, Adnet teams up with a Brazilian orchestra (Orqestra de Cordas), Edu Lobo, Milton Nascimento, Mônica Salmaso, Muiza Adnet, Paula Santoro, Yamandu Costa and members of the Adnet family. The result is upbeat performances such as Mazurka Choro and the opening track, A Menina Das Nuvens as well as, dreamy pieces, Tristorosa (sung by Mario Adnet ...

Storybook with CD/Children’s Music   Songs from A Journey with a Parrot Lullabies & Nursery Rhymes from Brazil   &Portugal Collected by Magdeleine Lerasle   The Secret Mountain My journey with music consciousness has led me to explore children’s music on occasion.   Perhaps this is because when I was a child I listened to music written for children and this helped greatly with my development.   In the US especially, music programs have been cut out of many public schools which leaves it to parents to bring quality music into the home and expose children to music of varying genres.   The storybook and CD, Songs from A Journey with a Parrot offers parents that opportunity while also giving the parents sophisticated world music for their own listening pleasure.   I don’t have children and I’m enjoying this delightful project. First off the book portion features colorful ethnic illustrations by Aurelia Fronty that pop of...

World/Latin Grupo Cha Cha   This is the Life Independent Mixed Latin music bands have caught my attention in recent years, including Seattle’s Picoso (with women horn players) and now, Grupo Cha Cha from Chicago which performs flute-centered Caribbean and Brazilian dance music.   This is the Life opens with Charlie Otwell’s Peruchin which ripples with passion.   Flutist Lise Gilly (band leader) radiates on this track, with tight Afro-Latin percussion, salsa-piano (Darwin Noguera), and the other musicians creating luscious grooves.   Anyone who fancies Latin music will gravitate towards this independent release and why not support independent musicians? The title track recalls Cal Tjader and Havana Flute Summit which falls in neatly into Latin jazz with Victor Garcia soloing on trumpet and Adrian Ruiz on electric piano (organ).   The musicians shift rhythmically three quarters of the way with the flute taking the lead.   On Que Te P...

World Nilson Mattas Black Orpheus Motema Music The Greek myth featuring the love story about Orpheus and Euridice has captured the attention of music and movie makers.   In 1956, the Brazilian play, Orfeu da Conceicão hit the stages and the sound track, record players.   In 1959, French filmmaker Marcel Camus released the Academy Awards-winner Black Orpheus .   And the Brazilians hadn’t their last word.   Brazilian director Carlos Diegues brought us Orfeu in 1999 (which I have seen).   And this month, Brazilian bassist Nilson Mattas pays homage to the legend-love story with his CD Black Orpheus . Featuring 16 musicians performing both original songs, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá and Vinícius de Moraes’ samba and bossa nova classics (from the Brazilian play and French movie) and it feels like Brazilian carnival has marched into my apartment.   Equal parts romantic, and effervescent, Black Orpheus feels like a spot of sun...

World Sērgio Tannus Son Brasilego Folmusica (Spain) When I received a parcel from the Galician label Folmusica, I wasn’t expecting a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist CD.   Yet, Sērgio Tannus Son Brasilego reminds me of the proximity between Galicia (Northwest Spain) to Portugal.   The Gallego language of the Galician people also shares roots with the Portuguese language so even though Brazil is across the world from Spain or Portugal, Brazilian music shares connections with Galicia.   Besides, some of Galicia’s hottest folk musicians teamed up with Tannus on this sunny recording.   And not only that, I was surprised to see two artists (Ceumar and Antonio Zambujo) whose CDs I reviewed in recent months, sing on the songs, Água Quentinha (Ceumar) and Bethoven Tinha Razão (Zambujo). No wonder their voices felt like a deja vu experience. I much prefer the slower, more sensual pieces, but the samba pieces have me wishing for time on a sunny So...