Latin Guitar
Notes by Almeida
When one talks about Brazil, the first thing which comes to one's mind is the beautiful beaches, the Guanabara Harbor in Rio, the famous Carnaval and the soccer games. If one adds to these things, singing birds, the shriek of the jaguar in the deep jungle and the aborigine drums, one can deduct these are the sounds and things which gave the inspiration for the music contained on this CD.
Radamés Gnáttali is a prime force in the formulation of Brazilian music being prolific both in the popular and classical vein.
Among his pupils may be found such as A.C. Jobim, L. Bonfa, Joâo Gilberto, Baden Powel, just to name a few. He lived in Rio De Janeiro.
The Pianist on this CD is brilliant keyboard man Michael Lang whose touch and feeling for this type of music is unsurpassed. The percussion man Charles (Chuck) Flores is a well known name not only in the Latin Field but, in fact, in all fields of drum playing. He has been part of many of my other recordings.
As for me (It is always ungrateful to talk about one's self) I limit myself to say how grateful I am for what has come to me the way of understanding and loving my profession; Music.
MOZART IN SAMBA MOTION: A special arrangement I conceived of the first movement of that great composer's Symphony in G Minor.
GAROTO: This is a song I used to play with a dear musician friend who passed away early in life. This is a tribute to the memory of that friend.
ESCADOO: A playful original composition of mine which is in a syncopated mood based on a simple chordal routine exploited largely by the guitar. Guitar and drums converse back and forth, and then the song ends with a descending chordal pattern led by a cycle of fifths bass line.
THAT LAZY THING: Another original of mine portraying a guy who hated to work,! With his hat on he loved to sleep under the trees. The theme runs for 16 measures intercalated by bridges 1,2,3 & 4. Such bridges are portraits of light classical moods after which it goes right back to the lazy man's theme.
SONGS FROM BLACK ORPHEUS: I arranged a medley of three songs from this popular film in my own way. It starts with "Manhâ de Carnaval" (Morning of Carnaval) which I play in Rubato and Tremolo style, then merges with drums and guitar to "Felicidade", ending with "Samba de Orpheu". This is all on one guitar.
IMPROMPTU: Here is a kind of "Seresta" (Serenade) which happens in a minor mode. The bass line is very strong to support the melody which happens one half note (3/4) behind the beat. In spite of its Chopin-esque flavor it perfectly suits the Brazilian "Seresta" style.
BRAZILIAN POPULAR SUITE: by Radamés Gnáttali. This work is in six parts, each part displaying a different type of Brazilian music, in full scope, showing the wide range of Gnáttali's genius. Melodic rhythms, contemporary harmonic structures and percussion rhythmic variations form the trilogy that molds every movement of this Suite. All the rhythms, forms and styles applied are authentic and true to its generic title. All movements were conceived in the A-B-A form, invariably with a contrapuntal interlude in the middle. Popular Brazilian music fullness started with the awakening of national consciousness in the early 1900's. The Brazilians, a race emerging from welding of Europeans, Africans and Indians, found themselves in a profusion of rhythms, melodies and quite new inflections, a medium through which the people expressed their expansive musicality that finally influenced the creative imagination of educated musicians like Radamés Gnáttali. The roots of "Bossa Nova" which are not yet completely defined could be attributed to many styles found in this work which was composed back in 1953 before the Bossa Nova came about.
INVOCATION TO XANGO: (pronounced - Shango), A strong melody line resting on a syncopated rhythmic pattern, modulating every so often, is like the title suggests, an evocation of silent mysteries, a boisterous tribute to Xango a God of Macumba, a Brazilin fetichistic ritual of cult that is largely of African origin and combines sorcery with dancing, drumming and chanting.
TOADA: Is a type of music showing a dark emotional mood and most of the time comes with words. Here however, Gnáttali gives us a purely instrumental Toada. To create the proper "mood" Toada is played on the Fender Rhodes piano from beginning to the end.
CHORO: (pronounced - Shoro) The Choro, literally meaning tear, unlike other types of Brazilian music, is not a syncopated one. Its melodic and rhythmic lines move in a parallel motion usually in eights or other equal valued notes. The excitement arises from the moving tempo of a heartfelt and "tearful" exclamation of love! Here the piano starts with a rhythmic vamp preparing for the guitar which exposes the "Têma" (Theme) in chromatic descending figures in a question and answer dialogue with the piano, ending with a contrapuntal coda in modulating bass figures.
SAMBA CANÇÂO: (pronounced - Samba-Cansound), Unlike the fervent Samba, this is the moody, romantic, slow moving samba, which could be compared emotionally with American Blues. If instruments made love one could say while hearing this, that the piano, guitar and drums were exalting each other in an array of wonderful sounding moods. The slow, but rhythmic beat follows the song until the break at the coda, where there happens an "a piacere" strain leading the song to the end, with harmonic effects played on the guitar. To create the right "mood" the Fender Rhodes and acoustical piano are combined in this piece.
BAIÂO : This type of music originated in Bahia (North of Brazil). Its rhythm is combined by two firm and different beats which compliment each other making up the Baiâo motion, Thus: a dotted quarter note, an eighth note tied to a half note on the lower register, against a quarter rest, a quarter note a quarter rest and a quarter note on the upper register. The Triangle becomes very important as an auxiliary instrument with its flourishing rhythmic variations, accents and inflections away from the rhythm above explained. The diminished fifth used on the scales of this piece is characteristic of the Northern music of Brazil.
MARCHA: The Brazilian Marcha is not militaristic and most of the time written in a slow pace, being the most favorable of all Brazilian music during Carnaval time. The "Schools of Samba" which comes down from the "favela" hills of Rio, use the Marcha more than any other type of music for dancing done by the "Pastorinhâs" with their colorful costumes on the streets of Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval days.