The vibrant musical culture of Brazil, with its distinctive dances,
instruments, and styles has influenced other art forms around the world,
especially jazz. In May 2002, Jazz at Lincoln Center (J@LC) will
celebrate
this strong connection between jazz and Brazilian music through
concerts,
collaborations, and educational events for all ages.
Jazz in the Penthouse: The Music of Pixinguinha
J@LC will kick off the festivities on Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday, May 2, 3, and 4, 2002 with an intimate Jazz in the Penthouse
concert featuring the music of the legendary Brazilian musician, Alfredo
da
Rocha Vianna, Jr., known as Pixinguinha (1897-1973). A prolific
composer,
touring visionary, and virtuoso performer, he is often compared to Louis
Armstrong in terms of his enormous influence on his native music.
Brazilian
guitarist ROMERO LUBAMBO will lead the program focusing on Pixinguinha’s
rich music, with a top-notch ensemble featuring PAULA ROBISON (flute),
MAURO
SENISE (alto saxophone, flute), CYRO BAPTISTA (percussion), DUDUKA da
FONSECA (drums), and NILSON MATTA (bass). “The Music of Pixinguinha”
will be
held at 8pm in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse.
Jazz on Film: Carnival in Brazil and in New Orleans
On Wednesday, May 15, at 8pm in the Walter Reade Theater, J@LC
Artistic Director WYNTON MARSALIS will host an entertaining and
informative
evening of Jazz on Film: “Carnival in Brazil and in New Orleans.” Mr.
Marsalis will examine the similarities and differences between the
legendary
Carnivale tradition of Brazil and the equally famous Mardi Gras
tradition of
his native New Orleans, with entertaining footage of both events coupled
with narration and anecdotes.
LCJO: Carnival on Broadway, with Cyro Baptista and samba ensemble.
The highlight of the festivities will take place on Friday and
Saturday, May 17 and 18, 2002 at 8pm in Alice Tully Hall, when the
Lincoln
Center Jazz Orchestra (LCJO) with Wynton Marsalis perform “Carnival on
Broadway.” The LCJO will explore the connection between Brazilian music
and
jazz by collaborating with a samba ensemble led by percussion wizard
CYRO
BAPTISTA. In a variety of combinations, the musicians will perform
traditional Brazilian compositions, jazz standards with a samba groove,
bossa nova songs, and a number of new arrangements and compositions.
Jazz for Young People: “What is Samba?”
As part of its ongoing mission to foster an appreciation for
jazz
among younger generations, J@LC will produce the Jazz for Young PeopleSM
concert “What is Samba?” on Saturday, May 18, 2002 at 11am and 1pm in
Alice
Tully Hall. In addition, there will be a program for area school groups
only at the Apollo Theatre on Monday, May 20, 2002 at 10am and 12pm.
Wynton
Marsalis will host the program, which will explore this exciting dance
and
musical style, joined by members of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
and
guest guitarist ROMERO LUBAMBO and percussionist CYRO BAPTISTA.
Cyro Baptista is a Brazilian percussionist who has played a wide array
of
traditional and self-created percussion instruments over his twenty-year
career. Since his arrival in New York City in 1980, he has performed and
recorded with an impressive collection of artists including Paul Simon,
Laurie Anderson, Brain Eno, David Byrne, Carly Simon, Robert Palmer,
John
Zorn, Janis Ian, Herbie Mann, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ruben Blades, Chuck
Mangione, Steve Gadd, Nana Vasconcelos, Caetano Veloso, and Astrud
Gilberto.
He appeared on releases in the 1990s on recordings by vocalists
Cassandra
Wilson and Holly Cole. He has also composed music and appeared in the
movie
“Woods” staring Nick Nolte. On his first album as a leader, 1997’s Vila
Loubos Vila Loucos, performs his wild interpretations of the music of
Brazilian classical composer Hector Villa-Lobos, joined by John Zorn,
Greg
Cohen, Marc Ribot, and Nana Vasconcelos. With Canadian guitarist Kevin
Breit, Baptista formed the group Supergenerous, which performs in New
York
City and released a 2000 recording on Blue Note Records.
Romero Lubambo (guitar) was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1955 and studied
classical piano and music theory as a young boy, before devoting himself
to
the guitar at age 13. He graduated from the Villa-Lobos School of Music
in
Rio in 1978, an outstanding student of classical guitar, and in 1980,
received a degree in mechanical engineering from the Pontificia
Universidade
Catolica do Rio de Janeiro. He taught himself through intense research
and
practice, developing exceptional skill, versatility, and fluency in both
jazz and Brazilian idioms. In 1985 he left Brazil for New York, where he
became in-demand not only for his authentic Brazilian sound, but also
for
his command of a variety of styles. Lubambo has performed and recorded
with
many outstanding artists, including Dianne Reeves, Michael Brecker,
Kathleen
Battle, Herbie Mann, Ivan Lins, Paquito D’Rivera, Harry Belafonte,
Grover
Washington Jr., and Dave Weckl among many others. He has also
established
himself as a composer and performer on his own critically acclaimed
recording projects as well as on those of Trio Da Paz, a Brazilian jazz
trio
Lubambo formed with Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca. In 2001, he was
featured in the J@LC Valentine’s Day concert featuring Dianne Reeves and
a
string ensemble.
Tue Apr 9 2002 (5:48:46 PM)