The Orquesta Popular de Câmara brings a new sonority to the Brazilian musical universe by the encounter of the contemporary world with the traditional. Of the linked instruments to the urban culture, as the saxophone, piano, cello and bass to the rural of the viola caipira, of the mandolin, of the acordeom, of the zabumba and pífanos.

— Winner of “Movimento” award in 99.

Special guest: Naná Vasconcelos

MUSICIANS

Ari Colares (percussion)
Music professor at the Universidade Livre de Música and at the University of Sao Paulo (the most important university in Brazil.) Ari has played with: Naná Vasconcelos, Egberto Gismonti, Winton Marsalis, Césa Camargo Mariano, among others.
Recently, he has been playing with: Vanessa da Mata, Fortuna, Banda Heartbreakers and others. Besides that, Ari has an instrumental project with Heloisa Ferandes, a percussion/piano percussion duo, which started when they were nominated for the best Instrumental album in the VISA Awards.

Benjamim Taubkin (piano)
Benjamim started his career in the 70s and since then he has played with Rafael Rabello, Paulo Moura, Marlui Miranda, among others. Playing with Zizi Possi, he participated in her CD “Valsa Brasileira” – chosen as the best Brazilian Popular Music album by the SHARP Award in 1993 – and also participated in her program “Sobre todas as Coisas”. In 1989, Benjamim created the Brazilian Memory Project, where he produced several concerts as “Violões” (Guitars), “Piano” and “Arranjadores” (Masters of Arrangers) , that were all released by his Núcleo Contemporâneo label, which he founded together with Teco Cardoso. His first CD, “A Terra e o Espaço Aberto”, was released in 1997, also by his label, and was a nominee for the ´Prêmio Movimento´ and ´Sharp´ Award.

Caíto Marcondes (percussion)
Caíto had his CD “Porta do Tempo” released in Brazil and Europe. Airto Moreira considered him the Villa Lobos of percussion”. Together with Teco Cardoso, he has made the soundtrack for the movie “O Cineasta da Selva”. The soundtrack was released by Núcleo Contemporâneo in 1998. In August of 2001 Caíto had his CD “North Meets South / Sul Encontra o Norte” (a duo with the american violinist Tracy Silverman) released by the same label.

Dimos Goudaroulis (violoncello)
Born in Greece, he studied with Phillipe Muller and Reine Flachot. Living in Brasil since 1996, Dimos has been presenting in several musical formations: baroque music with the Tripo Contínuo group; and the contemporary music, of the Novo Horizonte group.

Guello (percussion)
Guello has been playing with major musicians such as Zizi Possi (her latest four CD´s), Chico César, Joyce, and others. He is also former member of the Bonsai Group, which released the latest CD “Desdobraduras”.

Lulinha Alencar (acordion)
Pianist, composer, arranger and acordion player, Lulinha began studying piano and jazz improvisation. He formed the instrumental trio LSD´Jazz and also formerly was in the Banda Buscapé, focusing on regional music. As an accordion player, Lulinha has been playing with groups such as Mafuá, Mawaca, Antônio Barros and others.

Mané Siveira (sax and flutes)
Mané had three Cd´s released by Núcleo Contemporâneo record: ” Sax sob as Árvores” (nominee for the Sharp Award), ” Bonsai Machine” and “Imã” (a duo with Swami Jr.).

Mônica Salmaso (vocal)
Considered the best new vocal talent in Brazil, Mônica released her CD “Trampolim” in 1998 and “Afrosambas” (together with Paulo Bellinatti) in 1996. She won the VISA Award in 1999 as best singer in Brazil and in the same year released her latest CD “Voadeira”, with special participation of Marcos Suzano and Toninho Ferragutti.

Ronem Altman (mandolim)
Representing the new generation of mandolinists, Ronem performed on the soundtrack of Walter Salles Jr.´s movie “Terra Estrangeira” and in several editions of the choro festival “Festival Chorando Alto”.

Sylvinho Mazzucca (bass)
Sylvinho Mazzucca has played with major Brazilian artists such as Ivan Lins and Zona Azul. He is one of the most busy bass players in Brazil.

Teco Cardoso (sax and flutes)
Winner of the Sharp Award in 1998 (best instrumentalist) with his CD “Meu Brasil”, Teco is one of the owners of Núcleo Contemporâneo record. He has been touring with his own group and also with artists such as Joyce and Dori Caymmi, among others. Together with Caíto Marcondes, Teco was responsible for the soundtrack of the movie “Cineasta da Selva”. In 1999 Teco and flutist Léa Freire released the CD “Quinteto.

Zezinho Pitoco (percussion)
Pitoco was involved in the founding of several Brazilian music groups such as “Mexe com Tudo” and “Mistura e Manda”. He is now the musical director for Antônio Carlos Nóbrega.

—

WWW.JAZZREVIEW.COM
REVIEW

— By Glenn Astarita

Formed in 1998 to coincide with an active touring schedule, this Brazilian tentet does indeed, mesh familiar territory with a contemporary slant. On this irrefutably attractive outing, the artists’ use indigenous South American flutes and percussion instruments with horns, accordion, piano, and other tools of the trade. The overall program features a hodgepodge of wistful melodies, enhanced by the angelic vocals of Monica Salmaso. They fuse folk, traditional Brazilian fare, jazz, and even a piano/violincello chamber groove during the harmonious and multifaceted piece titled “Suite Para Polar Cama.” It’s a polytonal extravaganza, teeming with mood-evoking sentiment and blustery motifs, all constructed upon a layered approach. Through it all, an overriding sense of newness prevails. It’s comprehensive in scope yet easily attainable: An album that signifies a new wave within Brazilian music circles, or perhaps world music in general for that matter. In addition, special guest artist and renowned percussionist, Nana Vasconcelos sits in with the band for the entire set. (Recommended…)

—

WWW.ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM
REVIEW

— By John Kelman

Orquestra Popular de Camara | Adventure Music

The interpretation of Brazilian music is something that has been covered in virtually every context, from intimate solo and duet settings to full-out orchestral works. The key aspect of whatever setting is used is whether it maintains its authenticity. While traditional jazz groupings can cover the material, moulding it to a more North American rendering, the most genuine works have arguably been those which use many of the native South American instruments. While Egberto Gismonti’s orchestral interpretation of his more popular works on 1997’s Meeting Point was academically interesting, it lacked a certain ethnic authenticity that ultimately resulted in a valiant but failed attempt.

Not so the Orquestra Popular de Camara who, by combining native instruments like bandolim, bamboo flute and a variety of percussion instruments with the less conventional cello and viola, create an intriguing blend of textures that is refreshingly different while, at the same time, maintaining complete authenticity.

Orquestra Popular de Camara is a wholly original work by a group of musicians who forsake individuality to create a unique group sound that blends instruments from the rainforests of Brazil with more conventional instruments like piano, saxophone and bass. The Orquestra’s complete lack of ego is what makes it work. While the ensemble numbers thirteen players, it is rare that everyone is in the pool at once. Instead, piano and cello combine with berimbau in a chamber-like setting, creating a peaceful ambience at the beginning of “Suite para Pular Cama (E ver o Brasil) that leads into a Gismonti-informed folk-like passage featuring bandolim, piano, percussion and flute. Monica Salmaso’s wordless vocals lend an ethereal quality to “Bayaty,” another piece which begins in a tranquil fashion, only to segue into a relaxed but poignant movement where voice and flute combine seamlessly.

The overall ambience of Orquestra Popular de Camara is one of folk-like elegance. Individual players are given brief opportunities to solo, often-times in the form of a dialogue with another instrument, sometimes combining in ways that sometimes blur the boundaries between them. Cello and accordion combine in a duet at the beginning of “Parafuso,” creating a new and distinct texture. One of the outstanding characteristics of the recording is, in fact, how the various instruments are blended to create timbres that are organic yet strangely new.

Moving, texturally rich, filled with unique takes on common forms that are both challenging and completely accessible, Orquestra Popular de Camara manages to bring a vital new slant to the popular Brazilian folk form. Not quite folk, not quite jazz, not quite classical, it is difficult to pigeon-hole, but in the final analysis its sheer elegance and deep expression make it an album well worth investigating.