Spotlight: Viajando: Choro e Jazz, Grupo Falso Baiano

February 17, 2009 by chip
Filed under: Jazz, Latin Jazz, Podcasts, Soul/R&B, SoulSites, SoulTrackin' 

The Spotlight Series highlights upcoming Latin Jazz musicians that have yet to reach national recognition. Many of these musicians thrive in local scenes and some tour in support of releases. All these musicians contribute greatly to the overall Latin Jazz scene, and they deserve our “spotlighted” attention.

Viajando: Choro e Jazz
Grupo Falso Baiano
Massaroca Records
In many ways, jazz artists have approached the Brazilian music world with a limited view, leaving the vast playing field of Brazilian rhythms, composers, and instrumentalists unexplored. The popularity of the bossa nova and samba among both jazz musicians and the general public created a stigma for most people – this was the music of Brazil, and that was all one needed to know. Images of Carmen Miranda with bananas on her head, coupled with video clips of massive samba schools fueling the festive atmosphere of Rio carnival brainwashed most people, convincing them that samba was Brazil. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s music captured the imagination of countless musicians, and a number of his compositions became standards among the jazz community. While Jobim’s gorgeous music turned the jazz world’s attention towards Brazil, it also served as a stopping point for many musicians who neglected to look at Brazilian composers beyond Jobim. Stateside Brazilian Jazz has played upon this viewpoint for many years now, with countless albums full of bossa novas and sambas reinforcing an uninformed musical stereotype. The artist that looks beyond this blinding belief and digs into Brazil’s rich musical heritage will find a rich history filled with exciting artistic possibilities. This is a bold and time consuming pursuit that involves a major load of research and practice, but it’s a necessary one that will guide the world of stateside Brazilian Jazz into the future. San Francisco Bay Area based Grupo Falso Baiano makes this firm commitment to the greater world of Brazilian music with Viajando: Choro e Jazz, a glowing set of music that drives jazz aesthetics through a variety of Brazilian traditions.

Putting A Jazz Twist On Choro
The group puts a jazz twist on pieces from several Brazilian musicians, known for their choro compositions. Guitarist Brian Moran and mandolin player Jesse Appelman assertively race through a unison line on Waldir Azevedo’s “Carioquinha” before saxophonist Zack Pitt-Smith leaps into the main melody. Appelman continues the song’s addictive energy with an improvisation that spins beautiful melodies around the strong groove. The band members take turns setting up breaks for percussionist Ami Molinelli to provide fills on pandeiro before Pitt-Smith weaves through a thin texture back towards the melody. Appelman and Pitt-Smith lead into Azevedo’s “Arrasta-Pé” with an accelerating rhythmic line that explodes into a complex melody pushed forward by guest artist Jovino Santos Neto’s driving accordion. The band maintains the forward motion while Neto improvises with an engaging musicality that combines the instrument’s rhythmic nature and mysterious tone. After a brief interlude, Appelman leaps into his own statement that draws upon the major tonality and his impressive instrumental technique. Molinelli sets up a serious groove with her deep pandeiro skills on Jacob Do Bandolim’s “Birula,” soon pushed forward by Moran and topped off with a subtle melody by PItt-Smith. The melody winds comfortably around a well-conceived arrangement as Appelman and Pitt-Smith, this time on clarinet, trade pieces of the complete statement. Pitt-Smith calls upon jazz influenced phrasing as he improvises boldly over the groove while Appelman and Moran emphasize certain lines. Appelman and Moran trade rubato statements before finding a slow and steady pulse on Do Bandolim’s “De Coração a Coração” while guest mandolin players Mike Marshall and Eva Scow join together on the melody. Marshall plays around the melody, building his statement into a larger series of long flowing lines that resonate with an emotional strength. Moran shines as an insightful accompanist on this track, as he intersperses logical bass runs together with arpeggiated chordal passages on his 7-string guitar. The group shows a strong command of the choro genre and a connection to some of its important composers on these tracks, always finding room for personalized improvisation.

Pulling Compositions From Brazilian Instrumentalists
The group also pulls compositions from several well-known Brazilian instrumentalists, displaying a knowledge of the Brazilian music world outside the standard jazz connections. Molinelli establishes a strong samba groove which the rest of band expands into a catchy vamp on mandolin player Hamilton de Holanda’s “Aquarela na Quixaba” before Pitt-Smith enthusiastically jumps into an upbeat melody. Appelman uses the song’s melody as a launching point and then leaps into a lyrically intriguing improvisation while Pitt-Smith interjects short melodic comments. Pitt-Smith takes the opportunity to make a short statement until Appelman returns with a short improvisation around breaks to highlight Molinelli. Appelman immediately attacks an ear-catching melody over a sparse texture on cavaquinho player Luciana Rabello’s “De Bem com a Vida” until Pitt-Smith joins on the melody and Molinelli includes a larger percussion sound. Appelman weaves around the melody with clever embellishments on his improvisation until Pitt-Smith enters with a fluid statement that sounds like an extension of Appelman’s improvisation. The two musicians enter into a playful dialogue that includes call and response between sax and mandolin as well as lively breaks from Moran and Molinelli. Brash breaks give way to Pitt-Smith’s angular clarinet melody over a steady samba groove on clarinet player Paulo Sérgio Santos’ “Samba da Lua,” a jazzy melody over an extended form. Pitt-Smith improvises around the song’s rhythmic momentum with a bluesy edge, intertwining long lines with sharp syncopations. The group breaks the rhythmic momentum for an unaccompanied statement from Appelman before the rhythm section shoots his solo into high gear with the return of the samba groove. Pitt-Smith overdubs himself, building a layered texture of flute, clarinet, and saxophone on trumpet player Bonfiglio de Oliveira’s “Alzira,” exchanging phrases between the three woodwind instruments, Scow, and Moran. The arranging, elegantly executed by Pitt-Smith and Moran, shines on this long complex form as textures change, instruments weave between melodies, and a classy flow guides the chart. Scow takes a brief solo that perfectly compliments the song’s inherent grace and style, filled with minor melodies and long lines. The group has done their homework and found influence in a variety of important Brazilian instrumentalists, filling their repertoire with a rich diversity and depth.

Looking At Modern Composers
The group also utilizes the music of several modern composers from Brazil and beyond, adding a different edge to the album. There’s an earthy mysticism behind the unorganized percussion, whistle, and nature sounds that lead into a steady groove on Baden Powell’s “Canto de Ossanha.” Appelman and Pitt-Smith travel respectfully through the famous melody before finding room for Appelman to spin a brief improvisation. After a quick return to the melody, the band sets up a vamp or a solo from guest conguero Michael Spiro and a short statement from Pitt-Smith. Moran walks over Molinelli’s swing brushes while Pitt-Smith and Neto create bluesy licks on Hermeto Pascoal’s “Viajando Pelo Brasil” until the band explodes into a samba for a rhythmic melody. Neto assertively grabs his improvisation and dives into fast runs and syncopated rhythms, providing an exciting solo. Scow follows Neto’s lead with an engaging and virtuosic statement that Pitt-Smith contrasts with a spacious start that grows into a full idea. There’s an understated calm to Pitt-Smith’s rubato clarinet introduction on Paulinho da Viola’s “Beliscando” that remains intact when the rhythm section appears. The entrance of Appelman’s improvisation signals a change into double time, fueling inspiring lines from him and Pitt-Smith. The two musicians trade short improvisations with a contagious enthusiasm, leading into a double time interpretation of the melody. A sense of novelty is balanced with a heavy dose of wit and creative musicality on Koji Kondo’s “Irmãos Super Mario” with the band making the video game theme swing with a jazzy edge. After a thorough statement of the familiar melody, the band bursts into a full-blown batucada samba section with Spiro joining Molinelli on a variety of percussion. While the band digs into a ferocious groove, Neto improvises with an equal verve on melodica, wildly racing through quick streams of notes. The group displays a good deal of personality and knowledge on these tracks, connecting with a broader spectrum of Brazilian music and exploring interesting musical directions.

Looking At The Greater World Of Brazilian Music
Grupo Falso Baiano’s members have taken the time to study the greater world of Brazilian music and the results shine brightly on Viajando: Choro e Jazz. They draw upon a broad spectrum of Brazilian composers to fill their repertoire, placing a heavy emphasis upon the choro genre. The group has a large perspective on the Brazilian music world though, and they include pieces from a wide range of Brazilian instrumentalists and modern composers. The group places jazz improvisation in this context, but the mixture never seems forced; in fact, it’s quite the contrary – every improvisation seems like a natural extension of the music. The group’s soloists are all versed in the melodies of Brazilian music, and they demonstrate a highly refined ability to spontaneously create in that language. Their use of guest artists are wise and compliment the overall sound of the album – from Neto’s deeply rooted accordion playing to Mike Marshall’s sensitive mandolin work, it all helps complete the group’s larger statement. Appelman stands out as an outstanding soloist who has studied his instrument’s roots in Brazilian music, while Pitt-Smith eloquently shapes the band’s sound with his broad array of woodwind instruments. Molinelli provides a massive groove throughout the album, displaying impressive pandeiro skills and a non-stop sense of swing. Moran’s 7-string guitar serves as the connecting voice between all the group’s players, nailing the bass foundation beneath the group and holding the form together with powerful runs. Grupo Falso Baiano sends a powerful message with their performance on Viajando: Choro e Jazz, showing us the massive possibilities inherent in Brazilian music when we dig a little deeper – something that this group has done with truly inspiring results.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
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Album of the Week: Lua e Sol, Mark Weinstein
The Insightful Art of the Duet: Continuous Friendship, Hamilton de Holanda & Andre Mehmari
Spotlight: Sonando Vuelos, Anna Estrada

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