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| Renowned Pianist/Arranger ANTONIO ADOLFO's "CARNAVAL (The Songs Were So Beautiful)" Pianist, composer, and Brazilian jazz master ANTONIO ADOLFO has gained international fame for his gorgeous reharmonization of both jazz standards and Brazilian songs. He has reimagined Milton Nascimento, Jobim, bossa nova, samba, choro, and baião compositions as jazz, as well as creating soulful, Brazilian-tinged interpretations of Cole Porter and Wayne Shorter, among others.On his newest album, CARNAVAL (Carnival), Adolfo once again applies his pitch-perfect touch to Brazilian music that is rarely - if ever - thought of as jazz. Carnaval is a festival that happens over a few days, just before Lent. Traditionally, many people fast during Lent, giving up meat, sugar or other foods and drinks. Carnaval is an opportunity to enjoy these pleasures for the last time. The festival features parades, bands, dancing, costumes, and street parties. The music is lively and upbeat, combining elements of traditional Brazilian music, like sambas, marchinhas, marchas-rancho, and frevos, with African rhythms and European influences. Adolfo has been passionate about Carnaval music since he was very young and partook of the festivities with his family. The poetic beauty of the songs has stayed with him ever since. However, he feels that over the years many of the old songs have lost their beauty with new approaches or have disappeared entirely. On CARNAVAL, he breathes new life into some of his favorites. A multi-Latin Grammy and Grammy nominee, Adolfo's songs have been recorded by Sergio Mendes, Herb Alpert, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and many other pop and jazz artists. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of musicians, and for the past 40 years has run the popular music school in Rio De Janeiro, Centro Musical Antonio Adolfo. He is also an author with a dozen instructional music books in print. Brazil has an abundance of great musicians, but not all are adept at jazz. Adolfo, though, has been recording and performing with top musicians who are fluent in both styles. The band includes LULA GALVÃO (guitar), JORGE HELDER (bass), RAFAEL BARATA (drums & percussion), JESSE SADOC (trumpet & flugelhorn), IDRISS BOUDRIA (alto sax), MARCELO MARTINS (tenor sax & flute), RAFAEL ROCHA (trombone), and ANDRE SIQUEIRA (percussion). Although Carnaval is a big party, some of the music also has hints of sadness. Adolfo explains, "Carnival characters are central to the festivities. These characters give rise to the costumes worn at the festivities, bringing cultural and historical narratives to life. Not all the characters are happy. For example, Pierrot is the poorest of the servants and wears clothes made of flour sacks. He is always suffering because of his love for Colombina, another character. So, some of the songs have a sort of tristesse, which makes them even more beautiful." Adolfo opens the album with "É Com Esse Que Eu vou" (I am Going With This One). Composed in 1948 by Pedro Caetano, it became a Carnaval hit. The song is a partido alto samba, a style of samba characterized by its improvised verses and a distinctive rhythm. "Vassourinhas" (Vassourinhas Carnaval Club) is a frevo, a vibrant Brazilian dance and music style usually performed at Carnival. It was created by Matias da Rocha and Joana Batista Ramos in 1909 as a tribute to a Carnaval club in the northeastern town of Recife. The song became an anthem of the Carnaval in that town. The song features solos by Marcelo Martins (tenor sax) and Lula Galvao (guitar). "Oba (O Bafo da Onça)" (Breath of the Jaguar) was composed in 1962 by Osvaldo Nunes and became the anthem for a very famous and traditional Carnaval group, Bafo da Onça. Originally a samba, Adolfo gives the tune a Ijexá feel, which is an Afro-Brazilian style from Bahia (Brazilian Northeast). "Mal-Me-Quer" (She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not) is a classic Carnaval song with a beautiful melody. Written in 1940, Adolfo arranged it as a ballad in the marcha-rancho style, which is a slow tempo bossa/marcha. "Vai Passar" (It's Going To Be Ok) is the newest song on the album. Composed in 1984 by Chico Buarque and Francis Hime in the old big samba parade style, it was inspired by the era when Brazilians were praying for democracy to return. "As Pastorinhas" refers to the girl singers of Carnaval. It was written by two great composers, Braguinha and Noel Rosa. It was composed as a slow tempo marcha-rancho for a Carnaval song competition in 1934. "Exaltação à Mangueira" (Ode to Mangueira) refers to Escola de Samba Mangueira, the most famous samba group of dancers and singers who perform during the Carnaval Samba Parade in Rio. The song was created by Eneas Brittes and Aloysio Augusto da Costa for the Carnaval of 1956 and became one of the biggest classics of Brazilian Carnaval. "A Lua É Dos Namorados" (The Moon Belongs to Lovers) is another very beautiful marchinha composed by Klecius Caldas, Armando Cavalvanti and Brasinha for the Carnaval of 1960. Adolfo adds his own touch to the tune by fusing it with a quiet samba. Adolfo closes the album with "Agora É Cinza" (Now It is Ashes) by the great Bide (Alcebiades Barcellos) and Marçal (Armando Marçal) for the Carnaval of 1933. The song is the most authentic and inspired of the old time Carnaval melodies. Brazilian music is loved around the world. But the works of much-admired artists like Jobim and Nascimento, and styles like bossa nova and samba, are only the tip of the iceberg of the rich tapestry of sounds that is Brazilian music. And now on CARNAVAL, Antonio Adolfo finds inspiration in yet another tradition of the music and shows once again that he is a master pianist, composer, and arranger in both jazz and Brazilian music. # # # CARNAVAL was released on July 11, 2025 at www.aammusic.com and is online everywhere. write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |