Keep (it) Swinging: Nelson Latif - Tribute to João Pernambuco

Nelson Latif - Tribute to João Pernambuco ( English) Nelson Latif - Eerbetoon aan João Pernambuco ( Nederlands)

The inspired poet on the guitar
NELSON LATIF - TRIBUTE TO JOÃO PERNAMBUCO
Jørgen Larsen

Last year guitarist and cavaquinho player Nelson Latif recorded an album dedicated to João Pernambuco (1883-1947), entitled Nelson Latif Tributo a João Pernambuco (NL002), that has been just released. The cd is recorded in Brasilia and Amsterdam in April and December 2009 and contains a dozen tracks of both solo pieces and arrangements for choro ensemble - 10 tracks feature compositions by João Pernambuco; the 2 remaining are compositions by Latif and guitarist Bosco Oliveira.

This album is dedicated to the musical heritage of the Brazilian composer and guitar player João Teixeira de Guimarães, better known as João Pernambuco, who passed away in 1947.

The inspired poet of the guitar who makes with the magic instrument a passionate interpreter of his own fantastic artistic imagination, a marvelous instrument which he manages with a naturalness with which the birds sing in the forrest in the clear wee hours of the morning or on rainy afternoons or on the moonlight nights in the backlands (quote Cavaquinho de Ouro music store in João Fernambuco arte de um povo )

The musical legacy of João Pernambuco was almost forgotten after his death; only a small selection of his compositions were recorded by other musicians, like Dilermando Reis and Jacob do Bandolim in the 1950s and 1960s. However, with the essential release of some of Pernambuco's choros on two LPs by Turibío Santos in 1977 and 1979, the music of João Pernambuco was relived and saved from oblivion. From then on Pernambuco's compositions have been considered a part of the choro standard book for each serious Choro-player. In 1983, the centennial of Pernambuco was celebrated through a recording by pianist Antonio Adolfo and the choro ensemble Nó Em Pingo d'Aqua featuring new arrangements of some of Pernambuco's pieces, another essential recording that I have commented earlier.

Nelson Latif playing the cavaquinho.
Guitarist Bosco Oliveira, who accomponanies Latif in the ensemble tracks on the cd, is a regular member of Latif's various ensembles excelling in different variations of Brasilian and world-music styles. The ensemble tracks have further participation by Flávio Sandoval on tenor and soprano sax and Rafael dos Santos on pandeiro ( a small Brazilian hand drum).

The cd takes off with a great arrangement of Pernambuco's Dengoso featuring Latif on violão 7 cordas ( a seven-string guitar) and cavaquinho overdub and solo contributions from Sandoval's reeds backed by Oliveira and Rafael dos Santos. This is followed by a duo recording of Sons de Carrilhões by Latif on violão 7 cordas and Oliveira on violão ( = guitar) including an improvisation by Latif reflecting the famous duet recording of the piece by Raphael Rabello and Dino Sete Cordas from the early 1990s. Graúna, Interroganda, Brasileirinho and the Oliveira composition De João para João are trio recordings featuring Latif on both violão 7 cordas and cavaquinho, the reed playing by Sandoval is featured again on Mimoso, Sentido, Lágrima, Saudosa Viola, Rebolico and the Latif composition Uma Toada para o João are solo contributions by Nelson Latif on violão 7 cordas, the Pernambuco pieces reflecting the historical recordings from the late 1920s by João and Zezinho.

Nelson Latif

The cd is highly recommended as an example of the fact that João Pernambuco's musical legacy is taken good care of today and still challenges musicians to offer their best and as such relive the soul and heartbeat of true Brasilian music.

Learn more about Nelson Latif from his official website (in Portuguese, English and Dutch). The above mentioned cd and other released recordings by Nelson Latif are available from his website using the link in the Discography section.

This contribution was also published at the Choro-Music blog.

Jørgen Larsen

keepswinging@live.nl

He often played the guitar only with his left hand, which is to say, he made the sounds only on the neck of the guitar. He did this with the greatest naturalness. He played whatever piece looking towards the sky, towards a wall, not paying attention to the neck of the guitar. Hev had a fingering and quality that until today I have not seen ( Leal and Barbosa refering to João Fernambuco)

The Brazilian - Dutch guitar and cavaquinho player Nelson Latif released a tribute to this great legendary Choro composer and guitarist João Pernambuco. If you love to stay uinfoirmed about Jazz and Choro-music register and you'll receive its weekly news letter.