Keep (it) Swinging: Nailor Proveta: Brasileiro Saxofone

Nailor Proveta (Nailor Aparecido Azevedo, b 1961) is a highly estimated Brasilian reed player, composer, arranger and director, who has conducted a career in Brazil both as a sought after instrumentalist and as a founder and leader of the São Paulo based big band Banda Mantiqueira excelling in updated versions of Brasilian music. Proveta has a high place among the best musicians of Brazil. He learned the musical notes before he could write the letters of the alphabet, and at 6 years of age, he was already playing the clarinet. As mentioned, he is the leader and arranger of the big band Banda Mantiqueira, formed in 1991 and nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance in 1998 and again in 2006. Proveta has been playing with some of the best artists in Brazil and also with international artists, such as Joe Williams, Anita O’Day, Bobby Short, Benny Carter, Natalie Cole, Ray Conniff,a.o.. Proveta has also been working intensively in recording studios as a player and arranger and has participated in hundreds of recordings of the most important Brazilians artists.- Musically, Proveta is deeply rooted in choro and the traditional styles of Brasilian music, and to give you an impression of Proveta performing in this context here is a live recording from a oncert arranged by Instrumental SESC Brasil. Nailor Proveta's quintet features Carlos Roberto (piano), Edimilson Capelupi (7 string acoustic guitar), Cléber Almeida (percussion), Jericó (trompet and flugel horn) and Proveta (clarinet and sax), the tune played is "Cochichando", a classic choro by Pixinguinha

Proveta released his first solo cd in 2006, "Tocando para o Interior" featuring arrangements of traditional Brasilian music styles, last year his secound solo issue, "Brasileiro Saxofone" (Acari Discos), was released.

The disc is a result of a project conducted by Proveta. For a long time he has cherished the idea of dedicating a whole album to the saxophone and its story in Brazil. The cd is a result of the project that also has included workshops and concerts to share information and experience with other musicians and a public interested in learning more about the instrument's role in Brasilian popular music. The repertoire of the disc ranges from nineteenth century pioneers such as Anacleto de Medeiros (1866-1907) to contemporary composers such as Christovão Bastos, Mauricio Carrilhos and Proveta himself and includes also a handful of great twentieth century musicians such as: Pixinguinha, Radamés Gnattali, César Guerra-Peixe, as well as a few others specially linked to the saxophone: Moacir Santos, K-Ximbinho, Luis Americano and Ratinho. A website devoted to the project (- both in Portuguese and English) is available clicking here , here you can also read more about the single tracks of the cd and listen to sound clips including two unissued compositions.

The saxophone in contemporary music is mostly connected with jazz and the great American performers of the instrument, however, the instrument has a story outside this field in compositonal/erudite music and popular music as well, and if you are looking for examples of the instrument's importance and story in Brazil, the cd by Nailor Proveta is a great source featuring arrangements of music of high quality challenging a jazz infected ear to take the advantage of a closer listening. The cd is highly recommended as an example of the serious work being maintained by great musicians to preserve and relive an important field of the rich Brasilian music tradition. - Below is inserted an example of the music at the disc from a live presentation at a concert last year at the IX Festival de Música de Ourinhos. Proveta (sax) is accompanied by Mauricio Carrilho ( ac.7 string guitar) and Paulo Aragão (guitar) and the piece performed is a composition by Radamés Gnattali, "Caminho da saudade"