We were delighted to discover on Friday, (many thanks to Nik Payton in Brazil for telling me!) that Robin has been nominated for the JPF Music Awards 2009.
The song is, Dolor de Muelas, and it has been shortlisted under the Latin Jazz Song section, amongst 20 other nominees.
To see the full list you can visit here.
This is a substantial achievement.
After 14 months of screening with 5 long rounds and 3 groups of judges made up of the music industry, artists/writer peers and music fans, the nominees were finally selected.
Apparently, 42 000 albums were submitted and a total of 560 000 songs across all genres!
According to the information I have this means that less than 1/3 of 1% were nominated.
Dolor de Muelas, (which can be found on 'Virtuoso' CD Baby, iTunes) may appear an unusual title and that's because when translated it means 'toothache'. At the time of composition Robin was suffering with the aforementioned and decided it would be rather amusing.
However we didn't realise the piece would be under so much scrutiny!
Dolor de Muelas has a freewheeling, samba groove and you can read more about it in the original post, 'Track 2: Dolor de Muelas and Manic Management...'.
So I would just like to say thank you to the judges who selected Robin's piece of music for this stage and wish everyone luck for the final round.
Maybe we'll see some of you in Nashville TN in August...
Showing posts with label Samba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samba. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Track 3: Sons de Carilhoes - Joao Pernambuco
The third track is 'Sons de Carilhoes' by Joao Pernambuco.
Pernambuco was born on the 2nd November 1883, in Jatoba, Pernambuco, Brazil, and named, Joao Texeira Guimaraes.
After moving to Rio he told so many stories about his home state that he quickly became known as 'Joao Pernambuco'.
Pernambuco came from a poor family but learnt the guitar from an early age.
Whilst living in Recife, and then Rio, he had to supplement his composing and playing by working as a blacksmith and then as a labourer.
As he was illiterate he used to have to ask others to write his compositions down, and sadly, several were stolen.
An example of this is, 'Catulo da Paixao Cearense' which was transformed into 'Lunar do Sertao' and then became the unofficial Brazilian anthem. Unfortunately it was credited only to Catulo, and only recently has been properly acknowledged as Permanbuco's composition.
Between 1914 and 1919 Pernambuco became extremely popular and Villa-Lobos helped by transcribing and registering several of Pernambuco's songs to prevent any further loses.
Pernambuco was an important Belle Epoque composer of seminal choros, jangos, valses, toadas, and cancoes.
'Sons de Carilhoes' is a beautifully melodic and rhythmic piece which is closely related to the samba (which we discussed yesterday).
It has long been a favourite of Robin's and, despite the problems that Pernambuco faced as a composer, is one of the most optimistic pieces which Robin plays.
Pernambuco was born on the 2nd November 1883, in Jatoba, Pernambuco, Brazil, and named, Joao Texeira Guimaraes.
After moving to Rio he told so many stories about his home state that he quickly became known as 'Joao Pernambuco'.
Pernambuco came from a poor family but learnt the guitar from an early age.
Whilst living in Recife, and then Rio, he had to supplement his composing and playing by working as a blacksmith and then as a labourer.
As he was illiterate he used to have to ask others to write his compositions down, and sadly, several were stolen.
An example of this is, 'Catulo da Paixao Cearense' which was transformed into 'Lunar do Sertao' and then became the unofficial Brazilian anthem. Unfortunately it was credited only to Catulo, and only recently has been properly acknowledged as Permanbuco's composition.
Between 1914 and 1919 Pernambuco became extremely popular and Villa-Lobos helped by transcribing and registering several of Pernambuco's songs to prevent any further loses.
Pernambuco was an important Belle Epoque composer of seminal choros, jangos, valses, toadas, and cancoes.
'Sons de Carilhoes' is a beautifully melodic and rhythmic piece which is closely related to the samba (which we discussed yesterday).
It has long been a favourite of Robin's and, despite the problems that Pernambuco faced as a composer, is one of the most optimistic pieces which Robin plays.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Track 2: Dolor de Muelas and Manic Management...
The second track that we are going to look at is called, 'Dolor de Muelas'.
In case you are bemused about the title, I should explain that when translated it means, toothache.
The reason being that it was composed and recorded when Robin was suffering from a particularly painful bout of toothache!
However, that isn't apparent in the music, as the piece is in a freewheeling samba groove, with much improvisation.
The Samba is one of the most popular forms of music in Brazil, and surprisingly also in Japan. The genre combines several different cultures, especially the musical aspects of African and Latino heritage, and continues to evolve within Brazilian culture today.
Originally the Samba was a generic term depicting the choreography of 'circle-dances' imported from Angola and the Congo.
A characteristic element of the Samba is the 'umbigada', which is an, 'invitation to dance', by the touching of the couple's navels!
Gradually, by the late 19th Century, the dance became urbanized, with the urban versions differing substantially from the rural folk sambas.
The Samba continued to gain notoriety as a distinctive kind of music, at the beginning of the 20th Century, in Rio de Janeiro.
On this recording Robin is also playing some of the percussion. So feel free to get into the Samba groove and dance along...
Today I am calming down after a particularly stressful couple of days.
On Wednesday evening I took a call from our London agent asking if Robin would be able to get to India by Monday.
The dates were fine, but, a visa is required for entry to India.
I consequently spent most of Wednesday evening, and all of Thursday, trying to resolve the problem.
After many 'phone calls between me, London and America, the only way forward would be to extend the trip and unfortunately due to previous commitments we were unable to do so.
I certainly couldn't expect Robin to arrive home from an overnight flight and perform the same day.
So despite our best efforts, on this occasion we had to concede defeat.
Still, you can't say we didn't try.
In case you are bemused about the title, I should explain that when translated it means, toothache.
The reason being that it was composed and recorded when Robin was suffering from a particularly painful bout of toothache!
However, that isn't apparent in the music, as the piece is in a freewheeling samba groove, with much improvisation.
The Samba is one of the most popular forms of music in Brazil, and surprisingly also in Japan. The genre combines several different cultures, especially the musical aspects of African and Latino heritage, and continues to evolve within Brazilian culture today.
Originally the Samba was a generic term depicting the choreography of 'circle-dances' imported from Angola and the Congo.
A characteristic element of the Samba is the 'umbigada', which is an, 'invitation to dance', by the touching of the couple's navels!
Gradually, by the late 19th Century, the dance became urbanized, with the urban versions differing substantially from the rural folk sambas.
The Samba continued to gain notoriety as a distinctive kind of music, at the beginning of the 20th Century, in Rio de Janeiro.
On this recording Robin is also playing some of the percussion. So feel free to get into the Samba groove and dance along...
Today I am calming down after a particularly stressful couple of days.
On Wednesday evening I took a call from our London agent asking if Robin would be able to get to India by Monday.
The dates were fine, but, a visa is required for entry to India.
I consequently spent most of Wednesday evening, and all of Thursday, trying to resolve the problem.
After many 'phone calls between me, London and America, the only way forward would be to extend the trip and unfortunately due to previous commitments we were unable to do so.
I certainly couldn't expect Robin to arrive home from an overnight flight and perform the same day.
So despite our best efforts, on this occasion we had to concede defeat.
Still, you can't say we didn't try.
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