Choro Meets Jazz

The Bildner Center is pleased to announce a superb musical presentation/workshop that will be the culmination of the series "September is Brazil Month at the Bildner Center". For this event, we are excited to present the world renowned "choro novo" ensemble from Rio de Janeiro, "Nó Em Pingo D'Água." The group will trace the evolution of the important instrumental style of music known as choro in Brazil, explaining their particular style of choro novo and performing selections from their discography. The ensemble will invite audience participation, as each artist talks about and demonstrates his particular instrument.

"NÓ EM PINGO D'ÁGUA" is one of the most renowned instrumental music groups in Brazil. The group is composed of 5 of top artists, each acclaimed in his own right: Mário Sève (sax and flute); Celsinho (percussion); Rodrigo Lessa (bandolim and guitarrinha); Rogério Souza (guitar); and Papito (bass).

The group was a pioneer in developing the style of music that is known today as "choro novo" - innovative interpretations of traditional Brazilian instrumental music. Founded in 1978, the group broke new ground and opened new paths for the evolution of choro music. Over the years, they have consistently pushed the envelope while remaining true to the roots of the music. They've been credited in part for awakening a tremendous enthusiasm among young people for this style of music, which
today is wildly popular in clubs, concert halls, and the hot nightspots of Rio. Their style, compositions and arrangements are so distinctive, they are unmistakable and instantly recognizable as "Nó" and nobody else. How to describe their music? It's the result of many influences, converging in the heart of Rio de Janeiro: Afro-Brazilian rhythms and percussion, typical Brazilian instrumentation, European classical influences, a bit of samba and a dash of jazz.

When: Tuesday, September 30, 7:30 PM
Where: Proshansky Auditorium
The Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(@ 34th. St.)

To reserve a seat, send email to brazilproject@gc.cuny.edu. We strongly suggest that you reserve for this event (and enter it in your calendar!) as soon as possible.

For those who also wish to hear "Nó Em Pingo D'Água" in full performance, note that this workshop presentation is a prelude to their appearance the following evening, October 1 at The Jazz Standard, 116 East 27 Street. Show times at The Jazz Standard are 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM and reservations can be made by calling 212-576-2232.

The Bildner Center acknowledges with thanks the joint support of Brazil's Ministry of Culture and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, Ellen Azorin of Cantaloupe Music, Xico Teixeira, and the Brazilian Consulate of New York for making this wonderful event possible.

This event is sponsored by:

 

 

 

 

More about "NÓ EM PINGO D'ÁGUA"

The group's name "Nó Em Pingo D'Água" literally translated is "a knot in a drop of water" - but as the expression implies, the meaning is more like "something extremely difficult to achieve".

"Nó" achieves it.

The Brazilian music called "choro" is a constant source of surprise. This century-old, ever-evolving form of instrumental music, with diverse roots ranging from classical European salon music to Afro-Brazilian rhythms and instrumentation, is enjoying a wildfire revival in Brazil today, with a new generation of polished instrumentalists. "Nó Em Pingo D'Água" is the group that is generally credited for first inspiring the new generation to perk up their ears and embrace this instrumental music. Their arrangements are skilled and inventive, making their music whip and swing. Yet they are harmonious, easy on the ear, helping us, the audience, to move forward easily with them and their new twists on the great choro repertoire.

The group consists of the traditional foundation of percussion, guitar and bandolim (the Brazilian mandolin), spiced with the unexpected intonations of Mario Sève's soprano sax and flute, and Papito's inimitable bass. Their shows are a combination of their unique interpretations of the great classic choro masters, with their own compositions that promise to become the classics of tomorrow.

Since their formation in 1978, Nó Em Pingo D'Água has released five recordings under their own name, as well as an impressive collection of appearances on recordings by leading artists. They have toured to acclaim in Denmark, Germany, Holland and Chile. They have earned a number of prestigious awards (Sharp, Playboy, Festivals of Choro [Rio]) as well as garnering praise from critics including Tárik de Souza (Jornal do Brasil), José Domingos Rafaelli (O Globo), writers from Billboard and The Beat (USA), the newspaper Information (Copenhagen) and accolades and endorsements from major Brazilian artists like Paulinho da Viola, Ivan Lins, Ney Matogrosso, Moraes Moreira and Guinga, among others.

With all their considerable achievements, they are still young and passionate about their music. Dynamic onstage, they are also extremely personable and have a loyal and devoted following in Brazil and abroad.