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My Sunday feeling is one of my favorite Jethro Tull songs. The live version at the Isle Of Wight Festival, in 1970 has such an energy and expresses such a potency of what art has the power to do, that no matter how many times I watch it, it always impresses me tremendously. Same goes for ther virtuosity of Ian Anderson.

At first, it seemed curious to me that such a vibrant music would evoke a “Sunday feeling”, since that day is associated with the idea of rest. However, for several categories, including those working in entertainment, Sunday is one of the busiest days.

I believe that the lyrics of the song connect with this, say, “other side” of Sunday, with the idea of a perfect day to get out of the routine and do something really special. My last Sunday, for example, was quite lively. The chat about Jazz and Literature that I led in a traditional bookstore in the city was a success!

It is indeed a great to realize that there is a representative amount of people interested in leaving home on a Sunday afternoon to exchange ideas and talk about music and books. Who are those people?

Well, the audience was as varied as possible. It included, fo instance, a three-year-old girl who behaved exceptionally well and a white-haired gentleman who did not know how to turn off his cell phone, which, of course, kept on ringing, not only disturbing the audience, but also providing a very welcome comic relief.

What a lovely feeling to be there, joining in with the numerous events in 195 (hurray!) countries in order to celebrate International Jazz Day. And what a beautiful congregation!

Jazz is freedom, jazz is inclusion and a lot of other great things worth living for, like a lovely Sunday afternoon with friends.

Be seeing you!

G. F.

Some of my guests

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Since 2017 (with the exception of the years 2020 and 2021) I have been a partner of the International Jazz Day, which means that I create local events around the jazz theme on April 30th and they are included on the official page of IJD. Local events are not necessarily music events. Last year, for example, the event was a masterclass on the links between jazz and comics, interspersed with live performed songs.

This year the concept is similar. I will talk about Jazz & Literature. The lecture format (well, I might sing some parts of mentioned tunes a cappella, to better illustrate a passage, but nothing more than that) made me think that, compared to the hybrid version of words and music, the event this year would be less attractive to the general public. And I was totally wrong.

In fact, the event this year has gained much more attention and momentum, so to speak, and I not only talking about “likes” and “shares” in socials. This time, for the first time, the official social media profiles is co-hosting my event on Facebook! Okay, I know that a year ago people were a lot less open to face-to-face events than they are now. Even so, something tells me that the fundamental difference is in the exchange of the word “comics” for “literature”.

I have been researching graphic art (including comics, editorial cartoons and graphic novels) since 2012 and, from my point of view, this field of knowledge had already overcome the prejudice of being considered a “minor art”, “children’s thing” (in the bad sense of the expression) and other absurdities. When, however, I mentioned my suspicions to a researcher friend, he was adamant: “Comics are still considered a sub-form of literature, while jazz is supposed to be a appreciated by the elite”.

Funny, because prejudice and snobism are actually on the opposite side of what jazz represents. If you listen to jazz because you think it makes you look sophisticated and intellectual, then you have probably not aquired the most basic information about the genre. Jazz has nothing to do with being part of “a select few”, whatever that publicity line may be able to sell. Jazz is not about pretending. It is about being and feeling.

And you know what is even funnier? Record covers are among the first representations of jazz and guess who were the pioneering creators of covers for jazz records? Illustrators, posters, graphic artists. Which means that jazz is, in a way, as far as chronology is concerned, more connected to the despised comics than its rich cousin, literature.

Perhaps this information will surprise the audience and help them form a more enlightened opinion of the greatness of jazz. If that is the case, I will consider my mission accomplished and my event a resounding success.

Anyway, I just wanted to invite you who might be in Rio by the 30th, or who migh know people around to my event. You can check out the poster here, as well as my past events. Celebrate the date!

Be seeing you!

G. F.

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“Why do you celebrate International Jazz Day?”

The question is the first one on the International Jazz Day Partner Interview form. It is the first time I answer the questionnaire and, honestly, I believe it is the first time I have been asked this question in such a direct way. Though one!

It is always difficult to explain the things that really matter, the deep truths we carry within us, but, ok, I shall face the challenge. Why do I celebrate International Jazz Day? Because I feel part of the jazz community (so far, so good).

And why do I feel part of this community? Now comes the hard-to-explain part… Ok, Geisa, do not overthink, just write what comes in your mind when you think about jazz.

Jazz gave me a formal freedom that was immensely important for my artistic development. Sometimes I feel that jazz is a code, a key, that opens many doors. Thelonious. Monk put it well when he said that “Jazz is freedom”.

Freedom that opposes any form of segregation, censorship or prejudice. Freedom that unites and builds dialogues. That is it! I got my answer!

I celebrate International Jazz Day because I celebrate freedom. As Ella sings in the George Gershin song: who could ask for anything more?

Be seeing you!

G.F.

p.s. next week I´ll tell you HOW I will celebrate it this year

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Hey there! If you are reading this post, it means that I somehow overcame the tremendous inertia I was in during the month of March. Did I post my weekly reflections? Yes, but the concept of “week” had to be a bit extended. Do I think this is problem? Of course I do, but after an year of social isolation, I learned that the recipe to avoid anxiety is… well, I don´t know what it is, but I would guess it includes a bit of self-indulgence and a lot of acceptance, two ingredients that I generously used this month.

Nevertheless, I new month is about to start and I promised myself that things would change around here, although I didn´t know exactly how, so I decided to start by checking my to-do list. I always discover something nice there and I feel like moving fast forward every time I rearrange its items. Good, old to-do list!

On the top of it, I read: “upload last tour videos”. Ok, sounds good. Can do it. Let me explain it to you: on the last year of the old normal, aka 2019, I had a tremendous experience travelling through a lot of places in South America in a double mission: both as a singer and as an assistant to Prof. L., who was interviewing cartoonists in Montevideo, Córdoba, Santiago, Lima and Quito. Remember the good days, when we could travel like this? Boy, oh, boy!

Anyway, the double identity led me to a poor amount of visual content of the trip, but I do have some pictures and short videos that I would like to share with you on my YouTube channel. This is my big task for April. You may find it too humble of a task for a whole month, you obviously ignore the size of my to-do list. It is really very long, but seriously, if you are one of those “I keep my to-do list short” kind of person, keep on the good work! And, please, tell me your secret. Meanwhile, I will be realistic. Besides, April is also International Jazz Day month, but this is another story, Morning Glory.

Be seeing you!

G. F.