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Autumn Leaves is one of the most popular jazz songs, with several versions in different languages. It was composed by Joseph Kosma in 1945 with original French lyrics by Jacques Prévert (later it would gain English lyrics by Johnny Mercer) and the instrumental version by pianist Roger Williams reached the top of the 1955 US Billboard charts.

Another song that deals with this time of the year is Autumn in Rio, by Ed Motta, released in 2000. While the French song highlights the sad character of the season, from a European point of view, the Brazilian artist exalts the arrival of mid-season. According to Motta: There is a place to be happy / Besides April in Paris/ Autumn in Rio.

In 2013, on my first CD, I also vocalized my special affection for the season that brings relief to the inclement heat of the tropical summer. After Summer is the name of my homage to the golden lights and mild temperatures of autumm. In my ode to the season, it represents a ritual of saying goodbye to summer and its promisses to enter a period of achievements (in Brazil, we say that the year only begins “after carnival”, which in practice means “after summer”).

Ten years later, I look back at this summer of 2013 and feel a little nostalgic. There are many dreams involved in releasing a first album and, most of the time, only a small part of them come true (we cannot all win all the awards, can we?). Perhaps the great lesson of these last ten years has been exactly this: that it is necessary to keep going, even if one or two projects fall by the wayside.

Or maybe the greatest lesson of the last ten years was learning how to turn those left-behind-dreams into fertilizer for the dreams that will still grow. Just as the leaves that fall in autumn will serve to enrich the earth, in a perpetual cycle of creation. How many past ideas merged into the projects I now take to the stage? How much of yesterday remains in today and will certainly accompany us tomorrow?

A little too philosophical for your taste? True. It must be the season.

Be seeing you!

G. F.


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Joyce Moreno is one of my favorite musicians. I admire her voice, her guitar technique, her repertoire, her performance, the way she leads her career… Everything about her is simply elegant and serves as an example and inspiration. that said, you can imagine how thrilled I was when she not only liked a comment I had made, but also commented on the comment.

Here is the story: someone had asked Joyce a question about her criteria for choosing musicians to accompany her on stage and her answer highlighted characteristics such as musical affinity and such. Then, I replied to her comment, saying that I also try to work with musicians who had already made the transition to the twenty-first century, that is, whose way of thinking kept pace with changes and did not repeat old sexist patterns that simply no longer fit (or should not fit) in nowhere.

Then, to my great surprise (you know, we always think our idols are too far apart), Joyce not only liked my comment, but replied with a single word, that said it all: “Exactly”. Of course I was super happy to have received the attention of a music star, which I admire so much. On the other hand, I was also very sad to realize that our stories, so different in so many ways, could converge not because of the fact that we both write songs and sing, but because of the shared experiences of sexism.

I mean, the job is already hard as it is. and its non-stopping. In the last twenty-four hours I received two “yes” and one “no” (actually the negative had already been sent last week, but ended up, who knows how, in my spam box) and this is what we call a very good day. Anyway, living the dream of a career in music has its ups and downs for everyone, but being in control (leading a band, for instance), in a society that still expects that women should rather be controlled, makes things even more complicated for us women.

My point is: in addition to the usual difficulties, you still have to deal with explicit expressions of sexism, like the time when a musician (the keyboard player) of the band simply missed the last rehearsal of a concert I was producing, without giving any kind of notice whatsoever.

His absense forced me to make lots of last-minute changes to the arrengements and, therefore, to the dynamics of the concert, but even worse was his “big”come back, a few hours before the gig. He showed up and (here the story gets really interesting) apologized… to the (male-)guitarist, but not to me. Honestly, can you imagine this situation happening if the person in charge was a man?

Are you tired of such questions? So are we. It is tiring, it is sad, and yet it is necessary to continusouly speak up.

On the approaching International Women’s Day, I wish to the many Gs., Js. and to all the fighting companions a lot of strength and a lot of joy to celebrate the advances and conquests. Of one. Of all.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

p.s. There is a lot happening already (hurray!), for instance, the Jazz Women Network

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Today I read a post from a publisher saying that she had received a letter (yes, a real letter, handwritten and all) from an author. In short: she replied, also by letter, inviting the author to tea.

What a cool story! And I say this not just for the classic bold-move-with-happy-ending factor (I have always been a sucker for that), but also for the, shall we say, side effect: in these times of isolation and algorithmically dictated relationships, having tea with a pen pal sounds almost like a Tibetan monk ritual.

How would you like to get a letter inviting you out for tea (or coffee, or beer)? I would love it, I confess. Between us, if I could, that would be exactly what I would do to celebrate my new single, Pele Adentro, coming out tomorrow.

The single marks five years since the March 1, 2018 debut of my EP La Nueva Milonga. In the show of the same name, accompanied by a guest musician, I sing and tell stories about the influence of Argentina and Uruguay on the Brazilian musical tradition.

The project gave me the opportunity to share the stage with great musicians from different regions, such as the southern guitarist Sulimar Rass and the Venezuelan pianist Silvano Pagliuca-Mena, but do you know what the word milonga means?

The term first appears at the end of the 19th century and refers to gatherings in the outskirts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo with dancing, singing and music, especially rhythms inspired by the Cuban habanera and Spanish tango, incorporated into the rioplatense tango.

Well, since it will not be possible for us to get all together for a onsite milonga, I invite you to dance and have fun right there where you are (“in all the pretty places in your head”, as Stevie Wonder says) to the sound of Pele Adentro.

Click here, choose your favourite streaming platform and enjoy!

Be seeing you!

G.F.

 

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Today is Shrove Tuesday or maybe you know the date as Mardi Gras, it does not matter at all, for today all that matters is to celebrate. But maybe you do not have so many experiences with Carnival and you are wondering: celebrate what, exactly?

Therefore, even though this Carnival is already coming to an end, I would like to share with you three lessons I learned in this first post-pandemic Carnival.

  1. Celebrate life
    First, the fact that you are alive. Since 2020, this perspective must always be remembered, as we are the survivors of a very difficult time for humanity.
  2. Carnival is a state of mind
    This year my Carnival had more working hours for me than partying, but even so it is good to know that there are many people on the street, dancing and singing. I know it may sound weird, but I like to think that even at home I can get some of that energy of life. To tell you the truth, even my working days seemed much lighter. I would even say that it even made the tremendous heat of this summer more bearable.
  3. The carnival paradox: it goes by fast, but it comes back every year
    Carnival Tuesday is the culmination of the party, but it is also the beginning of the end, which is kind of sad. In times like these, it might help to remember that Carnival comes back every year. Likewise, if this collective catharsis seems too much for you, then it is always good to remember: the party happens only happens once a year.

As for me, my plan is to use these lessons in my daily life and, above all, on the stage. After all, as we say in Brazil, Carnival is the greatest show on Earth. Now, go celebrate!

Be seeing you!

G.F.

p.s If you want the celebration to last longer, click here and pre-save my new single Pele Adentro. See you there!

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One of the things I like most about podcasts is the possibility of doing other things while listening to an episode. I am not a fan of multitasking at all, but sometimes the only way to get started on a necessary, but boring task is to combine it with a more pleasant chore. Podcasts work like a charm! There is just one catch to the format: it makes anyone too susceptible to the power of voices.

As I often say, voices are very powerful. I once read that hearing is the second sense to reach the brain the fastest, second only to smell. So how do you escape the spell of an interesting podcast narrated by a beautiful voice? It is simply impossible!

Anyway, precisely because I am aware of this weakness of mine, I try to change programs quickly, so as not to develop any severe form of crush on an unknown voice. You do not have to tell me, and for the sake of discretion, I will not ask you, but I am sure it has happened to you, too, and we both know that kind of crush can be a huge problem.

While a flesh-and-blood obejct of desire is subject to mistakes, like any human being, the voices hover over our heads, fluttering, intangible and infallible. Enigmatic, voices can be very deceiving. One of the most commom mistakes is to assume that the rest of the body matches the voice, which is not always true. For whatever reason, some extraordinaire voices choose the most plain bodies to live. Go figure!

Today I received a very kind compliment on the comments of one of the podcasts I produce (the complete list you can find by clicking here), which made me very happy, because a kind compliment is always welcome. On the other hand, it reaffirmed what I already knew: voices go much further than we may ever suppose. It also made me think about the size of the responsibility of any content producer, which today basically means all of us.

In this moment of virtual assistants, the multiplication of applications that allow you to change and edit voices with high fidelity, and very sophisticated chatbots, I would like to suggest a moment of silence and reflection on the role you want your voice to play.

Oh, and you can access my current number one crush-podcast by clicking here. Unmissable, essential and another great reason to learn Portuguese.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

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Last week I told you about the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of my first album, including a new single release, Jules & Jim and live congratulations on the date and very kind words from the host of my favourite radio show called Jazz Livre (“Free Jazz”).

The host, Sidney Ferreira, described me as “a tremendously jazzy singer and songwriter”. Is not it beautiful? I was so happy! It meant the world to me, beacuse the curation of the Jazz Livre is simply amazing. This compliment, along with homemade popcorn and a glass of champagne, and wow, what a Tuesday night!

The thrill do not stop there, oh no! The next task I took on, also brought tears to my eyes.

In order to apply for a scholarship, I needed to update my CV. By the way, how long has it been, since you updated yours? In my case, I would say it has been ages and the reason is simple: I do not tend to think about those lines that are supposed to chronologically order the highlights of my existence.

I am not bragging about it at all. In fact, I really admire people who can keep their resumes updated. It is quite a healthy practice and can teach you valuable lessons, if you think about it. Certainly, a few pages are not capable of defining a person, but if your resume cannot be seen as the complete script of your life, it can at least have the importance of, say, a well-written movie synopsis.

After all, those few lines are the first, quicker impression you can get from the oeuvre, and in a world where the average attention span hovers around three seconds, a well-written resume may be the tie-breaker between grabbing the attention of your reader or being left out.

Therefore, I would like to invite you to think about how your synopsis is going. Is it fun? Dramatic? Affirmative? Does it point in any direction or is it more like a set of intertwined experiences forming a circular pattern? What would you change about it, and what information would gain more prominence in a new edition of it?

After tackling the long-postponed task and finally updating my resume, I can say that the payoff is immense. You realize that you have done much more interesting things than you recall, and surprising yourself is an incredible feeling.

So, if you, like me, are a little slow when it comes to updating your CV, maybe this is a good time to roll up your sleeves and get yourself prepared for future harvests.

Be seeing you,

G. F.

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Do you remember what you were doing exactly ten years ago? I do.

It was hot summer night in Rio, and it was the date of the release of my first solo album (Geisa Fernandes, 2013).

On that very special night, several things turned out just as I wanted, several others did not. I remember many friendly faces and a long time signing dedications on the CD booklet. And above all, I remember that it was a happy night.

They say that memory is half editing room, half filming and I am sure that, if I were to try to remember every detail of my magical night, I would probably flourish a lot. You know how memory is.

For this reason, I will stick to a single, indisputable fact: The night was happy because, as my own manager, I fulfilled my part of the agreement with the venue and with the musicians and because, as an artist, I gave the best of myself., and this trait I can proudly say I have maintained over the last ten years.

That said, I would like to share with you another moment of this beautiful night that turns ten today and that occurred on my way back home: in the car full of things (and if you have already produced an event, you know what I am talking about) I thought about my to-do list for the following day. And if you have understood the lesson here, you can consider yourself a real pro.

Enough lessons, it is time to celebrate! My new single Jules and Jim hits streaming platforms tomorrow. Click here to pre-save.

And to prove you that I am really serious about celebrating every achievement, it is time for some champagne, too. Cheers!

Be seeing you!

G.F.

p.s. Times were different and that’s why there are very few video recordings of this show, but you can go back in time with me here and here.

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When it comes to the birth of a musical genre, it is impossible to establish precise coordinates, such as date and place of birth. When talking about Bossa Nova, however, it is impossible to escape some key events.

I have written about places considered to be the birthplaces of Bossa Nova, and today I would like to celebrate the another landmark: the legendary concert at the Carnegie Hall in November 21, 1962, featuring young Brazilian stars making their US debuts.

Names such as Sérgio Mendes, João Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim were introduced to an audience of three thousand listeners, among them five-stars artists, such as Tony Bennett and Miles Davis.

Despite several last-minute mishaps, including João Gilberto worried about the crease in his pants, and the sound problems that occurred during the concert, that night in 1962 a new musical genre was presented to a large opinion-forming audience and to a great vehicle, the New York Times.

Both, critics and audience, were immediately hooked by the new beat coming from Brazil, but as nothing comes from nothing, it must be said that ears and sensibilities had been prepared for that moment months in advance, by the release in April of Jazz Samba, by Getz and Charlie Byrd. The album introduced Tom Jobim in the single ‘Desafinado’ and it is a landmark in itself: it had more than a million copies sold, and achieved #1 on the chart of Billboard, paving the way for Bossa Nova outsid Brazil.

I recently heard that Bossa Nova is “elitist”. Nothing could be less true. Although several aspects have been left out of the official Bossa Nova historiography (race, gender and cultural appropriation issues come to mind), the importance of gender in the construction of various aspects of Brazilian identity is undeniable.

Bossa has in its DNA the ancestral African drums and redefines them in the light of the Copacabana sun. In her different moments, she walks through the many Brazilian contradictions and transforms them into brilliant music. There is something very beautiful about Brazil, as represented by Bossa and I am proud to remember and to be part of that tradition.

Viva a Bossa Nova!

More stories on the topic? Check this one about the hit Mas Que Nada, by Jorge Benjor or this one, about The Look of Love at 50.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

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Among the many wonderful quotes by Oscar Wilde, the one that says “There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it” remains a firm favorite of mine. Perhaps because it works so well in so many different situations in life. Take, for example, myself.

After a very short and quite well-deserved period of celebration (meaning two beers) for getting two projects approved in the municipal culture incentive law, I had to sink my feet into the harsh reality that it is necessary to seek supporters. Could this situation be any wilde-a-nesque?

It should not be difficult to convince people to redirect part of their taxes to pre-approved cultural projects, and yet it is. Very difficult. There is a certain generalized climate of distrust and my desire after leaving the meetings is one of deep fatigue. I am already happy, when I can actually talk to the person in charge. Why? Because I have already faced, on the same day, two “the person in charge is traveling”.

Yes, I know that this is part of the craft, it comes with the teritory etc. I also know that even professionals with a long road behind them need to wear, at times, the hat of entrepreneurs and speak the language of business. I was aware of all this when I sent my projects for approval, but even so, the feeling is that I am carrying out the task of several people and the worst thing about this situation is that I cannot even complain about the other team members!

Being a project leader means taking responsbility for things. Yes, I would also like to have someone else making the boring decisions, so that I could focus solely on things strictly related to music, but the truth is that if I do not play the role of a business woman now, I will not be able to make music possible in the future.

You have to play the full game, despite the fatigue. Not forever, but at least for today. Or, as we say in Brazil: if you do not know how to play, do not go to the playground.

Perhaps the half-mocking, half-tragic words by Wilde remain timeless because human beings are permanently dissatisfied beings, who keep seeking what they do not have and then want something else, even more complicated to achieve than the one they previously wanted.

Yes, my friend, in many ways, we are very irritating little creatures and we do not have the vaguest notion of our limits. Flying without wings, swimming without gills: we have always done things we were not meant to do. Or were we?

Be seeing you!

G.F.

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I once heard from a producer that every singer worth his salt has had a Russian ballet teacher in her/his life. No, he did not think singers had first to wear a tutu and get to know the world of pliés and staccatos. What he meant is that great singers always have a story to tell about some strict teacher who turned their life into a real hell, but who was somehow also responsable for their blossom.

The definition of tough love (“promotion of a person’s welfare, especially that of an addict, child, or criminal, by enforcing certain constraints on them, or requiring them to take responsibility for their actions”) explains it very well. Sounds familiar? That means you also had a Rusian ballet teacher in your life (you know: a small lady, exemplary erect and keeping her feet slightly apart, while holding a staff that energetically timed each movement).

One of my favorite representations of the master-apprentice relationship is the movie Whiplash (2014, dir. Damien Chazelle). The soundtrack is superb and the story takes a very interesting approach to the master-apprentice relationship.

On the other hand, an abusive relationship can often be glamorized when observed through the rearview mirror of memory. I had my share of Russian ballet teachers and I can tell you clear and loud: I do not miss those days, not even a tiny bit. To be very honest with you: I am aware of the skills developed through tough love, but its side effects can be devastating and the risk is simply too high to be taken.

Discipline and determination can also be exercised in an environment where it is possible to make mistakes without fear. Encouraging, listening and, most importantly, empathizing are also key elements. In short: before blossowing comes nurturing.

Yellow September, a month dedicated to talking about mental disorders, is coming to an end, but it is always time to remember that our mental health should be a priority in any relationship.

Be seeing you!

G.F.