by on

I am Sagittarian. December 19th is my birthday and no, this is not a bad thing “because you probably get just one present for both Christmas and birthday, right?”

Wrong! Wrong! All wrong! You might find it hard to believe, but most people tend to be generous to December born kids. Why? Maybe because of our tremendous charisma (ha, ha) or maybe it is just a nice side effect of the season.

Actually, December-born folks believe they are kind of blessed for being born close to Christmas. I mean, do they decorate the city on your birthday´s month?

We are aware it is not for us, but still a tiny part of our hearts is convinced that all the fuzz in December, must have something to do with our birthday. Go ahead and ask any Sagittarian, but I warn you: it is hard to discuss with a Centaurus carrying a bow and arrow.

Under the influence of Jupiter, we want to expand the limits of the body, mind and soul. It may be a beautiful thing, but it can also lead to all sorts of excesses and self-indulging experiences. Reaching for the stars, Sagittarians hate to deal with daily mundane conflicts, but are always ready (and glad to) discuss politics, religion or any other “hard subject”, the ones people usually avoid. Crazy, you think? So do we.

A true member of the Sagittarius Club, Argentinian iconic singer and songwriter Carlos Gardel was born on December 11th 1890 and and in his homage today is celebrated Tango Day.

I have a complete EP on cumbias and tangos, recorded in Montevideo, with local musicians. It is called La Nueva Milonga. The selection of the repertoire involved a lot of research on the typical rhythms of the Río de la Plata region, including the overlaps with the Brazilian music.

The influence of tango in Brazil is the motto for the podcast La Nueva Milonga – Tango e Música Brasileira, available now in all major streaming platforms.

Native speaker or Portuguese language lover, enjoy yourself!

Be seeing you!

G. F.

by on

The satirical paper’s headline cut to the chase: “Person Who Bought Something He Really Needed on Black Friday Intrigues Scientists”. Of all the fashions recently imported from the USA, Black Friday is the one that most feeds the consumer monster that lives inside each one of us. First restricted to one day, in Brazil the concept was extended to the entire month of November, with special emphasis on the last Friday, when consumer tension levels reach their highest peaks.

Even if you managed to escape all the “super offers”, it is very likely that the personal item you really needed to buy anyway, ended up in your virtual shopping cart. And then, my friend, before you knew it, a thing or two that perhaps you might need someday have also found their way to it, you know, just to round up the bill (it would be a shame to miss the free shipping after all).

I think there are a lot of elements involved in this equation, and advertising handles them all very well. Greed, timing and, above all, willingness to take part in a collective movement certainly play an important role in this hugely successful formula, to the point that now even banks (!) have started announcing Black Friday deals. Unfortunately they didn’t include really useful things like a mortgage reduction for example, but so what? The important thing is to take part in this party, isn’t it?

Musicians tend to take advantage of the date announcing discounts on the price of their catalogs and merch, and I believe that if you do your homework well, there is a real possibility of extra earnings. And this is precisely my problem with taking advantage of the consumerist delusion for my own cause.

Every year, the last week of November comes too fast for me. I suspect it has to do with the shock of the realization that the end of the year is just around the corner, waiting for us and there is nothing we can do about it. Anyway, I understand you, dear reader, and I know that just like me, you appreciate doing things at your own pace. I also know that this year hasn’t been easy and you need a little help getting ready for 2022.

So, here is my kind of Black Friday, actually Cyber Monday deal: for thirty days you can use the coupon LASTCHANCE for an incredible 65% off on the price of The Touring Jazz Musician – A Guide to Jazz Festivals Worldwide.

The guide has a list of jazz fests that accept entries made directly by artists. It can be consulted by event date, name or country, and the best part is that you get all updated editions of The Touring Jazz Musician – A Guide to Jazz Festivals Worldwide for free!

If you are an independent jazz musician who knows the value of a tool that saves your time, you will not miss this opportunity. Click here to use your coupon.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

by on

Deadlines. How to deal with them? If you ever looked anxiously to the calendar every hour, counting the remaining days until that very important deadline, you know what I mean.

I understand deadlines are part of life in society and I am ready to deal with them. Quick and painless is my usual style, although sometimes I also play the long and suffering mode. Either way, I am not afraid of them. Why? Because I know that the real deal starts right after you have pressed that “send” button.

Waiting for the result of a project is not easy. You did your part, putting all your heart and soul in it (not to talk about a huge amount of time), you double checked all the boxes, uploaded all requested files and now what? You exercise your mental balance and self-control: you wait.

Plenty of songs, from different genres deal with the variety of feelings we experience while waiting for someone or for something. Probably a playlist, with your top ten themes has already started in your head, but what is the thing about waiting?

First of all, it is a word with a lot of meanings. From longing to someone to arrive, to hoping for something to happen, waiting has to do with accepting that there is a limit to our actions. Sometimes, the move is not ours and there is nothing we can do about it. Or is there?

My trick to deal with the torments of waiting is fulfilling it with a meaningful action, instead of simply killing time. It can be a simple thing, such as: taking a shower, doing the laundry, cooking or actively listening to music, whatever makes sense to you.

Once immersed in a new, engaging activity, your perception of time changes completely and the feeling of emptiness brought by the waiting is suddenly gone.

Be seeing you!

G. F.

by on

How do you like to learn new things? I love it! At least, this is what I conclude every time I conquer the procrastination monster and start floating through the garden of delights, also known as: “things I did not know about, but now I do”. Learning is like exercising: if you do not like it, it is probably because you never gave yourself the chance. Actually, our body is programmed to like both.

Falling in love with the subject you are learning about and turning your interest into something that can be shared with others is the basic principle of research, and I am glad to remember this feeling while collect information for a new project in music.

Do you also sometimes wonder about how different your life would be, if you had taken a different step in the past? Sooner or later, we find ourselves at this point on the road, questioning some (maybe all) of our previous choices.

No shame on that. Just try not to get lost on it, for it is a tricky road. It can easily lead you to nowhere, so whenever you find yourself in a “coulda, woulda, shoulda” situation, the best thing to do is to fight back using a good argument.

Here is mine: becoming a researcher was one of the most valuable and useful achievements in my life. Researching is learning and learning opens your mind. I could say it using a lot of fancy words, explaining how the process of discovering new things increases brain synapses in a way that learning the next thing is a little bit easier, and the process repeats itself every time you experience new situations.

Every time you go outside your box, so to speak. Instead, let´s have it short and straight: learning new stuff makes you more intelligent.

A very intelligent man was born on this day, in 1898. He saw the twentieth century rising, overcame tremendous adversities on his childhood and teenage years and managed to build himself a solid reputation as a lawyer and briefly as a politician. He was an amazing guy and he happened to be my dad. I had him around for a short time, but somehow he has always been quite present in my life. His name was Oséas and I tell more about him here, if you are interested.

I would like to wish him a Happy Birthday and tell him how grateful and honored I am for having him as my father. I know he will get the message. Love always find a way.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

by on

Do you know when you have a full scheduled day, but destiny keeps testing your will, by putting a million little problems on you way? Welcome to my week! From medical appointments to groceries delivery, this week I had to exercise my patience and tolerance for other human beings on a daily basis. Not always successfully, but the really important thing is trying, right?

Here is my trick, when things go wrong: repeat to yourself “it is all Maya”. Again, now breathing: it is all Maya. Felling better already? Sure you are aware of the concept, but just in case, let´s refresh: according to Hinduism and Buddhism, the world we live in is a mere illusion created by gods and demons. Maya is the name of this illusion, by which the universe becomes manifest (did anyone say “Matrix”?).

Write that down, kids: everything you hear, see, smell, taste and touch is nothing but Maya. It does not matter how expensive it was, it does not matter how many “views” and “likes” you were able to pile. Still Maya.

I wonder how this concept could blow the minds of so many people, in a way they cannot even imagine, if they would bother to care. Maya can be a cozy place. However, I doubt it can be enjoyed permanently, unless you double the bet and drown in your own illusions.

It works for a lot of folks, sadly (or not) I does not work for me. I dare to say it does not work for anyone who wants to be considered an artist, for art use our senses to question reality, to doubt what is taken for granted, offering a different perception of the world. That book you love, that song you play, when you are felling sad, that painting that makes your imagination fly, they all use your senses to take you beyond them.

Art defies Maya.

Be seeing you!

G.F.