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There are many ways to create an identity, just as there are many ways to relate to the divine. I dare say that El Templo de las Ideas, produced by the Pagliuca-Mena Sexteto, one of many formations led by the Italian-Venezuelan brothers Silvano and Angelo Pagliuca-Mena, manages to achieve both purposes.

It is, at the same time, a celebration of the exuberant Latin identity in its diversity, and an invitation to introspection, to the act of listening, of paying attention to the multiple details of this impeccable production. Those who accept the challenge are treated to an almost mystical experience of transcendence. An affective journey through the left behind but never forgotten hometown Maracaibo.

Although the tracks of El Templo de de las Ideas are scattered across my many playlists, it has been a while since I have listened to the full album, and the first thing I realize is that El Templo de las Ideas is capable of surprising the listener over and over again.

Ahora o Nunca (Now or Never), the opening track, revealed to me something Brazilian in its introduction, which would not be a surprise, since Silvano is a deep connoisseur of Jobim and João Gilberto, among others.

In Yara, the following track, Silvano welcomes the listener with his piano, opening the curtains for the powerful trio formed by Eduardo Vega (tenor sax), Luis Alfredo Zambrano (trumpet) and Nelson Pacheco (trombone). The precise conductin of Angelo on the drums with the elegant support of Alberto Mora (bass) ensures a calculated high-risk, high-impact performance.

Caribay y las Cinco Ágilas Blancas (Caribay and the Five White Eagles) is the most cinematic of all tracks. Once again Vega, Zambrano and Pacheco are present in total harmony, creating a dense and hypnotic noir atmosphere.

In Aura, the next track, the smoke dissipates completely and it is Silvano’s to run wild. One of my very favourite parts is the lively dialogue with Mora, followed by an amazing solo by Angelo. Also noteworthy are the paticipations of Gregory Boza on trombone and Francisco Arteaga De Pool on tenor sax.

Maracaibo Mía (My maracaibo) is a declaration of love announced by Vega, Zambrano and Pacheco who return for passionate performances, in a true ode to their homeland. From the clash between the “real” and the “dream” city, a very personal sound portrait of Maracaibo emerges, which is presented there in all its nuances, from those present in the chaotic Latin American reality to the affective ones.

Closing the album is Guasa Influenciada and its rising melodic lines (the lind that quickly stick in the memory). The track offers an expansive, immersive vision of Latin American rhythms, leading to a frenetic jam, marking the bridge from Maracaibo to the world of the best of current jazz.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

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In her new book The Wonder of Jazz author Sammy Stein invites the reader to take a walk on the jazz road, making sure that we will have the opportunity to stop and smell the flowers along the way. Her honest and extremely respectful approach both to readers and to the object of her analysis makes it impossible to resist.

         

“(…) samba sways from side to side

Jazz is different, forward and back

And samba, half dead, got half warped

Influence of Jazz”

– Carlos Lyra, Influência do Jazz, 1962

When Carlos Lyra released Influence of Jazz in 1962, the message was clear, but not new. Similar complaints of an alleged degradation of Brazilian popular music by foreign genres date way back.

1922, Pixinguinha (Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Filho), a musician who is considered the very soul of what would be later called Brazilian popular music returned from a successful season in Paris bringing in his luggage something new: a saxophone. He got in contact with the new instrument through North American big band musicians performing at the French capital.

Immediately incorporated into his own arrangements and compositions, the sax became the trademark of Pixinguinha, until then a flute virtuoso. In the same year, the first radio broadcast took place in Brazil. In other words, when Brazilian popular music starts to be broadcasted and heard by the masses, it already had a jazz component in its DNA. In the words of Brazilian samba diva Alcione: “Samba is a cousin of jazz”.

I had the same cosy feeling of being among friends, in the company of a good cup of coffee (glass of wine, or whatever comforts you) while reading The Wonder of Jazz by author, writer, journalist, and curator Sammy Stein. Make no mistake, though: there is nothing shallow in this book. On the contrary, it is full of documentation, sources, evidences and counter-evidences, as recommended for a good journalistic investigation.

Then again, The Wonder of Jazz is so much more than that! It is also a book that builds its narrative directly from the knowledge of musicians. Interviewed by the author, these voices give a very special color to the work. Another element that makes The Wonder of Jazz a delightfully enjoyable reading is that Stein makes no secret of the fact that she is passionate and intimately connected to her subject.

Her letter of intentions could not be clearer. Stein knows to whom she writes (”I am writing for readers who want to understand more about jazz and be part of the energy . . . curious people with inquiring minds.”); why she is writing (“This book is an immersive exploration of jazz’s history, impact, and future”), and the limitations imposed by the topic (“No matter how many papers, books, reviews, and interviews one reads, unanswered questions remain.”).

This is a book about a passion, written with passion by an insider. Passion and care. In each paragraph of each chapter, a lot of care is taken to provide content that the reader can trust and use. Therefore, an aspect of this work I would like to highlight is its educational character. The Wonder of Jazz already has already a place among the reference books on the genre and it will certainly be cited in future academic and journalistic works.

The “game changers” list in chapter 3 and the “cabaret card” in chapter 5 are examples of the precious information brought by Stein. The informal yet didactic approach to the names that marked the genre in different sectors goes far beyond the simple biographical character and makes this chapter an important reference tool for students, researchers and fans of the genre.

Establishing links between jazz and the arts, Stein manages to compose a rich portrait of aesthetic influences, including boxing. The diverse range of examples makes this work recommended both for the public in general and for the specialist. Her walk in the fields of jazz also include political, cultural and social aspects of the genre. However, there would be room for more information about South-America in general (for instance, information about stablished jazz festivals on the region) and particularly about the impact of Bossa Nova on jazz.

Despite such minor issues, the bouquet offered by Stein presents a vast palette of colors. They come from the stories, outbursts, criticisms and hopes narrated by more than one hundred jazz musicians requested to open their hearts about all sorts of career related issues. Once more, I would like to praise the frank way in which Stein deals with the sensitive question of the livelihood of jazz musicians. While it is clear to many that the glamour of the stage is not reflected in multi-million payouts (at least not for the vast majority of musicians), very few people are actually aware of how fragmented and unstable the income of an average performer can be, especially during the pandemic years.

Finally, I would like to point out that the generous amount of information provided by the author on all aspects of the correspondence between jazz and society proves how the latter benefits from the development of the genre. In order words, in response to one of the many questions raised by the author (“Is jazz still relevant?”), one can only say: more than ever.

***

Be seeing you!

G.F.       

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I love Tina Turner and I remember singing Private Dancer (1984) before I was old enough to fully understanding its meaning. Perhaps because of this memory, apparently ingrained in the deepest corner of my mind, I remembered this song while redoing, for the third time this week, the calculations of the texts I need to deliver by the end of the month. An article here, a review there and let’s not even talk about the podcast I need to record. Phew!

If you imagine a day in the life of a jazz musician as a creative adventure plenty of improvisation and magical moments, I must say you are half right. The other half, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to do with it. Well, ok, the improvisation part is true. Actually, each musician has a personal list of things not related to being on stage, nor to rehearsing to deal with daily and a lot of improvising is required in order to get it done.

Now do not you get wrong here: I love all those activities: writing, reviewing, researching, recording, promoting my music… Ok, the marketing part is not so exciting. I am not an enthusiast of social networks, and probably would delete my accounts in half of them, if it was not for the music promotion sake.

Technical chores (audio and video recording and editing) can also be very challenging for me. No wonder it is where I am usually way behind schedule, but all in all, I like to know how things related to my career are done and, as we know, learning new things is good exercising for the brain. But, come on! It is really a lot of stuff and I am not an enthusiast of multitasking either.

So, at least up to the end of the month (and, according to my last calculation, most probably for the first half of the next month, as well), I am more a writer than a singer, whether I like it or not.

In such moments, when it is easy to lose motivation, my trick is to remind myself that: 1. if I get tasks it’s because my opinion matters to someone and I should be proud of my professional reputation, and 2. I may not see the whole point now, but at some moment all the pieces will come together and voilà! That seemingly less interesting task can be the connecting point to other (more interesting) projects.

Be seeing you!

G.F.