NONATO LUIZ : Alem Mar; Bola de Ouro; Villalobiana; A Concordancia ; Valsa Triunfante ; Serie Brasileira a) – Serenata; b) Xote c) Frevo ; Estudo no. 1; no. 2; no. 3; no. 4;no. 5 (Afinacao Viola Caipira); no6; Saudades do Baden; Choro Crescido; Blues Pra Voce: SEVERINO RANGEL de CARVALHO, (RATINHO) : Saxofone, porque choras : ANIBAL AUGUSTO SARDINHA (GAROTO) : Meu Coracao .
Nonato Luiz
Cat No 6458 : Private Release
Judging by the number of releases from this Brazilian guitarist I really should have heard of him before, but I haven’t …my loss, because this CD is brilliant! Apart from two pieces all the recital is written by him, and the first thing that strikes you is that although the Latin element is there, the actual music itself is quite original, musically quite diverse and never standing very still for any time at all so you don’t get the often typical Latin – American piece where the dance rhythm is arpeggiated in a particular way, and often only using a small handful of chords throughout the piece. That does not happen. Take the opening Alem Mar which has a bouncy , skipping rhythm to it , and a tune that you could imagine someone going down the street whistling it whilst skipping along. Bola de Ouro fairly races along and again harmonically never stays still for even a moment, and goes at such a speed that you realize how good a player Luiz is. Villalobiana is exactly what you might expect from the title, homage to the guitar music of Heitor Villa Lobos, and it is very successful, beginning as it does with a bass melody topped by some chords, and then a sudden crunch as an unexpected discord is played. By contrast the Serenata, from the Serie Brasiliera is slow and mournful with some emotional harmonies underneath a warm and far ranging melody, a considerable contrast to the following two movements that again are full of character and utterly different from anything else you have heard so far. For that is the main thing about this recital, the totally varied quality of the pieces on offer here. The six Estudios have a definite technical feel to them, but just take No2 for example where the runs are some of the fastest I have ever heard, and I doubt there are many players out there who could cope with it as well as the composer! After the two pieces written by the other composers, Severino Rangel de Carvalho, and Garoto, both just as lovely as Luiz’s works, and fitting in very well in this CD, comes the wonderful Saudade de Baden, with its very moving rendition, it’s very colourful harmonies and moments of real drama. Choro Crescido is another example of just how far away from what one might expect to find in a Choro. It is immediately and obviously a Choro, but so different in so many ways. The final track Blues Pra Voce is warm and sad at the same time, and whilst it is Blues, it doesn’t resort to the standard throwaway style of Blues that a lesser composer might write. And just wait till you hear the coda with its lightningly fast run !
So in summation, I am sorry that I haven’t heard any of this fine composer/player’s other many recordings, but it is obvious that I should go on the hunt for them, as they are excellent in every way.
Chris Dumigan. .
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