“This will be our reply to violence:
to make music more intensely,
more beautifully,
more devotedly than ever before.” Hello Friends, I start this message with a timeless quote from the great maestro, pianist and composer Leonard Bernstein. Musicians are indeed among the first responders to any event, tragic or otherwise. This is our job. Music transforms the player and the listener and the environment, reaching out in ever increasing circles far beyond where the ear can hear. This is what we offer to all of you.

Hello folks,
Over this holiday season, I found a couple of old cassette tapes on my shelf. It turns out that one of them had some rough mixes of the recording session that we were doing with Hermeto Pascoal in 1980, for what became the LP Cérebro Magnético (Magnetic Brain). A couple of these tunes were not included in the original selection for the LP, but in my view they contain great samples of Hermeto playing the flute. He is accompanied on both tracks by myself on the Yamaha CP=80 piano and by itiberê Zwarg on bass. Here is a choro originally called Cambitos, but that later was renamed Roseando, when Mike Marshall recorded it with me on the Serenata CD:

We also recorded the beautiful ballad Flavia in 1980 (it was recorded again in 1986 on Só Não Toca Quem Não Quer), featuring Hermeto improvising over a very quirky chord progression, without reading the chords:

Thanks for listening, and have a wonderful 2013, with peace, health, love and music for all.
Jovino

 AZEITONA NA VALSA

Quando o Grupo do Hermeto Pascoal estava gravando o projeto “Mundo Verde Esperança” em São Paulo em 1989, o estúdio sempre estava cheio de visitantes, gente que passava para presenciar os momentos de criação musical que rolavam das 14h até a manhã seguinte, todos os dias durante semanas a fio. Um desses visitantes foi o baixista Azeitona, com quem Hermeto havia tocado no Grupo Som Quatro  na noite de São Paulo nos anos 60. Ele tocou também com Toquinho e Vinícius de Moraes, e era uma pessoa muito querida entre os músicos paulistanos. Na noite que o Azeitona nos visitou, fomos jantar juntos, e o Hermeto decidiu dar um porre no contrabaixista. Entre tragos de pinga e de uísque, Azeitona contou a Hermeto que havia composto um valsa. Hermeto retrucou na hora:

— Pois então vamos agora gravar sua valsa no disco!

Voltando ao estúdio do Som da Gente, em Perdizes, Azeitona cantou sua melodia para Hermeto, que criou um arranjo ali na hora, mudando os acordes e enriquecendo a melodia. Gravamos o tema com Carlos Malta nas flautas, eu de piano, Itiberê Zwarg no baixo e Marcio Bahia na bateria. Como o nosso irmão de som Arismar do Espírito Santo, outro grande baixista, estava presente, o Campeão criou uma introdução para 3 baixos elêtricos, tocados por Itiberê Zwarg, Azeitona e Arismar. Na hora gravar a voz, o Azeitona já estava como se dizia, “chamando urubu de meu louro” e acabou cantando um free puro, misturando palavrões, palavras e palavrinhas com o som. Hermeto adorou o resultado, e logo em seguida foi mostrar a faixa para o Walter Santos e Tereza Souza, do selo Som da Gente, que tinham passado no estúdio para ver como andava a gravação daquele disco. O olhar de espanto dos dois ao ouvir o que o Azeitona estava cantando ficou gravado na memória de todos que lá estavam. Felizmente eu guardei uma fita cassete com esse momento sonoro, e também tinha uma câmera na mão, com a qual fotografei os momentos dessa gravação, que nunca foi lançada comercialmente (bem como o projeto Mundo Verde Esperança, que nunca foi disponibilizado para o público).  Com esse material eu e minha musa Luzia Grob dos Santos criamos o vídeo abaixo. Bom proveito!

Créditos:

Azeitona – baixo elêtrico, composição e voz

Jovino Santos Neto – piano

Itiberê Zwarg – baixo elêtrico

Arismar do Espírito Santo – baixo elêtrico

Carlos Malta – flautas

Marcio Bahia – bateria

Hermeto Pascoal – arranjo

Gravado em 1989 no Nosso Estúdio, São Paulo por Marcus Vinícius

Produzido por Jovino Santos Neto

Hello Puget Sound friends,

Welcome to a new season and new music! I hope everyone is feeling rejuvenated by the summer weather we’ve had recently. I am back at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, teaching new classes and enjoying the inspiration that the daily contact with young musicians brings.

There are a few opportunities to share music in the coming weeks – I will list them below, hoping that you will join us for some of them:

·        Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 PM at the Whittier Theater in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island – For the Soul – a duo concert featuring Estonian bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann and pianist/composer Jovino Santos Neto. The two will present music from Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, as well as from Brazilian masters Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal and Jovino Santos Neto himself. “There will also be a fair amount of improvisation,” said Kuuskmann. “This will be for the souls of everyone between 10 and 110 years old!” For tickets and more information, please visit http://www.sjctheatre.org/events/eventDetails.asp?key=309

·        Friday, September 21 at 8 PM at Vito’s (corner of 9th Avenue and Madison on First Hill) – Jovino Santos Neto Trio with Tim Carey (bass) and Jeff Busch (drums/percussion). We are finally back at one of our favorite gigging spots in town. The music becomes loose and creative, as impromptu guests show up and sit in with us. Vito’s has great food, drinks and a great listening atmosphere. 21 and over only. www.vitosseattle.com

·        Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 PM at Lopez Center for Community and the Arts, Lopez Island, WA – Jovino Santos Neto/Chuck Deardorf Duo. Chuck and I have been playing together for almost 20 years, but we are rarely featured in a duo setting. For this special concert we will focus on new music as well as some unknown gems from Brazilian composers. Admission by donation. For more details, please go to http://www.lopezcenter.org/goto.php?page=details&item=191

·        Sunday, September 23 at 4 PM at Volunteer Park in Seattle – Seattle premiere of my orchestral piece All Nations, composed for the 10th anniversary of the All Nations Soccer Cup and sponsored by 4Culture. This is a one hour long performance of music I recently wrote for a 20-piece orchestra (strings, woodwinds, brass and rhythm section), featuring some of Seattle’s best musicians, including Hans Teuber, Tom Varner, Beth Fleenor, Samantha Boshnack, Paul Taub, Tim Carey, Mark Ivester, Chris Spencer and many more. This outdoor event is free and open to all. Bring a picnic and let’s celebrate the end of summer with creative sounds and positive thoughts for the fall.  http://www.facebook.com/events/265997516845462

I would like to remind you that you can find all of my CDs (autographed) for purchase on my website at www.jovisan.net/music.html . For the musicians out there, there are scores of my music available at www.jovisan.net/scores.html . You can also like my Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/JovinoSantosNeto and follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jovinosneto . My music is also available on the iTunes Store (http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jovino-santos-neto/id160714545 ) and at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Jovino+Santos+Neto )

Thanks again for your continued support of creative music, and I hope to see you soon!

Obrigado,

Jovino

Hello Bay Area friends,

I hope that you have had an amazing summer. I sure did…after my last visit for Jazz Camp West and a concert with Grupo Falso Baiano in July, I have travelled, taught, composed and played lots of music. Now I am happy to return once again to Piedmont Piano in Oakland to perform in a piano duo with a great pianist from Uruguay, Polly Ferman. Polly and I performed together in San Francisco a few years ago. Here is a video of us playing a piece by Pablo Ziegler for 2 pianos, Asfalto:

http://youtu.be/mJIw9G0c7c8

Piedmont Piano is indeed a piano lover’s dream… beautiful instruments in a beautiful setting. Each one of my performances there has been a success - people really enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the acoustics of the space.

On Thursday, October 4 at 8 PM, Polly and I will present a program of solo, 2-piano and 4-hands music by South American composers: Piazzola, Pixinguinha, Jobim, Hermeto, Pablo Ziegler, Ernesto Nazareth, Horacio Salgan, Radamés Gnatalli and more. This is a unique opportunity for us to share some of the music we love with our Bay Area friends.

Piedmont Piano is located at 1728 San Pablo Avenue in Downtown Oakland. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Please visit www.pollyferman.com , www.piedmontpiano.com or www.jovisan.net for more details
I would like to remind everyone that all of my CDs are available through my website at http://www.jovisan.net/music.html . If you are interested in music scores, check out the selection available at http://www.jovisan.net/scores.html . I will sign all CDs purchased through my site. My music is also available on the iTunes store and at Amazon.com for digital download.

Please check out my Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/JovinoSantosNeto , Twitter at www.twitter.com/jovinosneto and my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/JovinoSantosNeto 

Thanks again for your continued support of live creative music. I look forward to seeing you on October 4 at Piedmont Piano!

Obrigado,

Jovino

Olá amigos,

Fiquei muito feliz em poder ter vindo tocar no Brasil neste mês de agosto. Toquei com Ajurinã Zwarg (bateria) e Ricardo Sá Reston (baixo) no TribOz, no Rio de Janeiro, com a casa lotada e canjas memoráveis de Gabriel Grossi e Itiberê Zwarg . Aqui está um clip filmado nesse show: http://youtu.be/Gj71dSsZP88

Também fui a Recife, onde participei do projeto “Pesquisa. Música” no Conservatório Pernambucano de Música, onde dei uma palestra sobre meu CD “Alma do Nordeste” e fiz um recital de piano solo. Foi uma alegria também ver como as pessoas estavam interessadas em adquirir meus CDs e livros de partituras em todos os lugares onde estive. Como é sempre difícil viajar com muita bagagem e a pouca quantidade que eu levo sempre se esgota rapidamente, gostaria de lembrar aos amigos do Brasil que existem várias maneiras de entrar em contato com meu trabalho, mesmo de longe. Aqui vão algumas dicas:

Meu website - http://www.jovisan.net/music.html - Neste link encontram-se meus 9 CDs lançados desde 1997, todos em estoque, por um preço único que inclui o frete para o Brasil. Eu autografo todos os CDs comprados através desse link. O pagamento via cartão de crédito é feito de forma segura e rápida usando o serviço PayPal.

Loja virtual iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/br/artist/jovino-santos-neto/id160714545 . Aqui neste link encontram-se vários CDs completos, bem como faixas separadas, todos disponíveis para download digital e legal.

Amazon – Clique aqui - Na loja virtual da Amazon encontram-se tanto CDs de áudio com entrega no Brasil como álbuns completos e faixas separadas para download digital.

Partituras - Muitos músicos me perguntam como fazer para conseguir partituras das músicas dos meus CDs, bem como os dois livros editados por mim, Tudo É Som, com 32 composições de Hermeto Pascoal e World Music Brazil, uma coleção de 5 peças minhas arranjadas para grupo. Tudo isso pode ser encomendado no meu site. Basta acessar o link http://www.jovisan.net/scores.html. Lá se encontram também as partituras completas dos meus CDs Roda Carioca  e Canto do Rio (ambos indicados para o Grammy Latino) tudo disponível em arquivos PDF com entrega digital imediata via download.

Além disso tudo, convido a todos a curtirem minha página no Facebook, através do link www.facebook.com/JovinoSantosNeto ou acompanhar minha conta no Twitter: www.twitter.com/jovinosneto .  Tenho um blog que sempre é atualizado em português e inglês, disponível nas redes sociais.

Assim espero que possamos ficar em contato musical. Virei tocar no Brasil sempre que puder, espero revê-los na próxima vez!

Um abraço e feliz setembro!

Olá amigos,

Faz um ano desde que estive tocando no Brasil. Nesse interim aconteceu muita música, incluindo uma apresentação no Festival de Jazz de Londres regendo uma orquestra junto com Hermeto Pascoal e Grupo, aulas, oficinas e concertos em muitos lugares do mundo, e um novo CD lançado com meu Quinteto, Corrente. Todas essas atividades podem ser conferidas no meu site, www.jovisan.net , ou na minha página do Facebook, www.facebook.com/JovinoSantosNeto .

Mas a razão desta mensagem é a minha volta aos palcos brasileiros, a partir da próxima semana. Estarei tocando no TribOz, na Lapa (Rio de Janeiro) dia 3 de agosto, e em seguida irei a Recife para um recital de piano solo e uma palestra sobre minha música. Aqui vão os detalhes:

·        Sexta-feira, dia 3 de agosto a partir das 21h30 no TribOz, na Lapa (Rua Conde de Lages, 19 – Tel: 22100366, http://www.triboz-rio.com ). Jovino Santos Neto (piano e flauta) acompanhado por Ricardo Sá Reston no baixo e Ajurinã Zwarg na bateria. No repertório, temas de seus vários CDs e novas composições, tudo feito com muito improviso e criatividade coletiva. Couvert artístico: R$ 20.00

·        Em Recife, Jovino vai se apresentar no Conservatório Pernambucano de Música (Av. João de Barros, 594 – Santo Amaro – Recife-PE - Tel: 3183-3400) num recital de piano solo na quarta-feira 8 de agosto às 19h, com entrada franca. Além disso, ele dá uma palestra sobre o processo de pesquisa, composição e criação do seu CD Alma do Nordeste de 2008 no mesmo local no dia 6 de agosto às 19h30.

Fotografia: Daniel Sheehan

Hello Puget Sound friends,

I am glad to be back in Seattle, after one week teaching at Jazz Camp West in California and another one at the Blaine Jazz Festival near the Canadian border. Besides, I am busy composing a piece for a 20-piece orchestra that will be premiered on July 28 in Tukwila. Music is good, and I hope your life has plenty of it.

Now I am back in Seattle, and we are getting ready to play for you. This coming week has several great opportunities to enjoy live music, so please mark your calendars:

·        Wednesday, July 18 from 12 noon to 1:30 PM – Downtown Seattle Out to Lunch series with the Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto (JSN, piano; Chuck Deardorf, bass; Mark Ivester, drums; Jeff Busch, percussion) at the Bank of America Plaza - 800 5th. Avenue.

·        Thursday, July 19 at 8 PM at Bake’s Place Bellevue - 155 108th Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98004. JSN Quarteto with Chuck Deardorf, Mark Ivester and Jeff Busch. This is a new and fabulous venue for live music in downtown Bellevue. Great sound, ambiance, food and drinks. Cover charge is $10, free parking. http://bakesplacebellevue.com or (425) 454-2776

·        Friday, July 20 from 7 to 9 PM – Jovino Santos Neto plays solo piano at Dulce’s Latin Bistro - 1404 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 623-3556.

·        Saturday, July 21 from 6 to 9 PM at The Landing in Renton (900 N 10th Pl, Renton, WA). Jovino Santos Neto Trio with Tim Carey (bass) and Jeff Busch (drums). This is just off exit 5 from 405 S. At the fountain area - between Papaya Vietnamese Cafe and C'est la Vie clothing store - across from Regal Cinemas. http://www.thelandinginrenton.com/inthenews&c=349

·        Sunday, July 22 starting at 5 PM at The Little Water Cantina, 2865 Eastlake Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98102, (206) 397-4940. An event curated by Novo Fogo Cachaças from Brazil. A special sunset meal with live music by the Jovino Santos Neto Trio with Tim Carey (bass) and Jeff Busch (drums) on the patio overlooking beautiful Lake Union. For more information, please visit http://www.littlewatercantina.com

There is no excuse for you not to have a great musical experience this week. I am looking forward to seeing you at these events.

Thanks for your support - your presence makes the music possible.

Obrigado,

Jovino

In 1986, as part of my apprenticeship with Hermeto Pascoal, I assisted him with the preparation of a new orchestral composition commissioned by the São Paulo Youth Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Jamil Maluf. I prepared the score template, and Hermeto composed and orchestrated the 60-page piece in March, writing each instrument in its original transposition. On May 25, "Sinfonia em Quadrinhos" ("The Comic Strip Symphony") was premiered at the Modern Art Museum of São Paulo. I was there, and filmed the entire performance with a sound feed provided by the great engineer Marcus Vinicius, who recorded all of the Hermeto Pascoal e grupo albums made for the Som da Gente label.
The piece contains many different moods, changing very abruptly from one to another. Hermeto wanted it to resemble a comic book, in which stories follow each other, sometimes one to a page. His writing on this piece is superb, dense and extremely polyphonic. He performed solo passages between the orchestral movements. He asked the musicians to play technical challenging passages, as well as to shout certain words and wave handkerchiefs at specific points. He succeeded because this was a youth orchestra. Many established professional musicians might refuse to do these things, "because they are not done" in a "classical" music setting.
Now, 26 years later, as a tribute to Hermeto's 76th. birthday happening this week, I have posted the original video and recreated the entire score in Finale. So, if any music directors who read this are interested in performing it with their orchestras, please contact me here. Happy birthday, Hermeto!

Em 1986, como aprendiz do Hermeto Pascoal, eu o auxiliei na criação de uma peça sinfônica encomendada pela Orquestra Jovem de São Paulo, sob a regência do maestro Jamil Maluf. Eu preparei a grade da partitura, e Hermeto escreveu e orquestrou 60 páginas, criando uma "Estória em Quadrinhos", onde as passagens se alternam de forma surpreendente. Além de tocar o piano, sax soprano e berrante entre os movimentos da orquestra, ele criou uma peça difícil de se executar, pedindo aos músicos para dizer certas palavras, balançar lenços, coisas que músicos da área clássica geralmente não fazem. O sucesso desta apresentação se deveu ao fato de serem músicos jovens, com um líder forte e confiante.
Hoje, 26 anos depois, para celebrar os 76 anos de Hermeto essa semana, estou postando o concerto inteiro, e além disso preparei a partitura completa em Finale. Se algum regente ou diretor musical tiver o interesse de executar esta peça com sua orquestra, por favor entre em contato comigo aqui. Feliz Aniversário, Hermeto!

Summer is upon us, and this is a season full with opportunities to engage in the sharing of musical ideas and concepts with a larger community than the musicians and college students I spend most of the year with. I am listing below a few of the offerings which any of you can sign up for NOW:

• Jazz Camp West (June 23-30, www.jazzcampwest.com ).This is a fantastic gathering of a tribe of about 250 folks in the beautiful mountains near Santa Cruz, California. It has been going on for about 27 years, under the guidance of Madeline Eastman and Stacey Hoffman. This will be my 11th year teaching there. Of course, I learn as much (or more) than I teach. I also compose new music during my Spontaneous Composition Ensemble class every morning. The faculty concerts and impromptu jams are among the most beautiful and intense I have ever witnessed. If creative bursts of musical inspiration are what you seek, this is the Camp for you.
• Blaine Jazz Festival & Camp (July 8-14, http://www.blainejazz.org/PAA/2012_Jazz_Festival.html ) This is my first year teaching in Blaine, where I will be part of the "fusion" faculty, meaning that I will be working with classical and jazz students. Judging from the faculty list, this sounds like a great week, where lots of music stretching across genres and styles will be created. Blaine is located right at the border between Canada and the US, in Washington State.
• The ABCs of Latin Jazz - The Music of Argentina, Cuba and Brazil. (July 23-27 - http://www.cornish.edu/summer/courses/the_abcs_of_latin_jazz_argentina_brazil_and_cuba/). This is the third year of this educational summer offering by Cornish College of the Arts, where I normally teach during the school year. Joining me will be two great musicians and educators: Chris Stover and Ben Thomas. This weeklong immersion course will survey several varieties of music from 3 of the strongest cultures in the Americas. Last year we had a fantastic group of students, who learned a lot as we took part in many musical activities - playing, listening, dancing... Open to players as young as 14.

I do hope you will take advantage of these offerings, and I look forward to seeing you there!

Jovino