BRASILINTIME, São Paulo, BR.
LISTEN RECOVERY Diary
words by: Rich “Spirit” Revelli
I arrived in Guarulhos International airport to deliver the master copy of the Film, Brasilintime. It was April 26, 2006 I met with Rodrigo Teixeira aka Dj Nuts at his studio in Saude, Parque Imperial where I ended up staying the whole time. That first night we went to a small lounge bar where we heard some original classic Hip Hop joints. Next day we went out to explore the concrete jungle of São Paulo in search of vinyl recordings and photography. Cruising the streets we found a small memorabilia shop where I found few Tim Maia's and Jorge Bens’ records. We spent days learning about Brazilian music and the history of Brazilian street art and Graffiti called “Pixocao”. The colorful city of Sao Paulo invited the eye to take pictures of almost everything, I wanted to capture the moment the way of life in Brazil.
On May 1st, Brasilintime was scheduled to be premier at “Cinesecs”, Rua Augusta, 2075. That same night B+ and Renz arrived from L.A. to witness the first viewing of the Film, the energy kept growing while meeting with Joao Parahyba, Nunca, Flip and Deborah. The Film was to start at 10 PM. with free popcorn and good vibes. We were ready for two amazing hours of live art, music and photography dedicated to Brazil’s music and culture. The unforgettable educational film left everyone with a moment to talk about. After the Film experience and interviews with the Artists, we settled in a typical São Paulo restaurant where we talked and recalled the scenes that impacted us the most.
BRASILINTIME, São Paulo, BR.
LISTEN RECOVERY Diary
words by: Rich “Spirit” Revelli
May 2-4
For the next few days, Recovery Crew “Renz, Nuts and Rich Spirit” searched around the city for live performances, vinyl recordings, books and other vintage items to Archive.
RENZ_ “I found so much stuff on just Jorge Ben, then I started to connect the artists by their collaborations, like Milton and Lo Borges, Gal Costas first Record, Trio Mocoto, Wilson Simonal to name a few, I wanted to start with the basics. Dj Nuts took us to Disco Sete, a small record store in the downtown area of São Paulo where he was good friends with the owner, who also happen to be an enthusiastic collector of Brazilian music. Nuts gets most of his deep and expensive stuff from him. After a long day digging , we took a walk to get the famous sucos de fruta (real fruit juices) we had about 30 different fruits to choose from, it was refreshing and reminded me of my home land Peru. We spend a lot of time in the studio. Nuts was putting together a mix for BBC radio host Gilles Peterson, who happened to be in town to interview B+. It was all nocturnal for my first 4 days in São Paulo.
RICARDO_ São Paulo is a big city, I knew I couldn’t see it all in two weeks so I focused on what I love to do the most, digging and writing. I was walking down the streets of São Paulo for about 4 hours. I found myself surrounded by carts and tables full of fruits, It was an outdoor market extending for at least 8 blocks. The colors, the aroma and the music coming out of an old folk radio took me to a deeper Brazil. Natures orchestra played Samba while the warm hearts of the Brazilian people inspired me the most. I was trying to communicate my way to Bixiga (little Italy) flea market. I asked a taxi driver to take me there, we had a cool conversation about the culture of Brazil and South America. Once there, the first thing I found was a Pele original photo taken when he played for the futbol team Santos. I was happy to see many serious collectors/archivists in one market. By the side walk I saw the Opiniao Record by Nara Leao next to a tree under the shade. I had heard so much about Opiniao, It gave me a moment of open wonder which ignited my research for the Social movement of the people expressed through Batucada, Samba, Bossa Nova, Soul and other roots of Brazil. I knew a big night was ahead of us so I continued looking for vinyl recordings where Wilson Das Neves, Mamao and Joao Parahyba had contributed. I found a few of my favorite groups like Os Ipenimas and Trio Mocoto. It was about 1 PM. and I bumped into Director B+ who was diggin’ around the area, he introduced me to couple heavy vendors/collectors who helped me dig deep for my research about the Opiniao movement. The experience in Bixiga was like going to a school of culture and music where everything was rooted and had a purpose to document and archive the history of lives lived. Before leaving Bixiga I met with B+ and Deborah Pill who were going to a library/book store located by downtown Sao Paulo. I decided to go, when we arrived, there was so much to digest from Political and cultural books to Independent and International films. That day before the screening of Brasilintime I concentrated on recovering only 7” records. I came up. ..Cierto!”
May 4
Tony Allen arrived from Paris 3 hours before the L.A team ( Babu, J-Rocc, Madlib, Derf Reklaw, Eric Coleman and Luke Lynch ). Tony and Derf toured the city while the others went diggin’ for records with no time to waist. Around 8 pm Nuts, Renz and I, bumped into Joao Parahyba a block away from the theater Cinesecs. It was a crazy night, the home soccer team Corinthians where playing against their biggest rival, River Plate from Argentina. There was a lot of energy and tension in the streets of São Paulo. Horns, drums and anthems took over the silent corners, black and gold jerseys waved from the windows of homes and buses full of passionate Corinthianos, everyone was waiting on the whistle to begin the 90 minute battle in the green field. Truly an inspirational day, I became a Corinthian.
At 9:30 p.m. we met with the entire roster of Brasilintime and together for the first time we viewed the new edit film. It was an incredible night with Wilson Das Neves, Ivan “Mamao” Conti, Joao Parahyba, Derf Reklaw, Tony Allen and the rest of the crew. That night everyone got to know each other and appreciate one another for we all love the culture and music from Brazil.
May 5
First Show:
In the morning, the plan was to be at Bixiga “little Italy” to have lunch with the BIT crew. In Bixiga you can visit one of the city’s most traditional samba schools, Vai Vai, and a high density of bars and restaurants. There is so much culture and history in that district. After lunch everyone went back to the hotel to rest and to get ready for the show.
At 3 PM the musicians arrived in Secs Pompeia to rehears and meet the press before sound check, the show was schedule to start at 9 p.m. Everyone met backstage, the intimate connection between musicians created a great moment to discover one another in depth. Jokes and life’s experiences were shared, good typical food was served, Tony Allen’s choice of whisky and great rolls from Dj
Nuts were passed. On scheduled the lights dimmed, the energy was up to the red and Dj Nuts turned the first table to open these historical session. Madlib Astro Black styled on the Roland Phantom had everyone traveling on the improvised sound waves, then Mamao, Tony Allen and Wilson Das Neves drummed together creating a dialogue with breaks, as Derf Recklaw blended in with highs and lows on the fender rhodes, saxophone, percussions and flutes. Jrocc and Babu scratched while mixing Brazilian roots making the experience leave you a junkie for beats. Dj Primo brought Hip Hop‘s classics to the tables followed by Pupillo, who drummed with a Brazilian Northeastern rooted obscure technic, very inspirational. All together in one sound ended the innovative folkloric experimental fusion discharge , a night that would never be forgotten.
May 6
Second Show:
After a great night, the musicians took the morning to rest. At noon B+ and Debora Pill (R. B. M.A.) took some of the guys out for lunch, while the djs left early afternoon to go digging for a few hours. Dj Nuts, Renz and I, took the afternoon to listen to the recoveries and produce a mix tape at Nuts’ studio in Saude. Nuts wasn’t getting much sleep, his life was from the studio to the night clubs, he is a very talented and dedicated musician. We wanted to experience the most that we could in such a short period time. Around 17hrs, the artists headed to Secs Pompeia for sound check. The show opened with Mamao and Tony Allen conversing on drums, followed by Babu and Madlib as the rest of the group incorporated their own unique styles to the improvised session. The lights shinned above Dj Primo and Nuts, who were remixing a famous J. Dilla production from The Pharcyde’s song “Running”, the crowd got involved and started shouting out loud, recognizing the lost of one of the great ones. Pupillo was following the mix with smooth breaks blending with Nuts on the SP303, it became the highlight of the night, a tribute to J. Dilla at Brasilintime. After the surprise set, the fusion continued. The Legendary Wilson Das Neves got on the quica with his Samba Cancao mood and Tony Allen responded with the Africa 70’s style taking us back to the Movement of Fela Kuti. The great “Comanche” Joao Parahyba walked in and did a duo with Wilson on the quica. J-Rocc kept cutting rhythms giving all of us the feel of a Carnival Parade while Derf Reklaw made us close our eyes to the soulful spiritual sounds of jazz using his multi-instrumentalist experience taking us back to the times of Eddie Harris & Les MacCan. The session was closed with a huge fusion discharge of rhythms, improvising an innovative sound clash of two cultures who’s elders holded court. Together they made the outro of both shows historical.
May 7-11
Next morning we visited Batucada 1000, a store that carries a large variety of Brazilian instruments, it was very interesting to discover that most of them were hand made and imitated the sounds of animals from the Amazon and others. It reminded me of Hermeto Pascoal, a sound experimentalist that used water, wind, wood, and other natural elements to make music that inspires traveling and meditation. We continued to visit many cultural places, like MOCA, a huge store of antiques where you can find paintings, records, photography, books and furniture. Jorge is the owner of MOCA, he helped us recovered and over stand the music history of Brazil. He invited the crew to a special place we called “The Pink Mansion” , where everything inside was an antique. I mean the toilets, tea spoons, paintings on the walls, furniture, the clock, the doors, everything was a classic but what really put a smile on our faces were the 10 rooms full of records and instruments laying around, it had everyone diggin’ and sharing their knowledge. We were there for at least 5 hours and couldn’t stop digging. I had to continue my research on the Opiniao movement. While I was in the darkest room I saw a record by a poet named Cartola. When I played that record I knew I was in the right path, the poetry of the “favela” ghettos. I wanted to be everywhere Inside the big rooms and hall ways full of records it seemed like a never ending experience. Then, in one of the stacks I found an album by Ze Keti which contained his version of the song Opiniao which it had a melancholic bohemian style rhythm. By the same crate I found the soundtrack of “Tilim”, a film about a kid who steals to eat and finds a lot of bad things on his way, but there was a big fortune waiting for him. The Pink mansion was one of my favorite places I visited in Sao Paulo.
Madlib and Mamao where meeting in Rio de Janeiro to record together, the rest of the team chilled at the beaches and the Favelas (ghettos). Listen Recovery Crew blessed it for the last time in Sao Paulo with Jrocc, Babu, Madlib, Director Brian Cross (B+) and Eric Coleman. Cultures and Adventures have inspired my inner visions for higher learning and appreciation of music and art worldwid
