Bebel began her headlining act with a disclaimer that she was nursing a broken pinky toe, so it was no surprise when she kicked of one of her red high heels during "Sun is Shining." The crowd even cheered as the shoe came off Bebel's foot and landed beside her. The second slipper didn't come off as gracefully, however. It flew off the stage and landed in the audience.
New York’s Summer Stage is kicking off its 2012 season with an evening of performances by Nu-bossa bombshell, Bebel Gilberto, Grammy-nominated jazz singer Gregory Porter and other acclaimed artists at Highline Ballroom in New York City on January 5th.
Daughter of Brazilian bossa nova icon, João Gilberto, and singer, Miúcha, Bebel Gilberto gracefully ushers the music of her parent’s generation into the 21st century. Her blend of traditional sounds from Bahia with contemporary pop and electronic beats has become a staple at clubs and lounges around the world, and her love-centric lyrics have won the hearts and minds of international audiences.
A performer since age nine, Bebel is at home on the stage. Her sweet and energetic style is delightful to experience, and even more fun, is watching this star perform with others. During her summer residency at City Winery, Bebel performed each of her shows with a different special guest, including Brazilian rapper, Marcelo D2. This past October at the famed Rock in Rio music festival, Bebel shared the stage (and a kiss) with singer/composer Sandra de Sá.
If a duet with Gregory porter is in store, I’m excited to see it!
Bebel Gilberto, Gregory Porter and More @ Highline Ballroom Thursday 5th January Doors: 6pm, Show: 7pm Tickets: $20
I generally don’t mind going to Brazilian shows, bars, and festivals by myself, because I’ll inevitably meet interesting people once I’m there. But Bebel Gilberto’s show at City Winery on August 3rd made me reconsider just how awesome it is to do what I love unaccompanied. Bebel Gilberto, daughter of Bossa Nova legend João Gilberto and singer Miúcha, is best known for her love-centric lyrics put to a mix of Brazilian bossa nova and electronic music. I’m usually not one for love songs, in English at least, but Bebel’s voice and lyrics cast a spell on me, turning me, in that moment, from a fiercely independent, 24-year-old, swinging single, to a mushy mess longing for love.
“Life could be so nice if one day I find someone to samba through life with me,” is the chorus of “So Nice” on Bebel’s third album, Tanto Tempo. There are innumerable songs that talk about the universal longing to find a life partner, but I especially appreciate all the implications of Bebel’s samba metaphor: dancing samba at a party or Carnaval, living samba, with an everlastingly upbeat and optimist outlook, and doing samba- if they do the horizontal tango in Argentina, Brazilians must do the horizontal samba, right? So Nice (Summer Samba) by Bebel Gilberto
Introducing “Sem Contenção” (without restraint), Bebel instructed the audience, like an expert lecturer on love. “This is a song about love in your heart. Never think about love in your head. Always in your heart!” The fast guitar strumming, repetating lyrics, and almost panting nature of this track is just like the voice inside your head, catching you the minute you start to hold back your emotions and telling you instead to let go of your insecurities and doubts and enjoy this moment of romance. Sem Contenção by Bebel Gilberto
But beyond being a poet and singer, Bebel is a fabulous performer, the physical manifestation of a free spirit. At City Winery, she was delightfully uncensored in her speech and movements on stage. During a silly moment, she joked about wanting champagne despite the large selection of wine. “I'm waiting for my champagne. Today is a bubble day... a Bebel day!" Her true display of uninhibitedness came when she admitted to lying down on stage at least one during every show. At City Winery, she sang from the supine position twice! Even though I couldn’t see Bebel when she got horizontal, I could still hear her seductive voice and appreciated her ease in front of the crowd, even to the point where she treated the stage as if it were her private bedroom.
Bebel will perform a total of five shows this month at City Winery, each with a special guest. On August 3rd, none other than Brazilian rapper and hip hop artist Marcelo D2 joined Bebel on the small stage. The duo performed the two songs which I had seen them sing together a week before at Summer Stage, Mercelo's "Minha Missão" and Bebel's "Close Your Eyes." I especially love the catchiness of "Close Your Eyes," and it's also a rare treat to hear Marcelo sing in English. At City Winery, the pair performed for the first time ever Chica Chica Boom Chic, a Carmen Miranda cover from Bebel's most recent album, All in One, adapted for the part of Marcelo. Neither artist held back during this conga inspired tune. Bebel kicking her legs in the air while using Marcelo for support and eventually pulled him down onto the floor with her for a sing and a snuggle.
"Close Your Eyes" - Bebel Gilberto & Marcelo D2
This Wednesday, August 17th, Bebel will be performing with Zé Luis Olivera, acclaimed Brazilian composer and producer. Zé worked with Bebel as her musical director during the launch of her Grammy nominated album, Tanto Tempo and recently arranged and produced a song with her for the animated film, Rio. Tickets for all of Bebel's City Winery performances, on August 17th, 24th, 27th, and 31st, are available through the City Winery website.
In his preview of Brasil Summerfest and its kickoff Summer Stage event, "Showing Off Eclectic Tastes," Larry Rohtergets to the heart of Marcelo D2's musical essence. "Even more than most hip-hop artists [Marcelo D2] has always had wide-ranging tastes and a curiosity to see what happens when different genres are combined in unexpected ways."
While I've been listening to a few dozen of Marcelo's songs on Grooveshark since I heard Desabafo in Fast Five, I had never seen Marcelo D2 perform live until yesterday at Summer Stage. Only after witnessing in person his mastering of multiple genres and generations of music, do I understand how to approach his work.
Two weeks ago, I sat down with Marcelo for an interview, the first interview I've ever done for Manhattanlândia, actually. I inevitably brought my own musical bias and preferences to the conversation and, subsequently, to the write-up. In retrospect, I see I neglected to consider his influences and accomplishments in musical genres I generally don't listen to, like punk and hardcore. At his Summer Stage performance, I was able to appreciate for the first time Marcelo's ability to bring together some of the most distinct sounds and assemble them so meaningfully into an unforgettable experience for his audience.
After Pitty riled up the crowd with her alt-rock-centric repertoire, Marcelo D2 took the stage just as the sun came out in full force, dispelling the rain clouds and bringing the left over dampness to a boil. I couldn't help but think his Black Flag t-shirt was a strategic wardrobe decision (black doesn't show sweat marks). His denim vests with a Ramones patch sewn onto the breast was another nod to his musical influences. But the oppressively hot climate didn't seem to drain Marcelo's energy. He stayed hydrated throughout his performance with a bottomless cup of beer and brought equal enthusiasm to every type of song on the set list, which was all encompassing.
The women in the audience had plenty of opportunities to dance samba to songs like "Batucada" and "Á Procura Da Batida Perfeita." From our fancy footwork we naturally transitioned to jumping up and down and throwing our heads and raised hands in the direction of the stage when Marcelo performed hardcore hits like "Arte do Barulho." Throughout, he showcased his intimate knowledge of all types of music and his creativity in combing them, like when he added a few seconds of skat into "Ela disse" and mimed an a capela trombone during "Batucada." These subtleties can be appreciated only as part of a live performance.
Bebel Gilberto joined Marcelo on stage, for two songs, "Minha Missão" (his) and "Close Your Eyes" (hers). While the pair had recorded "Minha Missão" together for Marcelo's album, Arte Do Barulho, "Close Your Eyes" was adapted for Marcelo especially for Summer Stage. It was so fresh, in fact, that print outs of the just-written lyrics were not-so-subtly secured to the stage in front of the artists before they performed it live for the first time. The two were a joy to watch together. Their dynamic was silly and effortless, just what you'd expect from two friends.
After Bebel's exit, Marcelo made one last dive back into his arsenal of punk rock songs before paying tribute to his idol and mentor, Bezerra da Silva, with "Semente." When he a covered song by soul and funk master, Tim Maia, Marcelo joked that only the woman were singing and told the men to "have some heart."
Such a wide ranging repertoire is not only an testiment to Marcelo's imagination and innovation as a composer, but undeniably to the talent of his band. His full set included two head-banging guitarists, an expert samba drummer using his full set just as ably for samba as for punk rock, and DJ Nuts presiding over it all from his platform at the back of the stage. Not a single member of the ensemble exited at any point during the show. All were actively participating in the creation of the unique hybrid of sounds that changed with every song.
In part because of his diverse repertiore, and in part because of his irresistibly mischievous persona, Marcelo D2 knows how to please the crowd. For his final act, Marcelo invited women from the audience up to the stage to dance samba while he performed (and finished his beer). I forget what song he sang, though, because I was so focused on the dynamic unfolding before me. You could tell how excited and incredulous these women were to be up on stage with Marcelo D2, but it was also obvious that Marcelo was enjoying himself just as much, if not more than the women. At one point, he sat down on a speaker with his back to the audience, so he could appreciate a pair of hips squeezed into tight, jean shorts gyrating two feet from his face. Por isso que eu bebo...
Getting to know Marcelo D2 (the music and the man) has been a humbling experience both as a critic and as a fan. I learned that even if I don't love every one of his ingredients, Marcelo is able to mix up musical recipes of new and different flavors that appeal to a wide range of palates. I look forward to following Marcelo as he continues to create the unexpected and exciting.
Marcelo tells it like this: I was here in New York two times last summer, at the beginning of Summer Stage and at the end. I saw Public Enemy, which was great. And I saw Gil Scott-Heron, who is a huge influence on me. He's since passed, but at the time of the show he was very old, bem velinho! He was playing up there, and the whole band was very old! They were all friends of his, you know? It was so powerful that I cried. I actually cried. I was so moved. I thought: I want to have done something like this my life, in my career. Making music with my friends, playing at Summer Stage. That's my dream.
And now, Marcelo D2 is about to realize his dream this Sunday at Summer Stage in Central Park. And I got to realize one of my dreams, too: interviewing Marcelo D2, the father of hip hop do samba.
Although I was already familiar with Marcelo's music, I still felt the need to pull an all-nighter in preparation for the interview. After six happy hours of intensely watching YouTube videos and studying his lyrics,I developed some of my own ideas and observations about Marcelo's evolution as an artist. I couldn't wait to get answers to all of my questions.
To date, Brazilian rapper, Marcelo D2, has five studio albums to his name, produced between 1998 and 2009. Eu Tiro É Onda (1998), was his first solo project after his rise to fame with punk/rap group, Planet Hemp. But instead of continuing to advocate in his lyrics for the legalization of marijuana, Marcelo, in Eu Tiro, and in his following album, Á Procura Da Batida Perfeita (Searching for the Perfect Beat) (2003), makes strong, consistent statements about family, rootedness, and respect for elders.
Those themes comes from samba. Samba carries this. Samba and rap seem very similar to me, because they both come from the ghetto. There's something simple about the songs [from these two genres]: malandragem (streetsmarts). But rap is more direct, and samba, more poetic. And I love that about samba, so I like to make rap in that way.
Lodeando - Marcelo D2 and his son Stephan
Together, his first two albums cement what I would think of as Marcelo's brand:hip hop do samba, hip hop with a samba beat. I also associate Marcelo with Á Procura Da Batida Perfeita, the name of his second album, but also his noble pursuit of musical perfection. Marcelo stresses that the learning that comes from this never-ending search is far more important than money or anyone else's definition of success.
Á Procurda Da Batida Perfeita
If anything, there isn't enough Á Procura in Marcelo's third and fourth studio albums. In Meu Samba é Assim (2006) and Arte Do Braulho (2008), Marcelo's lyrics become progressively more materialistic. He raps about fame and fortune rather than about a success defined by his noble search. The song, "Desabafo," onArte Do Braulho and on theFast Five soundtrack, is an exception, however, where Marcelo stays true to his original brand of incorporating samba and traditional music into his rap.
There is something that makes me so happy about making music, making rap, and that is reviving old songs. I have a song called "Desabafo". The singer, Claudia, [with whom I collaborated,] hadn't released anything in 30 years. After our song exploded, she returned to singing and recording. That's my vision: to take Brazilian music and show people how much great stuff there is from the past. There's a saying: "Olhando pro passado mas sem medo do futuro" (Looking into the past without fear of the future). To do something new, but with all due respect to the past. That's what I want to do.
Desabafo/Deixa Eu Dizer - Marcelo D2 and Claudia
When I started listening to the tracks on Marcelo's fifth and most recent studio album, Canta Bezerra da Silva (2009), I have to say I was shocked. Until my late-night interview prep-session, I hadn't heard a single song from this album. The hip hop do samba guy had completely dropped the hip hop to cover songs by the traditional samba composer, Bezerra da Silva. For a little while, Marcelo even ditched his hip hop get-up of a baseball hat and t-shit for the traditional samba look of a fedora and short sleeved button-up. It seemed to me like a complete transformation.
The hip hop people said 'Whoa, what happened to the hip hop (Cadei o hip hop)?' I don’t think the album changed anything, though. I wouldn’t have done a samba album had it not been a tribute to Bezerra. It was a tribute. Just that. It’s not going to be my next path. I did this album only because it was so special for me. Bezerra gave me tips about samba and mixing it with hip hop. He was so important to Á Procura da Batida Perfeita. I wanted to show people the affection I have for him. I have a lot of fans who are kids, and I think it’s cool to show them his influence on me and the respect I have for him.
So what could Marcelo D2 possibly be working on now? In his next album, will he return to the music that jumpstarted his solo career or will he throw his fans another curve ball?
The album I’m working on now is international. I’ve already done so much, always Brazilian music. The next step is to bring more collaborators from outside Brazil to this project. To get these people to sing Brazilian music, too. I think by partnering with more foreign artists, I’ll get to share Brazilian music with an even wider audience. I want to invite some American rappers. There’s a new generation of American rap: Curran$y, Smoke DZA, Stalley, The Cool Kids.They are saying such cool things, really contemporary. I love it. And not only rap people. Also Esperanza Spalding and Erika Badu. I want to do a bunch of work with European artists, too. I’ve worked with international artists a few times in the past, but I want to concentrate all of it in this one album. I want it to be an album that has a universal language, that is universally understood.I’ve played in 23 countries. I want this album to arrive in these countries and I want people to see how much they’ve influenced me and my music.
What else should you know?
Marcelo hopes to release his next album on November 5th as a 44th birthday present to himself. (My birthday is just two days later, so I'll consider the album a birthday gift to me, too.)
He's already wrapped up a collaboration with
Ponto de Equilíbrio (two songs and two videos), and the fruit of their labor should drop in the next month.
He's also making at least two other videos while he's in New York.
It was such a tease to hear how excited Marcelo is for his new project, when I know I have to wait until November for his full album. But Sunday's Summer Stage performance is only two days away! I am touched to have learned how meaningful this performance will be for Marcelo, less than one year after Gil Scott-Heron, who inspired this Brazilian rapper to perform in Central Park in the first place, passed away. The show is chock full of other mini-milestones, as well. Brazilian rocker, Pitty, will be performing for the first time in New York after her first U.S. show in Miami today. After years of informal jam sessions, Bebel Gilberto will perform with Marecelo D2 for the first time in front of a live audience. And finally, Marcelo's 19 year-old-son, Stephan, will also make an appearance in Sunday's show.
Bebel Gilberto joined Marcelo on stage, for two songs, "Minha Missão" (his) and "Close Your Eyes" (hers). While the pair had recorded "Minha Missão" together for Marcelo's album, Arte Do Barulho, "Close Your Eyes" was adapted for Marcelo especially for Summer Stage. It was so fresh, in fact, that print outs of the just-written lyrics were not-so-subtly secured to the stage in front of the artists before they performed it live for the first time. The two were a joy to watch together. Their dynamic was silly and effortless, just what you'd expect from two friends. 
Such a wide ranging repertoire is not only an testiment to Marcelo's imagination and innovation as a composer, but undeniably to the talent of his band. His full set included two head-banging guitarists, an expert samba drummer using his full set just as ably for samba as for punk rock, and DJ Nuts presiding over it all from his platform at the back of the stage. Not a single member of the ensemble exited at any point during the show. All were actively participating in the creation of the unique hybrid of sounds that changed with every song. 
