Diogo Nogueira and the Phenomenon of Relative Stardom

I had the ideal concert experience when I saw Diogo Nogueira perform live at Lincoln Center as part of its MidsummerNight Swing series. I stood front row, center, got an autographed CD and took a picture with Diogo! If you are wondering who Diogo Nogueira is, you are part of the reason why I was able to get so close. 


Over the last four years Diogo Nogueira has climbed the ranks of the Brazilian Samaba scene to become a national icon. Admittedly, he had an advantage as the son of Samba artist João Nogeuria, but performing was not part of his original career path. He trained as a professional soccer player, playing two seasons for Cruzeiro, before an knee injury forced him to consider a career change. There is no doubt that his early exposure to music and performing through his father was invaluable to his recent success, but Diogo has been recognized for his talent and accomplishments independent of his dad. 

Diogo Nogueira at Lincoln Center
July, 1 2011

Diogo released his first album, Cidade de Samba, in 2007. In 2008, he composed a Samba enredo for Portela's Carnaval procession that placed the school in the top 5 for the first time in 10 years. His second album, Tô Fazendo a Minha Parte, was awarded a Latin Grammy in 2010 in the category of Best Samba/Pagode. Today, in addition to composing music and touring, Diogo hosts a weekly TV show, Samba na Gamboa, where he interviews and performs with some of the most famous living Samba composers in Brazil. 

If this hasn't convinced you of Diogo's celebrity status, just take my word for it. Diogo Nogeuira is kind of a big deal... in Brazil. Understandably, he hasn't achieved the same widespread recognition in the States as he has in his country of origin. One reason for this could be that, unlike other Latin artists, none of his songs are in English. And there just aren't that enough Portuguese speaking New Yorkers to fill Madison Square Garden's 15,000 seats when Diogo comes to town. The exception is Ivete Sangalo, who last September filled MSG with Brazilians who came to New York from all over the North East and even from Brazil to see her show and attend the Brazilian Day Festival that same weekend. I would love to see Diogo gather a North American following that more closely matches his the size of his Brazilian fan-base, but I admit I'm reluctant to give up my affordable, front row tickets and photo opps with the artist. 



Call me selfish. But you have to admit it's a great feeling to see one of your favorite artists perform 10 feet away from you and to be able to tell him in person after the show that you love his music and that studying his lyrics helped you learn Portuguese. Sitting in the nose bleed section of a stadium and watching the performance on the JumboTron just doesn't compare. 


Lucky for us, two more big name performers are coming to New York this summer. On July 24th, hip hop artist Marcelo D2 and rocker Pitty are playing a FREE show on Central Park's SummerStage. The show will kick off Brasil SummerFest, a full week of Brazilian musical performances all around Manhattan. Even if you aren't so familiar with the music, I suggest you don't pass up this opportunity. Next time these artists come to New York, they could be playing at the Garden.  

Experience Brasil Live: Tuesday nights at Village Underground

Often when I go see Brazilian music in New York City, I can feel transported, like I'm back living in Brazil. A crowd of Portuguese speakers and a few caipirinhas definitely add to the authenticity, and a below-ground venue without windows onto the street truly makes me feel like I'm no longer in New York City.

New York based Brazilian band, Brasil Live, just by virtue of its name, promises something like what I've described above, and, man, do they deliver. Every time. I first saw Brasil Live at Village Underground as part of an evening of musical performances by groups from New York and São Paulo. I had an absolute blast, dancing samba and forró on the crowded dance floor and singing along to all of my favorite songs. I knew I'd be back. 

Low and behold, my friend Mauricio Zottarelli, whom I wrote about in my last post, told me he was going to be playing a show with Brasil Live. Of course I immediately marked my calendar and invited a few friends. When we arrived at Village Underground, however, the venue was much less crowded than I remembered from the time before. I was aware of at least two other Brazilian events happening in Manhattan that same night, a performance by Milton Nascimento and a launch party for Wallpaper's City Guide to Rio, and they apparently were drawing from the same pool of partiers. This lower than usual turnout, however, did not discourage the members of Brasil Live who went on to give a stellar performance. 

In fact, the intimate crowd was particularly appropriate that evening. The grandfather of one of the lead vocalists, Daumielle Caldeira, was in the audience, watching for the first time his granddaughter perform in New York City. Daumielle opened the show with a touching dedication of her performance to her special guest. But as soon as the band started to play, Daumielle's pop star persona took over, hips rolling and hair swinging with no shortage of sensuality. Lucky Grandpa got the same show as everyone else. 

Marcos Vigio, Daumielle Caldeira, Thiago Machado, Fabiana Masili
at Village Underground. Photo from Brasil LIve Facebook Album

Some of my favorite songs were performed by Brasil Live's other principal vocalists, Fabiana Masili and Thiago Machado. Fabiana covered alternative rock classics from groups like Kid Abelha, and Thiago did great renditions of Seu Jorge and of other Samba artists. In addition to the lead singers, musicians playing base, guitar, and percussion crowded the stage and even poured over onto the dance floor. Every single member of Brasil Live was having so much fun performing, continually interacting with one another and with the audience. The group's enthusiasm is contagious and, combined with the Brazilan music beats, draws you out of your seat.

No matter how much or how little experience you have dancing samba or forró, you won't be able to resist the urge to move your body. In fact, for many of the songs in Brasil Live's repertoire, like pop hits by Ivete Sangalo, the customary accompanying dance is jumping up and down and waiving your hands in the air. Simple and fun. But for those of you who aren't shy and are willing to test your skill, there is always at least one talented couple, who when they aren't blowing your mind with their coordinated cavorting, gladly extend a hand in your direction and take you through the steps. After three hours of being twirled and dipped by the "pros" and jumping up and down to the crowd pleasers, I was as sweaty, winded, and high on endorphins as if I'd just run a 5k.

So don't miss the experience of Brasil Live. Even if you have already vacationed in Rio, done business in São Paulo, or have lived in other parts of the country for an extended period like me, this is your ticket to Brazil in New York City. Brasil Live plays every other Tuesday at the Village Underground. I think their next performance is on Tuesday, July 5, but to get the lastest updates straight from the source, Like Brasil Live on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. A $10 cover is collected at the door, and if that bothers you, just tell yourself you're getting a bargain of a dance class or a vacation. 

Origem: An exercise in adjusting my expectations

I spent the long Easter weekend visiting friends in one of my favorite cities. No, it's not Belém, or Rio, or New York, but rather our lovely nation's capitol, Washington, D.C. One of the reasons I love D.C., aside from the overly confident and morally void policy wonks who strut around the hill, is all the free entertainment. Just my luck, that on this particular weekend there was a free event at the National Museum of African Art. On the museum's calendar, event was called Origem: Sounds from Brazil. 

Origem jamn' and the un-fun, sedentary humans watching them.

My friends and I followed the sounds of base and keyboard down the granite staircase to a packed room, at the front of which the members of Origem had already started to play. I have to say, my first impression was not great. First of all, whenever I go see a Brazilian music performance, I expect a dance floor, or at least a space clear of chairs and un-fun, sedentary, humans, in which I can get down and shake my tail feathers. No such space existed in this set up. Second, the event was titled "Sounds from Brazil", but the music I followed down into the depths of the African Museum was more akin to the "Sounds from the hotel cocktail lounge." Despite my initial skepticism, I decided to give Origem a chance. After the conclusion of that first musical number, Leonardo Lucini, Origem's bassist and founder, introduced his group and their music. This context was necessary for me to enjoy the rest of the show. 


Leonardo studied music in Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, before coming to the U.S. to attend Howard University's prestigious Jazz Studies program. Leonardo's appreciation for the parallel musical histories of the United States and Brazil, both heavily influenced by African musical traditions, was a major reason he chose to study at Howard, a historically black college. Being obsessed with Brazil, I often think about the ways in which it is similar to the United States: its size (5th largest in the world behind US and China which are tied for 3rd/4th), its unique regional cultures (North, Northeast, South, Southeast, Central-west), its history of slavery (Brazil didn't abolish slavery until 1888). But I hadn't yet made the musical connection, and I was super excited to learn about it form Leonardo. 


After this introduction, I shed my expectations of samba and bossa nova, and was able to appreciate Origem's music for what it is: Jazz, albeit a special kind of jazz with subtle notes of Brazil.  As usual, I couldn't keep still and, to the embarrassment of my friends, managed to dance in place a little, squished between another member of the standing audience and a glass case that was part of an exhibit. I wasn't alone, though, in my physical appreciation of the music. I was pleased to see seated across the room an older fellow chair-dancing! (see previous post for description of chair-dancing.) This guy was really getting into it, rolling his clenched fists in front of his chest and then throwing them to the side, like the leader of a conga line. His enthusiasm and delight also helped me warm up to Origem's performance.


I have to admit that I didn't stay until the end of the show (I had to resurface into the DC sunshine), but I'm really glad that I stayed past the first musical number. Even though I recognize the my knowledge of and experience with Brazil is incomplete, I have a very specific idea of what it means to be Brazilian: loud, ostentatious, grand, and indulgent, which, in my head, are all great things. My idea of Brazilian-ness shapes my expectations, which I placed on Origem that day at the museum. In writing this post, I came across a review of Origem on the Washington Post's website whose author seems to have done the same thing. The review reads: "Not Convincing. As a Brazilian I must say that this band does not get even close to represent Brazilian Jazz. The arrangements are quite poor and predictable, and the music is quite synthetic - nothing like the real thing. I find it frustrating to have such a mediocre band burning the name of Brazilian jazz like this."

Yes, the performance did not live up to it's name, "Sounds from Brazil," but I was able to adjust my expectations and get over that fact. And I definitely didn't think the group was mediocre. In fact, Leonardo has performed with a number of well known artists like American saxophonist, Benny Golson, and the Brazilian group Nó Em Pingo D'Agua. Origem's members may be Brazilian by birth, but they are Jazz musicians by profession. And as crazy as I am about Brazil, I'm glad I was reminded that I'm still capable of appreciating entertainment that isn't 100% Brazilian.

Here is a pretty long video of Leonardo talking about Origem.

DanceBrazil: Gateway drug to the Northeast

The Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave, New York

I've been to Brazil a few times, but I haven't yet made it to Bahia or any other state in the Brazilian Northeast, for that matter. I've heard and read enough about this part of the country, though, to know I am missing out. BIG TIME. And every time I see an Afro-Brazilian dance troop perform in New York, I swear to myself I will put Salvador on my next Brazil itinerary. 

DanceBrazil, now at the Joyce Theater through April 24^th, is no exception. This New York-based company brings to the stage a fusion of traditional Afro-Brazilian movement, contemporary dance, Capoeira, and even a little bit of Samba. Jelon Vieira, DanceBrazil’s artistic director, and almost all of the dancers were born and/or studied in Bahia, the country’s center of Afro-Brazilian culture and a hotspot of general artistic and creative genius. (Many of Brazil’s most critically acclaimed authors, composers, and cuisines have come out of Bahia.)

Watching the show was an emotional roller coaster. Certain movements graphically portray scenes of slavery and other pieces the light heartedness of samba. Once of the dances seemed to me a country ho-down of sorts. (I LOVED that one.) I particularly enjoyed the promonant role capoeria played in the show. The Playbill actually distinguishes between dancers and capoeiristas.

While I have summoned up the courage to take samba classes, I haven’t gotten that far with Capoeira. Mainly because it looks so difficult. Capoeiristas can dedicate lifetimes to studying this musical martial art whose origins could date as far back as the 16^th century when the Portuguese brought the first West Africans slaves to Brazil. I’ve seen many a Capoeira demonstration, but, for me, watching it performed on stage was a different, more enjoyable experience. Capoeira is generally done inside the roda de capoeira, a circle of capoeiristas and muiscians. At demonstrations, I’m on the outside looking in, and, having a sense of the seriousness with which this art is practiced, I often feel like I’m intruding on some sacred tradition in whose teachings I’m not learned. It was refreshing to watch Capoeira on stage as a member of an audience. I was able to sit back, enjoy the show and let go of my insecurities, as silly as they maybe. 

All an all, I couldn’t have been happier having spent my Sunday afternoon, even on a beautiful day, watching this performance. So whether you end up taking advantage of the Joyce’s $10 tickets (a true bargain), or you wait for the next Afro-Brazilian dance troop to come through New York, I’m confident you won’t be disappointed. As for me, I'm already thinking about how to fit a tour of Salvador and maybe even a Capoeira workshop into my next trip to Brazil. 

Just to wet your palette, here is a video of another group, Balé Folclórico da Bahia, which I saw at NYU's Skirball Center back in January.