Music
Press
This recording is a beautiful gift from Brazilian musicians. “Proezas de solon,” “Vibraçoes,” “Sonoroso,” “Pérolas,” “Lamentos Do Morro,” “Goats Do Ouro,” “Cochichando,” “Lamentos” and “Cheguei” are played with pure soul. Root rhythms are reflected in each song with everyone of these musicians being a top level and serious instrumentalist.
The Brazilian mandolin is the choro instrument of choice used today with it's voice being bright and beautiful. The sound of this old instrument gives just the right dimension to this CD. Iasias Bueno de Almeida bounces around in between each choro style, bringing the mandolin to center stage.
Israel 7 Cordas' guitar playing is totally virtuous. The knowledge of his own music and his attachment to it is constantly expressed throughout the whole release.
Naylor “Proveta” Azevedo is considered a great instrumentalist. His tempo is perfect and his solos are discreet but powerful. Guello holds the orchestra together with the beat of his percussion.
This Modern Traditions Ensemble CD is easily listened to with the sweet Brazilian rhythms incorporated into jazz. Listeners who enjoy the bossa nova will be content with this release. This group explores Brazilian music with a perfect classical and jazzy cocktail. - Ana Isabel Ordonez
São Paulo pianist Benjamin Taubkin began carving out a career in the late 1970s, but his first solo outing came only in 1997. The following year he founded the folk-inspired Orquesta Popular de Câmara, whose delightful debut appeared in 2004. Founded by Taubkin, the paradoxically named Modern Traditions Ensemble comprises the talents of choro veterans Isaías Bueno de Almeida (mandolinist, composer and leader of São Paulo's celebrated Isaías e Seus Chorôes), his brother Israel "7 Cordas" Bueno de Almeida (seven-string guitar), and Naylor "Proveta" Azevedo (soprano sax), together with in-demand percussionist Guello. The repertoire is classic choro, performed with the characteristic reserve of this wistful yet vivacious genre: Pixinguinha's "Proezas de solon," "Cochichando," "Lamentos" and "Cheguei"; Jacobo do Bandolim's "Vibrações" and "Pérolas"; Kchimbinho's "Sonoroso"; Ernesto Nazareth's "Gotas do ouro"; and Garoto's "Lamentos do morro." Taubkin brings a straight-ahead contemporary jazz feel to the project, but the elegant refinement that the elder musicians invest in the music is always and rightly out front. Every number recalls the old saying among choro musicians that each new piece you learn is the most poignant title ever written. Prove the aficionados wrong if you can, but this dazzling array of timeless choros will have you at the task for a long time to come. - Michael Stone
Discography
Moderna Tradição (Núcleo Contemporâneo, Brasil; Adventure music, US)
Photos
Bio
Moderna Tradição - an encounter of veteran master musicians performing the choro - instrumental music created in Brazil at the end of the XIX century and still very much alive and growing today. Performed by a quintet having the slightly unusual instrumentation of mandolin, soprano-sax, guitar, piano and percussion. The performances are full of life and display impeccable musicianship, colorful arrangements, and many beautiful themes.
Some of the songs are more familiar than others and all of the treatments are colorful, filled with subtle surprises. The five musicians - Isaias De Almeida on mandolin, Naylor Proveta on soprano (doubling on clarinet), acoustic guitarist Israel de Almeida, pianist Benjamin Taubkin, and percussionist Guello (with baritonist Teco Cardosa guesting on Cochichando) - are widely respected in Brazil.
Filled with musical beauty, melodic improvising, very attractive tone colors, and a memorable ensemble sound, New Old Music is a delight. The CD was released in Brasil by Núcleo Contemporâneo and in The United States by Adventure Music.
The group has been performing in Brazil and Europe in festivals such as Masala, Hannover and Rudolstadt, both in Germany; and Glatt & Verkehrt, Austria. During these tours, Moderna Tradição was invited to Record a special programm to WDR, the main radio in German and was one of the highlights at the austrician radio ORF.
http://www.myspace.com/modernatradicao
http://www.nucleocontemporaneo.com.br/projetos/moderna-tradicao/
http://www.youtube.com/nucleocontemporaneo
MUSICIANS
Benjamim Taubkin (piano)
Brazilian music has been the playing field for this instrumentalist, arranger, composer, and producer. As a musician he has participated in several formations that range from soloing to symphonic orchestras - presenting in Brazil and abroad. Some of the most recent projects hes participated in as musician and arranger include: Jobim Sinfônico, Samwad - Rua do Encontro, Milágrimas, Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica, Paulo Moura and Monica Salmaso. His current projects include: the Orquestra Popular de Câmara, the choro ensemble Moderna Tradição, and his work with the traditional music group Abaçai. He directs the label Núcleo Contemporâneo, focused on recording Brazilian instrumental music. He is present as a musician or producer on more than 130 discs. He has coordinated projects for institutions like Itaú Cultural, and the São Paulo State Secretary of Culture. He has developed programs for SESC, CPFL, and CCBB. He is the musical curator for the Mercado Cultural da Bahia and is a member of the European Forum for World Music.
Izaías Bueno de Almeida (bandolim)
Izaías is the leader of the oldest instrumental group in São Paulo, Izaías e Seus Chorões, which still has its original composition. Since he was a child he distinguishes from playing bandolim solo, and at the age of 16 he was already performing in television programs. He has played for many years in regional groups. In some of them, he has been the leader, in others, a bandolim solo player or even the one who transcribed pieces of music.
Some of the programs in which he performed are part of Brazilian history, like: Fino da Bossa (The most Refined of the Bossa) and Bossaudade (Missing the Bossa). He participated as solo player and arranger in the famous Conjunto Atlântico (Atlantic Group). He has also played in some TV programs, like Ensaio (Rehearsal), Choro das Sextas-Feiras (Fridays´ Choro) and As Muitas Histórias da MPB (The Many Stories of Brazilian Popular Music). Isaías de Almeida is also a composer and the author of many choro songs. He was awarded the Prêmio Movimento da MPB (Movement of the Brazilian Popular Music Prize) for his album Quem não chora, não ama (Those who dont cry, dont love).
Israel 7 Cordas (7 chords guitar)
Instrumentalist, arranger and composer. He also integrates the group Isaías e Seus Chorões. With a lot of professional experience, he matches the knowledge in both popular and classical music, acquired in the Conservatório Dramático e Musical de São Paulo (Dramatic and Musical Conservatory of São Paulo), where he graduated in classical guitar. After having played guitar and cavaquinho, he dedicated to the 7 chords guitar, at first within the Conjunto Atlântico (Atlantic Group), during the best time of the choro music, in the 80´s, together with his brother Isaías.
Naylor Proveta Azevedo (saxophone)
Leader of Banda Mantiqueira (Mantiqueira Band), Proveta is considered one of the best sopro instrumentalists in Brasil. Saxophonist and clarinetist, he has a great curricula as instrumentalist and arranger. He is often invited to take part in musical workshops, courses and seminars throughout the country. He comes from Leme, in the countryside of São Paulo state, and he graduated in saxophone in 1992. He has already played with some of the most important artists, both Brazilian and international, among singers and instrumentalist
Links
