MIRADAS by Agustin Pereyra Lucena <(download LP)
Guitarist of extreme delicacy and precision, is one of the most respected musicians and creativity has taken and recreated the legacy of different genres of Brazilian music with emotional center evident in bossa and afrosambas.
By Diego Oscar Ramos – Five Senses No. 6-2005
He is the musician who has devoted in Argentina the interpretation of Brazilian popular music. Precise guitarist and refined, with a career spanning more than 35 years, he has shared stages and recorded with Brazilian musicians such as Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho, Nana Vasconcelos, Dori Caymmi, Quartet Em Cy, Carlos Lyra and Sebastiao Tapajos. He toured worldwide and recorded albums of great beauty with Argetina’s talent like Ruben Mono Izarrualde, Billy Reuter, Alejandro Santos and Lucho González. There also is a displays of compositional skill joints. The beloved bossa nova weather elements or Argentina popular music, jazz and impressionism.
INTERVIEW
Why did you choose the guitar as his instrument?
It was the only instrument I had at home, my mother had died when I was born she left me her guitar, which she used to play and sing. I was twelve or thirteen, I had a professor, I was very bored playing two chords of Argentine folklore with him, something was missing. One day I got home and my brothers played jazz for me. Also heard a lot of Ravel and Debussy, which is not understood at all, I liked it, but I did the percussion. The most listened were the “boleros”. I later learned they were the predecessors of the bossa. Dori Caymmi told me: “You can play, because you come from Joao Gilberto, Joao was also a bolero singer”. I listened and wanted to get something, but had no items and who to teach me, I still loved to feel the vibration of the guitar against my body, your heart filled with emotion.
In what time of your life Brazilian music comes to your soul?
They were two friends of my brother. One day they came home and played with two guitars barquinho O, Samba a single note and Desafinado. That day I was so excited, I found the sound amazing and I could not believe how well they played. One of them called him every week for two years to write lyrics about similar topics of Joao’s records, the more I listened to Tamba Trio, Luis Bonfa, etc. Baden Powell appeared one day, then I realized that the guitar was able to be a soloist. The music then transported me to the beaches of Brazil. At 17 I went to Rio for the first time, that journey left me a lot of records and to know that in Brazil, especially Rio, the music is everywhere. Then I went like 15 times already in contact with musicians, I went to the home of Dori Caymmi, was with the Tamba Trio, Edu Lobo, Milton Nascimento, Gismonti. And in the bowling alley where he had made the boys Garota de Ipanema gave us the possibility to access the mother of Baden Powell and her super nice, he said “I call him now come available, with some journalists, accompanied us to Barra Tijuca and stayed three hours with Baden”. I could not believe I was nervous to meet him. He was a teetotaler, he gave us beer and he drank milk. I made friends with the drummer, who took us to the night at a rehearsal of a Escola de Samba, it was impossible to sit still. I felt great vitality.
Did you feel at some point that Brazilian music also belong to you?
Not yet. When I started to feeling it in me is when Vinicius came. I arrived in Punta del Este with friends by boat Paez Vilaro’s house and sat there with Maria Creuza and Dori Caymmi. He said: You play guitar and start there. Dori was four years older than me and knew a lot of music, we became friends. He is a genius in harmony, I lerned some important data from him. After Nana Caymmi came with his sister, first music, then a singer. He asked me to accompany her on three themes, for me it was all impressive, like a dream. I was in the right place. He repeated the scene in La Fusa here and in Mar del Plata. There was Maria Bethania, Chico Buarque, Quarteto em Cy Toquinho inviting me to play with. I lived all that with them.
How was your music modified by co-living with Vinicius?
On the way to play at a show, I had dialogue with Vinicius which was nice. I learned a lot of naturalness. People appreciate that you tell something about each song. He would said “we were with Toquinho on a beatiful afternoon in Playa Itapüa”… and they finished it in Mar del Plata. He told a little story for each issue, topic or song title and the people loved it. I learned lots with him and learned well, creating a favorable climate for music in me.
In the titles of their songs mentioned routes desolate, desert, do you draw the arid landscapes?
In some of the titles of your songs you talk about desolate routes, deserts, Do you have some attraction for desolated places?
Yes, very much. I love Patagonia. I was attracted to the places where anything could happen, a sense of absolute freedom in the plain, where there are many geographical features. Why I like the sea, which makes me more nervous. I need to know the northeast of Brazil. Vinicius always said we will go into a song and that is, you get into it. The issue goes over time and gives the impression that you’re traveling, you did a tour, with images and emotions.
“Throughout your career, how was that trip?
At first as an interpreter more than anything I had to adapt to what I had to get done, as I was finding my way into writing, I realized that I belong in a place that is my style, my way of being. I like things that are developed consistently. Even the rate of six-eight is very smooth, I like to keep a base where you feel comfortable, like going on a train. I do not like to bother with the music. I can not create more aggression music, when you’re already full of it. I want to be more sincere in what I do, not to compete to see who can make things more rare. I do not like when you put so many chords and you put everything you learned. There are versions of Corcovado between the first and the second line and it says something. Jobim knew the line I wanted, I chose for him to write the chords and he did well, not that I didn’t know, but I wanted for him to do.
How would you describe the climate of your music?
Something like dreamy, but warm, a nice feeling to enter into a kind of trance, but feel comfortable, safe, there is concern that not everything is set, but not consistently annoying. I like to move my body as well, I don’t like to stay stiff like a rock. I move well. Vinicius enjoyed body movements also. (laughs)
What other goals do you want to fulfill?
Travel more, record, edit the new record with Mauricio Einhorn (1995) and feel that the impact is a little more each time. Criticism in Japan have been very good, my records are doing well. But what interests me the most is writing, I am happy if in a year I can compose two or three songs that I like. I’d be like Jobim, he reached the end of his life composing and recording. I want more pleasure and power on the next album even more than the previous. If something changes along the way in my music I will not realized it.
How did music contribute in your life?
Is everything, I know me well because of it and It thought me to do and follow what I love, play guitar.