By
Marco Antonio Junqueira and Marlene Peret
Translated by Jana Pietroluongo
To
philosophy about love may have a paradoxical resonance, however,
this is the way the musician and composer Djavan has developed
his work: with love and poetry, uniting them in an extensive
range of compositions and accords. Morrer de Amor/Não
é o fim/Mas me acaba (To die of love/It’s not
the end/ But it finishes me). The American musical producer
Ronnie Foster said in 1982, when Djavan was recording the
album “Luz” (light) “I hope Brazil and the
world realize what they have got in Djavan”. After more
than ten years, the musician is back on a tour in Europe,
singing what our world needs to listen to and reflect about.
London
is included in Djavan’s tour. He will tour around
Europe promoting his last album (2004) “Vaidade”
(Vanity). This is his 16th album and the first one released
by Luanda Records, his own record label. The show happens
at The Forum at 8pm on 31st March. Besides presenting
his latest work, his repertoire also includes old hits
such as Meu Bem Querer, Flor de Lis, Calmaria e Vendaval,
and Alegre Menina.
The
Tour “Vaidade” starts in Portugal –
Lisbon – on 20th March and O Porto, on 21st, then
going to Paris (26th), Zurich (29th) before arriving
in London. He then follows to Amsterdam (2nd April)
and finishes the tour in Luanda in Angola (04 April).
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In
his almost 30 years of career, Djavan has been enchanting
crowds around the globe, with his diverse songs and rhythms,
showing in his work the value he gives to cultural manifestations
from Brazil and also from other parts of the world.
He
is from Alagoas, capital city of Maceió, in the Northeast
of Brazil. As a composer, he has been showing a comprehensive
musical versatility, composing samba, baião, rap, jazz,
funk and styles such as the Mexican bolero and even the Cuban
salsa. He has worked with Alcione and Paralamas do Sucesso.
He has also composed with Aldir Blanc, Chico Buarque, Caetano
Veloso, Orlando Moraes, Arthur Maia and Dominguinhos. Gilberto
Gil, Nelson Motta and Gabriel O Pensador have also participated
in Djavan’s history of partnerships.
His
plurality only reflects the one of his own life. Before starting
his musical career, Djavan used to play as a mid-field for
the CSA, one of the most important football clubs in Alagoas.
His career, however, has changed paths when he was still a
teenager feeling pushed torwards music more than towards football.
Djavan, with his artistic-musical spirit, at 18, formed the
band Luz (light), Som (Sound), Dimensão (Dimension)
– LSD – and with this band he had several gigs
in Maceió.
Djavan
is always searching for new tones and in 1973 chose Rio de
Janeiro as his home. At the time, the city was in effervescent
artistic creativity, with hundreds of productions and thousands
of people with new and very Brazilian ideas in their minds.
There was the so-called “Cinema Novo” (New Cinema),
the advent and professionalism of the national television,
also the beginning of theatre groups such as the legendary
“Asdrúbal Trouxe o Trombone”. Besides,
Rio was the home of a musical process that would take Brazilian
music to the four corners of the world – the Bossa Nova.
Little
after his arrival in Rio, he had the opportunity of
recording songs by other composers to the soap operas
at TV Globo. But life was tough and in order to survive
he increased his income working as a crooner at the
nightclubs Number One (Ipanema) and 706 (Leblon).
His
talent, however, would not take long to be recognized.
After two years living in Rio de Janeiro, in 1975, doors
opened when he was the runner-up in a music festival
called “ Festival Abertura”. In 1976 he
recorded his first album titled “Flor de Lis”.
In 1977 he was invited by EMI-Odeon to sign a contract
that resulted in three albums – Djavan (1978),
Alumbramento (1980) and Seduzir (1981). |
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To
record his own songs and compositions is a common attitude between
musicians but in the case of Djavan this is more valuable as
he rarely records other artists’ songs. On the other hand,
other artists, such as Nana Caymi, have recorded his songs;
he recorded with her a duet called “Dupla Traição”;
Maria Bethania, “Alibi”; and Roberto Carlos, “A
Ilha”. His songs “Açaí” and
“Faltando um Pedaço” were recorded by Gal
Costa and were widely played in the radios all over the country.
Caetano Veloso’s contribution came with the recording
of “Sina” – a great tribute in which Caetano
changes the neologism “caetanear”(“to caetan”)
for “Djavanear”(“to djavan”). (translator's
note: Caetano Veloso, well-known Brazilian composer/singer has
coined the verb "to djavan". The verb "to caetan"
has also been coined before. The meaning is to follow Djavan,
or Caetano, to fall under his spell, to love his songs, to be
a fan.)
The
Association of Art Critics from São Paulo has also
acclaimed Djavan as best composer for two consecutive years
(1981 and 1982). And it is in 1982 that Djavan signs a contract
with CBS, present Sony Music, and starts appearing in North
America. The track “Samurai”, for instance, from
the album “Light” was recorded in the United States
with Steve Wonder’s participation in it. From then on,
the musician and composer, already well known, gathered more
and more notes, more and more shows and the record sales would
jump from 40 thousand to 350 thousand copies. Later on, the
American academy would also recognize, although indirectly,
Djavan’s talent, when they gave Manhattan Transfer a
prize for the album “Brazil”, in which there were
five tracks written by Djavan.
Among
his growing musical production, Djavan made an only and unsuccessful
attempt to diversify his art when he worked as an actor in
Miguel Faria Jr’s film “Para viver um grande amor”
(1983). In this film he played a poet-beggar that falls in
love with a young high-society lady, played by Patricia Pilar.
The critics didn’t like it and even him recognized that
his talents were not meant for film studios but for the music
scene.
After
this detour, he takes up his main activity with a lot
of energy and produces a masterpiece called “Lilás”
in 1984. Rescuing his true potential as a musician,
he enters in a process of production, shows and new
projects. Then came the albums “Meu Lado”
(1986), “Não é Azul, Mas é
Mar”(1987) and Oceano (1989). After these he has
got three works that marked an era – Coisa de
Acender (1992), Novena (1994) and Malásia (1996).
Novena is an album of great importance in which he sings
and tells the reality of small villages in Alagoas.
Also, in this album, there is the participation of his
daughter, Flavia Regina, who wrote the song Avô
(Grandfather).
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After
the album “Bicho Solto” (1998), a not very significant
CD according to Brazilian critics, Djavan blows up the market
with his first live album – “Djavan ao Vivo”
(1999), which sold more than 1,8 million copies, with 22 very
successful tracks, such as “Flor de Lis”, “Meu
Bem Querer”, “Samurai” and “Faltando
um Pedaço”. He has however released new songs
in the same album such as “Acelerou” which has
given him the prize of best song in the Latin Grammy Award,
in 2000. Two years later, Djavan gives the audience a present
named “Milagreiro”, an album of unique competence
that has Cassia Eller in the title track and also the participation
of his sons, the guitar player Max Viana and the drummer and
percussionist João Viana, besides the poem “Modinha”,
by Adelia Prado, printed in the CD back cover.
And
now to the show “Vaidade”:
Thursday,
31 March
Time:
7pm (the show starts at 8pm)
Place: The Forum
Address: 9-17 Highgate Road, Kentish Town, NW5
Bookings: 0870 060 3777
Prices: from £19.50 (standing) to £ 25.00 (sitting)
CLICK HERE
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
www.djavan.com.br
Discography:
Djavan
– 1976
Djavan
– 1978
Alumbramento
– 1980
Seduzir
– 1980
Luz
– 1982
Lilás
– 1984
Meu
lado – 1986
Não
É Azul Mas É Mar – 1987
Oceano – 1989
Coisa
de Acender – 1992
Novena
– 1994
Malásia
– 1996
Bicho
Solto – 1998
Djavan
ao Vivo – 1999
Milagreiro
– 2001
Vaidade
– 2004
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