|
by
Marlene Peret
Translation: Luis Gonzaga Fragoso |
For
the first time London will have the opportunity to
see the show Pietá, latest album by Brazilian
singer and composer Milton Nascimento. Touring around
Europe for the fourth time, the show has been given
a warm welcome by both critics and audience in many
parts of the globe. The first show will take place
on 23thApril in Paris, the tour ending on May 15th
in Helsinki. |
|
As its name indicates, the album is a present to the feminine
soul, in honour of all female singers who have inspired
the artist throughout his career. For Milton, Pietá
is Lília, the mother who adopted and brought him
up, to whom he is grateful for everything he is. It was
through her that he started listening on the radio stars
such as Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and
especially Angela Maria.
The
singer has shown his affinity with women for ages: it was
through Elis Regina’s help that he managed to make
his first recording: Canção do Sal, back in
1966. Nearly four decades later, repaying his greatest artistic
sponsor, Milton reveals Maria Rita Mariano – daughter
of the legendary singer with musician César Camargo
Mariano. In Pietá, Maria Rita sings Tristesse, which
was elected the best Brazilian song in Latin Grammy in 2004
and Voa Bicho.
Among the several surprises in the album are two almost
unknown performers. Simone Guimarães sings Beleza
e Canção and Boa Noite; Marina Machado Casa
aberta and Imagem e Semelhança. In 2002, Marina was
also awarded the trophy Pró-Música as the
best singer in Minas Gerais.
International
stars also take part in this album. The track Cantaloupe
Island features Pat Metheny on the solo guitar and
Herbie Hancock on the piano. In Beira-mar Novo, Brazil’s
countryside presents itself with the troupe Ponto
de Partida and with Meninos de Araçuaí,
a beautifully tuned up children’s choir from
project Ser Criança in Vale do Jequitinhonha,
Minas Gerais. This non-governmental organization aims
at reintegrating children and adolescents using culture
as a tool for development. |
Milton Nascimento parents’ house, where he spent
his childhood, in Três Pontas, Minas Gerais.
Photo by Marlene Peret |
In
charge of the arrangements and the conducting of strings
is his old friend and partner Eumir Deodato who, at the
start of Milton’s career, was responsible for releasing
the album Courage in the American market.
Alongside Marina Machado and an extremely competent band,
Milton Nascimento will put up his show Pietá for
London’s audience on 28thApril, at 7 p.m.
Go and see, you can’t miss it !!!
From Minas Gerais to the world
Milton Nascimento was born in Rio de Janeiro but was taken
to Três Pontas, interior of the state of Minas Gerais,
at the age of two. The couple Dona Lília and Seu
Zino then welcomed him. At that age already, he stood on
tiptoe to reach for his mother’s piano. He listened
to Dona Lília’s singing for so long that he
eventually learned how to play his little accordion to accompany
her.
As time went by, Bituca (as his family and friends call
him), became a self-taught musician, who loved playing the
guitar by a wood-burning stove in his house’s backyard.
The nickname Bituca is due to his sulkiness when something
displeased and annoyed him.
Hearing the noise that came out of the locomotive in his
hometown, the little kid started to learn about the real
harmony and simplicity of Minas Gerais, which later would
turn out to be so significant in his music.
As
a person, Milton is also unassuming and makes a point
of maintaining such a characteristic, even if he is
surrounded by so much fame. His peaceful and serene
eyes reveal the purety and clearness of his soul.
Who knows him is aware of it. Milton was still a child
when he loved going up the hills of the town to listen
to his voice echoing through the mountains. Today,
his voice echoes as a sacred mantra from the hills
towards not only the small Três Pontas but around
the world. |
2)
Milton Nascimento official’s fan club. It is
also his father electronic workshop, in Três
Pontas, Minas Gerais.
Photo by Marlene Peret |
Later, along with his friend Wagner Tiso, also from Três
Pontas, Bituca hit the road to play as a crooner in the
interior of Minas Gerais. Afterwards, he moved out to Belo
Horizonte, capital of the state, where he worked as an office
clerk.
In 1967, Milton took part in the II Festival of Songs in
Rio de Janeiro and was placed second with the song Travessia.
Since then, the singer from Minas has become a musician
with no boundaries. He has ever since recorded with Wayne
Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Sarah Vaughan, Peter
Gabriel, Jon Anderson, Pat Metheny and James Taylor.
Milton
usually says: "Minas owes me a lot because I
started to push people into the artistic scene".
And he is right, for if Rio has given us Bossa Nova
and Bahia the Tropicália, Minas provided us
with the mineiro movement called Clube da Esquina.
Along with Fernando Brant, Márcio Borges, Lô
Borges, Beto Guedes and so many others, Milton has
created, from 1972, a series of works of a poetic
and harmonic magnitude which can hardly be repeated
in Minas Gerais. |
Milton
Nascimento’s homage plaque in front of his parents’
house in Três Pontas, Minas Gerais.
Photo by Marlene Peret
|
In
really memorable pieces of work, Milton has brought Brazilian
issues to the foreground. This can be seen in some albums
such as Missa dos Quilombos, which has as a theme the black
person and his religiousness; Txai, which has the indigenous
as a topic; and Tambores de Minas, an extraordinary work
which publicises ‘reisado’, a folkloric festival
from Minas Gerais, in its several forms.
Rewarded in several places in the world, Milton received
his most important trophy with the album Nascimento: the
Grammy under the category World Music, in 1997.
Nowadays,
Nascimento is not only his surname or name of an album, but
also the singer’s new recording lable in partnership
with EMI. The first releases of such label were the double
album Maria Maria/ Último trem and the exquisite DVD
(even if entitled in a surreal way) A sede do peixe [Fish’s
thirst], both released in September 2004.
Next
project by entrepreneur Milton Nascimento will be
Marina Machado’s cd. He is also preparing his
new DVD [due to be released for late 2005, and in
this project Milton goes back to Três Pontas
in a happy encounter with eighteen young artists in
the town. Counting on an especial contribution by
Lenine, the first recordings have already been made.
All we need now is await the results. |
Wagner
Tiso former’s house. Nowadays is the music conservatoire
Heitor Villa-Lobos in Três Pontas, Minas Gerais.
Photo by Marlene Peret |
Paris
- 23 and 24 april
London - 28 april - READ
MORE
Barcelona - 3 may
Porto - 6 may
Coimbra - 7 may
Lisbon - 9 may
Balestrand (NO) - 13 may
Helsinki (FI) - 15 may.
