Everything old is new again
Grupo Falso Baiano puts a fresh spin on Brazilian choro
By Bliss 09/18/2008
“Let’s go backwards when forward fails,” flamboyant Broadway and pop artist Peter Allen crooned on his ’70s chestnut “Everything Old is New Again.” He was recalling faded movie stars and Long Island jazz parties, but the song’s “don’t throw the past away” theme applies equally to young bands turning to bygone eras for musical inspiration.
Take, for instance, Grupo Falso Baiano, a youthful Bay Area quartet born of a shared passion for Brazilian choro (pronounced SHOH-roh). While the band has only been making music around the Bay Area for the past five years, choro, which translates as “cry” in Portuguese, dates back at least to the early 20th century. Its initial, radio-spurred popularity peaked after the 1920s and ’30s, until interest mushroomed once again in the late ’70s. With its clarinets, horns, myriad stringed instruments, structured improvisation and innately upbeat sound, choro is rightfully compared to New Orleans jazz. Both are distinguished by an earthy zest, although choro, the precursor to bossa nova and samba, is considerably more uptown. A unique result of the mix of indigenous, African and European cultures in Rio de Janeiro, it’s a globally recognized expression of Brazil’s national identity.
The members of Grupo Falso Baiano — mandolinist Jesse Appelman, percussionist Ami Molinelli, seven-string guitarist Brian Moran and reed player Zack Pitt-Smith — are all American. They’re part of a more recent trend of choro ensembles that have sprung up in hip enclaves from Manhattan to LA. Their new instrumental CD “Viajando: Choro e Jazz,” produced by percussionist Michael Spiro, is an elegant showcase for their 21st-century vision of choro, one undergirded by contributions from Spiro and progressive mandolinist Mike Marshall.
For listeners who connect to music through the sound of the human voice, the absence of vocals may prove wearing. Those who appreciate the voice of individual instruments should savor the harmonic interplay and tasteful arrangements. In and amongst respectful treatments of Brazilian standards by composers such as Jacob do Bandolim and Hermeto Pascoal, sophisticated guitar and mandolin solos, creative introductions and percussive interludes underscore musical connections between choro, classical music, jazz, flamenco, bluegrass, samba and even African tribal drumming.
Pasadena POPS has sponsored previous tours by the band into local schools, but this weekend they’re back to entertain local jazz lovers. Grupo Falso Baiano perform at the jazz brunch at Red White Bluezz, 70 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, then trek over to Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake Ave., Altadena, to play a 3 p.m. matinee; $15. Call (626) 398-7917 for details. www.grupofalsobaiano.com, www.myspace.com/grupofalsobaiano.
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