Flavio Chamis: “Tones of Nature”

MIM:  “All of my work was inspired by the Atlantic Forest”  This statement by bossa nova -founder Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994) summarizes the profound relationship with nature that influenced this seminal force in Brazilian music and its lies in the center of the extraordinary 1994 documentary Vision of Paradise, directed by Oscar nominee Walter Salles.

The “Tones of Nature” program, led by Brazilian composer Flavio Chamis, spotlights Jobim’s ecological opus, featuring Jobim’s works alongside original compositions and excerpts from the film. 

I’m not a huge lover of jazz.  And although this show was samba, jazz’s latin cousin, I still wondered at my wisdom for signing up for the show.  I did, however, enjoy myself.  The beats were catching and danceable, the musicians enjoyed their craft, and there was obviously a love for Brazilian music and culture. 

The second half of the show was dedicated to Jobim and was a beautiful tribute to his music and his love of the rainforests of Brazil.  They showed 2 portions of film that helped tie you to his music and truly understand that area of the world.  The birds, the forest, the coast-line of his homeland is beautiful and worth saving.

Celebrate China: Chengdu Performing Arts Showcase

www.phoenixsistercities.org

This was strange performance:  11 different artists mixing classical instruments, magic, dance, and twangy-Chinese song.  Overall, this was a fun sampling of Chinese musical culture and an interesting evening.

I enjoyed the dancers the most and was highly impressed by the different styles and stories the women were able to portray.  A youth group from Chandler stole the show with their “Impression of the Wa Mountain” – a lively dance with hair and hands and acrobatics.  The Sichuan Opera Face Changing was also impressive; two men were able to almost instantaneously change their masks with a magical and exaggerated aesthetic. 

The singing was my least favorite, a highpitched, twangy Chinese sound without much appeal to my Westernized ears.  The woman were highly regarded and very talented – but they each performed at least one song too long.

I enjoyed the variety of the show while disliking the lack of flow or transitions.  This was a group of individual artists thrown together into one show seemingly at random.  But I enjoyed the exposure to this unique city.