Fernando Andrade’s debut film is much more than a music documentary, this behind the scenes glimpse of global superstar Caetano Veloso is also a revealing exploration of personal identity through music, as we accompany the singer to São Paulo, New York, and Japan, to launch his first all-English album.

Even performances at Carnegie Hall, positive reviews by the New York Times and admiring comments by friends such as Pedro Almodóvar and Michelangelo Antonioni, model Giselle Bündchen and singer David Byrne aren’t enough to make Caetano feel entirely at ease outside Brazil.

Brazil 2008 Dir. Fernando Grostein Andrade 60 min.
With English subtitles

A visually stunning interpretation of Shakespeare’s history plays, it combines theatre, music, circus, aerial skills and striking imagery to create an innovative retelling of Shakespeare’s most famous stories.

Performed in Portuguese with English surtitles

The Courtyard Theatre (RSC), Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6BB

Information and box office:

0844 482 8008

Carmen Souza performs Song for my father at WMDC Rotterdam

“Deolinda are giving Portugal’s signature sound a welcome dose of wit and energy”

The Sunday Times

“Next time Deolinda visit our shores, I sincerely hope a few more of Mariza’s sizeable UK audience check them out. They really do deserve your patronage”

Howard Male, the Arts Desk

Friday 27th April, 7pm, £17.50 adv + bf Deolinda Union Chapel Compton Avenue, N1 2XD

for more info:

facebook.com/events/207348479348576

SeeTickets: seetickets.com/Event/DEOLINDA/Union-Chapel/611230

It is a fantastic, magic realist novel about the aftermath of a 15 year civil war, set in a town named Tizangara in Mozambique. It is written by Mia Couto, who is considered to be an extremely important Mozambican writer that has become acclaimed worldwide. This surreal narrative takes us to this town where United Nation peacekeepers keep dying mysterious and supernatural deaths where only their phalluses remain. We follow Massimo Risi, an Italian UN Officer who is given the task of trying to solve this bewildering mystery. The novel is witty as well as confronting many serious political issues. It represents a society lost in translation where the people remain confused about their identity. This novel is definitely worth a read.

Mia Couto became internationally renowned for this novel as it so successfully combined modern literature with traditional beliefs and the current political situation. Most of his work mirrors this structure and that is what makes it so unique and exciting to read.

What else has Mia Couto written?

The first novel that Couto got published was Sleep-Walking Land (Terra Sonâmbula 1992). The novel follows a series of tales and the way in which each one has affected someone. A young boy and an older man find a bus filled with corpses. They find some notebooks that tell of a person’s journey and the way in which he dealt with a war-ravaged land. This book was voted in the top 12 of the 2002 Africa’s 100 Best Books of the 20^th Century.

All of Couto’s work seems to be written using magic realism, which gives his work a poetic tone. His writing seems to offer the reader an escape from the harsh reality of a devastated land and allow them to understand these brutal conditions through a nightmarish beautiful dream.

How did he begin writing?

Couto began writing at a young age and was by the age of 14 published in his local paper, Notícas da Beira. Couto lived through the civil war, which is why his books perhaps reflect the traumas that he, no doubt, encountered in his lifetime.

Strangely enough, Couto studied medicine at University, until he was offered a job as a journalist in 1975. He worked for the Tribuna which was run by a political movement known as FRELIMO, which was against the Portuguese colonial rule in Mozambique. After Mozambique’s independence, Couto became the director of AIM, the news agency, and ran many of the newspapers.

He published his first book of poems, Root of Dew (Raiz de Orvalho), in 1983. The texts in this book portrayed negative views on the dominance of the colonial rule. Already, Couto was showing his unique style by capturing the everyday lives of people in Mozambique through integrating traditional elements with his prose.

However, he resumed his studies and completed a degree in Biology in 1985, which is where his work takes him today.

What does he do today?

Today, Couto works as an environmental biologist at the Transfronteir Park in Limpopo, which is as different to literature as rock is to water. He manages to combine the concrete facts and reality with the abstract realism he writes.  In 2007 Couto won the prestigious Latin Union Award of Romantic Languages, which has never been achieved by an African Author to date. He is one of the richest authors in Africa and he believes that it is his moral obligation to his fellow Mozambican residents to keep writing and tell their story.

Words by Shirley Welton

Alice Braga has appeared in several films, including as Angélica in 2002 in the much- admired film Cidade de Deus (City of God). In 2007 she appeared  alongside Will Smith in her  first US blockbuster, I Am Legend.

Her first introduction into acting was through her mother and aunt who were both actresses. “  My mother has been my biggest influence ” she explains. “ She was a brilliant actress herself. My aunt is lovely and we’re all very proud of her, but my mother has been my mentor.” The  young Alice would accompany her mother to film sets absorbing all the wonders of the world of acting. She herself later  embarked in her own career appearing in school plays and a few adverts.

In 2002 she received her first big break when she was cast a role for the film City of God. She landed the role of Angéllica  for which she received a Best Supporting Actress nomination from the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize. This film also marked her artistically and was the perfect platform for her to further develop her craft as an actress.

In 2006 Alice made her debut in an English speaking role in the film Journey to the End of Night. The film directed by Eason set in a dark and decadent area of her native town Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is a tale of a son and his father separately plotting to escape the desolation of their lives in the lurid underworld of Brazil’s sex industry. The film premiered at the 5th Annual  Tribeca Film Festival.  Brendan Fraser, Mos Def, and  Catalina Sandino Moreno also starred in the film.

Then in 2007 Braga landed a role in the US Blockbuster I am Legend and also same year she was cast the role of an immigrant in the film Crossing Over. The independent drama highlighted  the struggle that illegal immigrants face trying to achieve legal status. Crossing Over was written and directed by  Wayne Kramer, himself an immigrant from South Africa in Los Angeles. Again Braga got the opportunity to work with well-established actors including Ashley Judd and Harrison Ford.

Alice then went on to challenge herself as an actress exploring different genres  acting with Chiwetel Ejiofor in David Mamet’s Redbelt and starred with Jude Law and Forest Whitaker in the futuristic Repossession Mambo.

More recently Braga landed a role in the film On the Road (French: Sur la route) a 2012 English-language Brazilian-French-UK-US co-production film adventure/drama film adaptation of the  Jack Keraouc novel of the same name directed by  Walter Salles  and starring Sam Riley  as  Sal Paradise and  Garrett Hedlund as Dean Moriarty.

With all these rich experiences already under her belt at the age of 29 the future appears to bright for this young versatile actress.

Words by India Blair

GAC’s artist of the month Curumin performs GUERREIRO

Are you the type to relax and sway to a bit of jazz? Or would you prefer  louder and upbeat vibes? Well, here’s the man that can provide all that.

Luciano Nakata Albuquerque (aka Curumin), 35, is a Brazilian artist who experiments with sound and rhythm.

He stands out musically as does not restrict himself to one single genre. His style is sometimes called “samba-funk”, which incorporates elements of jazz, bossa nova, as well as hip hop. He interprets his own brand of music and combines his sounds with his cultural background. He fuses different genres so he appeals to many audiences. To put it more simply he makes music for the mellow yellows and for the party animals!

Most of his music is sung in Portuguese mainly as he’s in touch with the rich Brazilian heritage of Musica Popular Brasileira. Yet his music is so original that he’s well-known for his variety of sounds. He’s performed alongside the jazz hero Herbie Hancock. He has made hip hop remixes for night clubs, bars and big venues. This diversity of music has made an impact in various countries around the globe, including the U S and Japan (where he also interestingly has roots). In 2009, Curumin made his biggest performance to date in New York. Branded mainly as “samba-soul-hip-hop” by music critics, Curumin made sure to keep the audience entertained from the first moment he stepped onto the stage. From behind the drums, he sang songs from his debut album, Achados E Perdidos (Portuguese for lost and found) and the more recent album JapanPopShow, released in 2008. He performed “Samba Japa”, “Magrela Fever”, and “Compato” which showcased his samba funk. Curumin’s performance took people by surprise. Each song representing a different genre, the audience danced and sang along. Graciously he saluted and thanked the crowd for engaging so vibrantly with his music. People who saw him perform live said; “his music was inspirational and moving”. It has also been said by his fans that when you hear his music “his vibes give off positive energy”. Curumin himself says; “ [when I perform]I want people to feel my music, not just have it in their heads”.

His music also resonates with younger audiences as one of his songs ‘Magrela Fever’ from his album: ‘Japanpopshow’ was used in one of the most popular football computer games Fifa.

Curumin as well as being a multi-talented musician, he is also an activist. He at times uses his music as a platform to address issues such as political corruption in Brazil. He has also supported AIDS campaigns. His music has been used to raise AIDS awareness in young people. He has contributed the song “Ela (Ticklah Remix)” to the Red Hot Organisation’s most recent charitable album “Red Hot+Rio 2.” The album was a follow-up to the 1996 “Red Hot + Rio.” This was a great tool to reach the masses as Curumin’s music is diverse and positive with a universal appeal. Consequently the message of AIDS awareness could be easily spread and make a positive change in so many peoples’ lives.

Curumin is certainly an artist to get excited about. We can’t get enough of him here at GAC. Sample his music for yourself.

He’s currently touring England and Brazil with Grammy nominated Brazilian singer Céu.

For more on his tour and more on his music check out

http://www.myspace.com/curumin

For more on Red Hot Rio 2 see below

http://www.redhot.org/music/

Also check out his top 5 Brazilian artists to look out for.

Words by Khadiee Afflick

However, in reality fado is simply a form of song which can be about anything, “but must follow a certain structure.” Not entirely clear, I think you’ll agree, and no real mention of what this structure is… Reading about the genre, I discovered that fado is a deeply traditional genre, where the singer sings in a dark corner of a restaurant to cognoscenti audiences while they drink and smoke. Interestingly UNESCO recently added fado the Intangible Heritage list.

Opening for Ana Moura was Lucas Santtana, a Brazilian songwriter whose thirty minute set I really enjoyed. Styled as “half Thom Yorke half Tom Zé”, Santtana’s music, it seemed, did not belong to the genre of fado, much to the disgruntlement of the Portuguese expats behind me. Nonetheless he delivered a great performance of his mixture of Brazilian guitar music, dub reggae, and rock and roll. Santtana is very much an endearing and charismatic performer, this was his first gig in London and he’s going to do well. His music is accessible to an English audience, with thematic references to hip hop and alternative rock but without losing its fundamentally traditional roots – contemporary but classical.

Then, after a half hour break, Ana Moura took to the stage to a jubilant audience. The first thing the reviews of her mention is the obvious one – her voice. And it really is unbelievable. Her voice shook the auditorium and her backing musicians, great as they were, allowed her to take the spotlight.

Ana Moura tries to play fado music for a more contemporary audience, moving away from the traditional exclusivity of the genre. Her performance of “No expectations” by the Rolling Stones demonstrates her desire to bring fado to an audience more acquainted and more inclined, towards British rock and roll than traditional Portuguese music. Surprisingly, it does work, the music did still move me, for a while and was well received by the audience. Song after song was greeted with thunderous clapping and cheering from everyone.

However, I was not, unfortunately, wholly converted. While the music of Lucas Santtana was exhilarating and interesting, Moura’s attempt to bring fado to a more contemporary, unaquainted audience might fall a little flat. Perhaps owing to the language barrier – fado’s emphasis on narrative would suggest that without understanding the lyrics, the music ultimately becomes a little dull. Although Moura’s voice is wonderful, but the songs and well as the rehashed story lines sounded the same (explained to us non-Portuguese speakers in the intervals between songs). The instrumentation did not stand alone by itself – its purpose was to compliment the singer – an understanding of Portuguese, and the cultural legacy of fado was imperative to properly appreciating the music.

My point of view may come across as being anglocentric, as I was not familar the cultural legacy of the music, nor did I understand the lyrics. Yet, I did enjoy Lucas Santtana and his Brazilian music, despite the fact his lyrics were in Portuguese. The main difference is that Santtana’s music, whilst still rooted in his traditional influences, works by itself – an understanding of the genre is not crucial to appreciate it. However with Ana Moura and new fado it is necessary to understand the lyrics for her music to resonate. Nevertheless have a listen for yourself, you might fall in love with her haunting vocals and the beautiful instrumentation, or you might, like me, feel you were missing out.

Words by Oliver Hotham