I was a little aware of Brazilian music before, but I really never got into it for various reasons: there’s so much out there, it seems so complicated, there are language differences, and I didn’t know where to start exactly. So one effect of seeing your show for me was I thought, wow, this Baden Powell stuff is fantastic. So now I feel like I have a good starting place to go off and explore Brazilian music.
That’s awesome. I’m very glad to hear that, because that’s what I wish we can carry off.
That’s a great thing. Because I see a lot of young kids saying, oh, I’ve never heard this kind of music, you know, and they look so happy, and it is very different from what maybe they’re listening to, but I think, I really feel that every time I see that kind smile I feel oh, that’s awesome, it’s really worth it that we came here.
Is one of your goals to open up Brazilian music to new audiences?
Yes. That will be great. There are so many great song writers and songs in Brazil that people would probably love if they heard them.
What other music should we be listening to that we may not know about?
There is so much great music from all over the world. I don't know what to start with . . . For Brazilian music, I love Hermeto Pascoal, Edu Lobo, Gilberto Gil, Carlos Lyra, Nara Leao, Elis Regina and more and more . . . so many . . .
Are you getting any attention from more traditional Brazilian music audiences? How is this different from other audiences (who may be coming to you because of your work in Cibo Matto, Beck, etc.)?
I think what we are doing is not a traditional style of Brazilian music. It's more like a dragon roll: it's not traditional sushi, but I like it because it's yummy. I love the casualness and creativity of it. That's something Smokey and Miho has as well. Of course, it's great to know the traditional styles as well. I think our audiences are open-minded for what we are doing.
When I mentioned to people that I had seen your show, several asked what your "take" was on Brazilian music, as if they expected you to send it all through some kind of post-modern pop music processor. They're surprised when I tell them how straight you played it. Do you think what you are doing is unique in the context of current pop music culture?
For me, there aren't borders between Brazilian music and pop music. I love pop music too. But the pop music I am talking about and the pop music you are thinking could be different. It's the same as people from different religions talking about God or The Gods. The definitions of music genres exist in order for us to communicate, but I don't have those borders – and I don't want to have them -- when I'm creating something. People made too many borders in this planet and I think I want to be a person to erase them with music.
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