Customer Reviews

Naquele Tempo - Music of the Brazilian Master Pixinguinha

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I have been the house guitarist in a local Brazilian Restaurant for the last three years. I am always looking for more music to inspire my repertoire. Somehow I've managed to overlook Roland Dyens, that is no longer the case! Dyens is an astonishing musician! I was familiar somewhat with Pixinguinha (Pish-in-GUI-nia)from recordings by Marisa Monte (i.e. beautiful cover of Rosa) and American Mandolinist Mike Marshall ( his Duets from Brazil CD and his group Choro Famoso) In the Pixinguinha liner notes: Dyens describes his infatuation with the music of Brazil as a "Love Story". Pixinguinha is described as the "Cole Porter of Brazil", and the "Father of the Choro". Historian Ary Vasconcelos noted it would take more than 15 volumes to cover the whole history of Popular Brazilian Music, but if he had but one word he could write, it would simply be "Pixinguinha". Back to my own musings....The compositions on this CD fully validate everything noted in the liner notes. (assuming the historians are correct, Pixinguinha was the Father of Choro, then) Pixinguinha's music was the creation of a new sound, and he was able to capture and evoke an authentic cultural voice crying out from the heart, "This Is Brazil"!......it is both beautiful, virtuosic, and it evokes a world, place , and time in this world all its own....these compositions and Dyens performance of them brings alive an imagery of a unique and wonderful population that experiences a full range of human emotion, but at their inner core, there appears a feeling of great joy and appreciation for the wonder and playfulness of life. I have a ton of solo guitar recordings...there are many amazing players recording today and many wonderful new compositions out there, but very few have put together a solo guitar CD that is this enjoyable from start to finish. If you buy one solo guitar CD this year, I can't imagine a better choice. I am not from Brazil, I have listened to a lot of music from Brazil and performed with some great musicians from there. To my ear, he has captured the authentic spirit and nature of "choro" which means "a cry" in Portuguese, referring to the lilting and weeping qualities of the solo instrument (again from the liner notes). In summary , yes the compositions are amazing, and the solo guitar arrangements are spot on to my ear. Dyens playing is so good you almost forget that its just one man and guitar....he is an orchestra....because of his effortless playing and thoughtful arrangements you are able to sit back and enjoy the full impact of all these great compositions (and as a guitar enthusiast, another opportunity to marvel at the sounds possible from a little wooden box with six strings, the acoustic guitar!) (Feel free to share any insights regarding music from Brazil with Dave at [...]

Both the arrangements and performances on this album are light years ahead of the status quo in terms of a full and imaginative use of the instrument. This is a most significant album by a major and progressive figure on the guitar scene.

Dyens presents these arrangements with complete respect, perhaps even reverence to their original composer, and brings them to life with a mastery of the guitar that is simply unparalleled. His tone, technique, taste, and subtlety are awe-inspiring, and his arrangements are interesting and listenable all the way through. The sound production on the disc is beautiful as well. Everything about the disc elevates the status of both music and the guitar. Between modern classical, jazz, Latin, and Brazilian music, there doesn't really seem to be any limit to what Dyens can do.

Guitar versions of choros by a great composer who is, sadly, not well known in the US. I enjoyed this CD immensely.

Nothing to say about masters Roland Dyens and Pixinguinha. This CD is a document to posterity as all Dyens works are.

On this gorgeous acoustic guitar album of arrangements for guitar, the guitarist Roland Dyens himself pays tribute to popular Brazilian composer, Pixinguinha, by arranging beautifully and simply for guitar eleven (11) of his popular "bossa nova" sounding compositions such as "Desprezado". "Rosa", "Lamentos" to name a few. Of more importance to me, Roland Dyens plays all of the works on this recording most beautifully and rhythmically making me want to hop the next flight to Brazil. In his notes to the recording, Dynes states that he loves this music and his playing of same shows that he really loves the music, as I do.