Quadras

Quadras are verses sung in the Roda ("circle") of Capoeira. The music/tempo/feeling of which inspires the men playing the "joga" to do different moves.
Ivan Lins has a piece called "Quadras de Roda"... short verses, strung into one, making a piece.
Ivan Lins has had a tremendous influence for me this past 6 months.
In composing, that influence manifested in small musical/melodic "verses," which were thematically related. This was my loose interpretation of the "Quadras de Roda."
They can be played as a piece, or split--as invidual Quadras which tell individual stories.
For the Nonet, as is our custom, they will be springboards for open improvisation, programmed as interludes between other pieces on our upcoming CD, but which can also be played as their own separate playlist on one's CD player or Ipod, making one complete composition.

So I disappear into the Score. All but the most immediate relationships fade into a background tapestry. I know it's there, but somehow can't reach it. Bottom line is to compose and create. I'm sorry. Really. I can't come out of that spell.

We record directly after my vacation in Brasil. Two days of rehearsal, two nights (January 13 and 14) at Steamers, and three days in the studio will yield a great deal of music. We still have not recorded "Tokyo Wednesday" or the Cerritos-commissioned works such as "Hymn" or "Power of Nine". There is the Chico Buarque piece "Desalento" and possibly "O Que Sera Que Sera".... Something by Milton Nascimento FOR SURE, perhaps Ponta de Areia, or Lo Borges' "Ruas de Cidade." And at least two very special guests. Joe Harley will keep us focused, and he and Michael C. Ross will guarantee a beautiful sound.

Finishing the scores for the Quadras by next weekend, on to the other charts to be completed by Christmas... at least five new pieces to be introduced to the band before recording. Bringing some kind of sound recording capability to record friends, sounds, women, children, in Brasil.... all to be included.