An extended preview of Telefonica Sonidos written for Time Out Sao Paulo August 2011.
Telefonica Sonidos
The formula for Telefonica Sonidos is simple: match a tried-and-tested Brazilian performer with one from the rest of the Latin world, put them on stage together and see what happens. It was such a success on it’s debut last year that it has returned. The formula remains the same, with the event split across two stages, one focusing on jazz and the other on pop.
It’s the pop stage where many eyes will be fixed but there’s also plenty going on in the jazz section. It starts off with legendary Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, who will be joined by Brazil’s mandolin virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda for the opening night (24/8); next up (25/8) is Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Jaques Morelenbaum, and Omar Sosa, another Cuban pianist; continuing the Cuban theme on Friday (26/8) will be Alex Cuba, a young singer/songwriter already with a Grammy award to his name, and an as-yet-unconfirmed guest; on the final night (27/8) will be Pitingo, a Spanish flamenco singer and the Carioca chanteuse Marina de la Riva, whose own fondness for Cuban rhythms, means you could very appropriately rename this the ‘Cuban’ stage.
Now, onto the pop acts. These are split over just two nights, Friday and Saturday. It is fair to say that this year has thrown up some mouth-watering combinations.
It begins on Friday (26/8, 22h) with the Venezuelan group Los Amigos Invisibles, purveyors of funky pop and jazz, who will be joined by Seu Jorge. Probably the biggest Brazilian name attached to the event, you will know Seu Jorge from his roles in City of God or A Life Aquatic, or simply as one of the most popular samba-soul singers in Brazil.
Marisa Monte is a Brazilian singer, unafraid to take chances, yet always recording songs that the Brazilian people take to their hearts. She is next up on Friday (23h30) with Julieta Venegas, a singer/songwriter from Mexico whose inventive approach to pop music has seen her become one of Latin music’s true crossover gems of recent years.
Rounding off the night (0h30) will be Juan Formell y Los Van Van, one of the most important Cuban groups still active today, and Carlinhos Brown. Recently they collaborated together on the Red Hot + Rio 2 tribute to Brazilian music, a collaboration they will be continuing here.
Saturday has a very different feel. Essentially it’s all about commercial pop and rock. The Mexican soft-rock group Camila (imagine a Latin Backstreet Boys) will be up first at 22h with a TBC collaborator. They will remain on stage later (23h30), where they will be joined by Victor & Leo, one of Brazil’s most popular sertanejo groups, essentially country music – cowboy hats and all – for Brazilians. The most interesting team-up on this final night will be the Argentine rappers Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas’ meeting with Jota Quest (0h30), a Brazilian rock group with Maroon 5-like crossovers into r’n’b music. Neither group takes themselves too seriously, and together they should be able to instil the party atmosphere needed to see out this eclectic, and innovative, festival.