by Grant Eads
From pop to bossa nova to samba to reggae, Brazilian to American to World, the personal musical tastes of Brazilians span across a wide range of genres and artists. Students at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) are of no exception.
Bossa Nova legend João Gilberto
Every Wednesday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. with the assistance of the Pró-Reitoria de Cultura and Extensão (PRCE) Departamento Artístico Cultural, UFSC students create a social community bound together by a common interest in leisure and music called Projeto 12:30.
Projeto 12:30 showcases student-created music, poetry and literature; and as bragging rights, is completely student-organized and operated.
MUSIC AND SUNSHINE
On Wednesday, 21 June, a Lynard Skynard-esque trio known as the Renzi Brothers. rocked the afternoon crowd with original classic rock tunes sung in Portuguese. Students interested in the scene can take a break in between classes to eat lunch, bargain with the local vendors selling handmade jewelry, or simply enjoy the music and sunshine.
Although a satisfied “sellout crowd” is not always guaranteed and the audience will let the artists know their feelings with a sense of disinterest which resonates through the dwindling crowd.
Fabiano Bulara, a third period student of engineering, enjoys gathering on Wednesday afternoons to catch the local music and the girls.
“Sometimes the bands or performances are no good, so I must leave, but today is one of the better days”, Bulara said during the Renzi Brothers set.
ECLECTIC STYLES
Much of the popular music among UFSC students tends to be classic, indie, and contemporary music from artists in the United States and Europe, which is also reflected during Projeto 12:30.
Contemporary Brazilian musician Seu Jorge
During a recent afternoon at Projeto 12:30, acoustic covers of songs like Blondie’s Heart of Glass and Madonna’s Material Girl, sang in english, graced the crowd with a mixed reaction.
“We cannot understand what she’s saying so the music means nothing,” UFSC student Gabriela Ceravolo said.
Around the university, one can expect to find an interesting mix of Brazilian and American music at the local bars and clubs.
UFSC students and Floripa locals alike put their own twist on imported American music by adding a level of sensuality rarely seen in the United States, whether singing in English or Portuguese.
BOSSA NOVA
While much of the musical exchange between the United States and Brazil appears to be one-sided operation, a few Brazilian artists have managed to float to the surface of American mainstream accessibility over the years including the likes of João Gilberto, Seu Jorge, and Los Hermanos, as well as Antonio Carlos Jobim, whose rise in American popularity came with Frank Sinatra’s English version of The Girl from Ipanema in the 1950’s.
Florianópolis local Marco Batista exclaims during a conversation that João Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim are both classics in Portuguese Brazilian music.
Additional Information about Projecto 12:30 can be found at UFSC Pró-Reitoria de Cultura and Extensão (PRCE) Departamento Artistico Cultural. Projecto 12:30 acts are scheduled every Wednesday (excluding holidays).
For more information:
Seu Jorge's site: http://www.seujorge.com/
João Gilberto: http://www.joaogilberto.org/
Seu Jorge's record review:
http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/18977/Seu_Jorge_CRU
UFSC Art and Culture Department:
http://www.prce.ufsc.br/