Sketches Of Brazil

PROJECT   HIGHLIGHTS
Composer/pianist Robert Irving III conducted the debut performance of the “Sonic Portraits Orchestra” in the world premiere of  “Sketches of Brazil to record crowd of 12,500 people receiving several standing ovations. The piece is his orchestral homage to his mentors, Miles Davis and Gil Evans, on the 50th anniversary of the recording of the pair’s classic, “Sketches of Spain.”  The performance on the Jay Pritzker Pavilion stage at Millennium Park, in Chicago on Thursday August 13, 2009 featured trumpeter Wallace Roney as the principal soloist, and classical guitarist Fareed Haque as special guest, along with Brazilian percussionists Dede Sampaio and Felipe Fraga along with Miles Evans on trumpet in the orchestra (son of Gil Evans) in a blend of 33 classical and jazz musicians conducted by Irving at times from the piano. The Jazz Institute of Chicago sponsored a Symposium prior to the event with special guests from the families of Miles Davis and Gil Evans.  Famed Chicago Tribune Critic Howard Reich said of Irving’s work, “Extraordinarily ambitious… a tour de force of orchestral writing.”

HEITOR   VILLA  LOBOS- 50th  ANNIVERSARY
The performance opened with Irving’s Assobio a Jato by Brazilian composer, Heitor Villa Lobos. 2009 also marks the 50th anniversary of the passing of Villa Lobos.  The concert included three of Irving’s own compositions including “Carnaval do Pão de Açúcar,” which celebrates Brazil’s carnival tradition, established in 1641, and “Canção para a Amazônia,” as inspired by the work of Brazilian painter, Totonho, whose painting, “Sonhando com Reform Agraria” (Dreaming of an Agricultural Reform) is featured on the Sketches of Brazil website.  Irving explains,  “Brazilian music was developed via African and European influences.  It possesses a uniquely subtle blend of euro-centric  sophistication  seamlessly juxtaposed with moving Afro-centric rhythmic undercurrents. I have sought to develop compositions that likewise, unite these seemingly divergent roots.”

HISTORY OF MENTORSHIPS
During his lengthy collaboration with Miles Davis (from 1979 through 1988), Irving was also mentored by composer/arranger Gil Evans.  He recalls, “At the request of Miles, Gil discussed his scores with me at length and often invited me to sit in on piano with his orchestra on Tuesday nights at Sweet Basil’s in New York.”  At one of their study sessions, Gil told Miles, “Bobby (Irving) improvises like an arranger… his ideas seem to be naturally framed into an intelligent arrangement concept.”  Irving observes, “I guess Gil recognized this in me because it was also true of himself as a pianist/arranger.” Wallace Roney, the only trumpet player to be mentored by Davis, also had significant interaction with Evans, whom he refers to as “The Salvador Dali of orchestral music… a logical extension of Duke Ellington.” Irving and Roney have recorded four projects together, the most recent being the self-titled Miles alum project with Indian musicians, “Miles From India,” which received a 2009 Grammy Award nomination for “best contemporary jazz album”.

 

“SKETCHES” GENEALOGY
“Sketches of Spain” is the seminal orchestral creation by Miles Davis and arranger/composer Gil Evans.  It was recorded between November 1959 and March 1960. Featuring compositions largely derived from the Spanish folk tradition, the piece is widely considered one of the most accessible albums of Davis’s career.  In 2003, the album was ranked number 356 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.  “Quiet Nights,” recorded in 1962 and 1963 by Miles Davis and Gil Evans, was obviously Columbia Records’ intended sequel to Sketch of Spain. “The fact that this album was not entitled “Sketches of Brazil” perhaps conveyed Miles’ own sentiments,” Irving states.  As Davis considered it to be an unfinished project, the subsequent release of “Quiet Nights” against Davis’ wishes brought recrimination to producer Teo Macero.  Ironically, Davis selected Robert Irving III to replace Macero as producer for Davis’ last two Columbia albums, “Decoy” and “You’re Under Arrest,” which garnered a Jazz Beat Magazine, Jazz Album of the Year Award and a Grammy Nomination respectively.

COMPOSITIONAL APPROACHES
Sketches of Spain consisted of Gil Evans’ interpretation and extension of orchestral compositions by Joaquín Rodrigo and Manuel de Falla, who are considered to be pinnacles of Spanish classical music.  Irving, in parallel, has referenced the works of Brazilian composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959), who is possibly the best-known South American classical composer  (2009 marks the 50th anniversary of his death).  Villa-Lobos’ orchestral, chamber, instrumental and vocal works were influenced by both Brazilian folk music and by stylistic elements from the European classical tradition.

“After researching the works of many Brazilian orchestral composers, I found that the compositions of Villa Lobos truly spoke to my sense of aesthetics,” says Irving.  He explains, “His understatement of complex harmonics in the subtle coloring of his melodic inventiveness is profound. Dedication to the incorporation of Brazilian traditions including ‘street music’ earned him much respect among his peers.”

Irving has sought to mirror the basic orchestration blueprint left by Gil Evans on Sketches of Spain with utilization of almost identical instrumentation with the exception of added strings.  “Also, guitar replaces the harp to bring more of that quintessential Brazilian flavor to the pallet,” comments Irving.  He notes, “In addition to the works of Rodrigo and de Falla, Gil’s three original compositions on Sketches were inspired by thematic fibers from the Spanish folk forms, saeta and the solea. I have likewise endeavored to create original pieces that provide thematic balance, contrast and continuity between the selected Villa-Lobos pieces by honoring the rich music traditions of Brazil.  I believe this, coupled with the interpretative sensitivity of Wallace Roney (the only trumpeter mentored by Miles), and the artistic depth and multi-genre virtuosity of guitarist Fareed Haque, make for a highly integral homage to Miles, Gil and Villa Lobos.”

ORIGINAL WORKS
Of his own original compositions within Sketches of Brazil, Irving offers, “my compositions are inspired by a wide divergence of traditional and contemporary Brazilian cultural, folk and musical influences; nevertheless, practically every note of my four compositions were written verbatim from what I first heard in my inner-ear, or that I spontaneously improvised after immersing myself in various Brazilian themes.  Composing, for me, flows like water, but I sometimes toil with the esthetic and technical demands and considerations of orchestration. My intense focus on detail sometimes makes me feel as if I’m meticulously excavating a treasure.  The reward, however, is having the work performed by great musicians who, invariably, add layers of unimaginable depth and dimension to the notes on paper.”

 

EXPERIENCES IN BRAZIL
Robert Irving III’s love affair with Brazilian music began with his first trip to Brazil as musical director, arranger and keyboardist with the Miles Davis band of 1986.  “We spent the entire first week off in Rio de Janeiro, and had the opportunity to witness a samba school performance as well as chance to absorb the rich musical culture in local clubs,” recalls Irving.  The rhythm of samba and the harmonic complexity of bossa nova have continued to inform Irving’s work.  In 1989, he composed “Mademoiselle Mandarin,” a concerto for Harp and chamber orchestra for Markus Klinko and the Miami Chamber Symphony Orchestra utilizing elements of bossa nova.  In 2006, Irving returned to Brazil to tour as pianist with the Wallace Roney Sextet.  The following year, “Havilah” and “Fire Flower” on Irving’s critically acclaimed 2007 trio release, “New Momentum,” also display the depth of his Brazilian influences.

FEATURED ARTISTS
Fareed Haque’s career spans jazz and classical guitar with equal virtuosity.  He has performed all of the major guitar concertos, and is an active transcriber of baroque as well as South American music.  He and Irving have recorded and toured together with the group Juba Collective. Irving and trumpeter Wallace Roney have had a long working relationship in various groups led by each.  The two have recorded four projects together: “Forever Miles,” two Wallace Roney CDs, “Village” and “Jazz,” and more recently, the Miles alum group project, “Miles From India.” Brazilian percussionist Dede Sampaio is also Miles Davis Band alum, having performed with the group at the University of Chicago in 1987, where he was featured with an impromptu solo on the Brazilian Surdo drum to Davis’ delight. Irving and Sampaio have recorded and performed together since 1988.