Cultural Event 1 - Assad Brothers

The Assad Brothers Brazilian Guitar Festival was an entertaining experience.  To see people with their god giving talent perform with such a passion for music is all inspiring. There was an amazing variety of talent in the room if you call all of it talent I’m not so sure. A roller coaster of feelings from the kind gentle relaxing Assad brothers, who play ever so fluidly with “Contos de Cordel” to the breadth and depth of Celso Machado “Improvisation”.  Feeling like you where inside a jungle with the sweet sound of rain pouring, the whooshing of winds around the room, to monkeys playing together; the festival opened my ears to a whole new sound of music.

Romero Lubambo was the first guest to come out and join the brothers.  It was like old friends jamming like they where just sitting in the living room, just them strumming to the beat.  A great combination of musical hymns and hums. 

Celso Machado is an amazing musician that can use pretty much anything to create music including himself. In the song “Corpo” there was a lot of clapping and slapping, lips popping and humming to the beat inside his soul. In his last solo piece “Fantasia Brasilerira” I have never seen someone cross the top string of the guitar and stretch it down across the other string while he played, it was the most interesting sound from a guitar. A sound that felt very Brazilian.

Badi Assad poured your feelings and emotions to what she played and sang. It was too much passion that I was unprepared for.  She started humming echoing her voice like she was in a valley of rock.  To be able to throw your voice so that it sounds just like an echo, was very impressive.  Making animal sounds with her mouth made me feel like we where in a jungle.

When they all play together it was wonderful with feeling, the music harmonizing with each other beautiful.  Playing and enjoying each other as they shared their passion and feeling. With all the performers passion poured into the music they created. They love what they do and you could see and hear it.