Paulo Moura’s Hepteto and Quarteto

‘Sambajazz’ as ‘Brazilogical popular instrumental improvised music’

Authors

  • Clifford Hill Korman UNIRIO

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jazz.v10i1-2.28347

Keywords:

improvisation, jazz, popular music, Paulo Moura, sambajazz

Abstract

As with American and other well-documented global jazz iterations, the presence of jazz in Brazil may be seen in the context of a story that includes or even initiates from local, regional and national trends in popular and improvised music. This long and complex history seems to require a descriptive label that is more nuanced, and in fact, more based on an equivalency of contribution than the Americo-centric ‘Brazilian jazz’. Through a case study of Paulo Moura’s recordings of 1968–69, this article considers the transmission, appropriation, invention and circulation of musical style and language. Following the work of George E. Lewis and David Ake, the possibility of identifying and defining a particular Brazilian set of approaches to this process is contemplated.

Author Biography

  • Clifford Hill Korman, UNIRIO

    Jazz pianist, composer, educator and researcher, at the time in which this article’s initial drafts were composed Cliff Korman was a faculty member at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, where he helped implement a degree programme in Popular Music Studies. He is currently affiliated with the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). He is music coordinator of the project to digitalize Paulo Moura’s archive. Recordings include Migrations (Planet Arts Recordings, 2005), Mood Ingênuo: Pixinguinha Meets Duke Ellington (Jazzheads, 1999) and Gafiera Dance Brasil (Almonds and Roses Music, 2000) with long-term partner Paulo Moura, and Trains of Thought (Almonds and Roses Music, 2014), a collection of solo piano improvisations. Compositions include Interventions (2010), his work for jazz symphonic orchestra, presented at the Palácio das Artes in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and at the Manhattan School of Music. His research interests lie in improvisation and Brazilian Popular Music Studies.

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Published

2016-07-25

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Korman, C. H. (2016). Paulo Moura’s Hepteto and Quarteto: ‘Sambajazz’ as ‘Brazilogical popular instrumental improvised music’. Jazz Research Journal, 10(1-2), 153-187. https://doi.org/10.1558/jazz.v10i1-2.28347