Mario Adnet: Amazonia: On the Forest Trail

An Ode to Amazonia

The Amazon rainforest has been a center of attention for decades because of its infinite resources and sustainability issues for our planet. It is truly a region of superlative dimensions and significance. With over two million square miles (approximately five and a half million square kilometers) — that’s about half the size of Europe — it is the world’s largest continuous tropical rain forest. Amazonia, as it is known in Brazil, is located in the basin of the Amazon River, which contains one fifth of all the planet’s fresh water. Spanning nine South American nations (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname), sixty percent of its total lies in Brazil. It is no wonder that besides world attention, Amazonia is vital to Brazil and has been the focus in literature, music and arts in general.

Amazonia: On the Forest Trail is Mario Adnet‘s latest album. Released in Brazil in 2012, the album masterfully weaves an ode to the Amazon region, its rain forest, folklore and legends through the works of classical, erudite and popular composers. With both orchestral and vocal numbers,Amazon is an essential CD to music and nature lovers as well. Arranged and directed by Mario, the album excels in the repertoire, arrangements and performances by an array of stellar musicians and singers.

The blueprint for Amazonia focuses on music by composers who were born in the region, such as João Donato, Cláudio Santoro and Waldemar Henrique as well as others who wrote music about Amazonia, including Antônio Carlos Jobim, Dori Caymmi, Guinga and Heitor Villa-Lobos. In a lot of ways, the album is like a continuation of Mario’s 2000 Villa-Lobos Coração Popular. Here, however, he expands the repertoire to include other composers while at the same time making music that pays tribute to everything grand about Amazonia. First and foremost, we have the river itself with “Rio Amazonas” and its thousand tributaries (“Os Rios”). The mythical and famous freshwater dolphin found in the Amazon swims gracefully in “Boto.” Of course folkloric figures are well represented in this particular repertoire with the inclusion of “Saci” (the one-legged black character who smokes a pipe and wears a magical red cap) and “Uirapurú” or Musician Wren (a bird with such beautiful singing that other birds stop their song to hear it sing).

Naturally, Mario Adnet surrounds himself with some of the best in Brazilian music as we have seen in past recordings. Besides featuring a full orchestra, there are several special guests who drop by in what might have been amazing recording sessions. Special appearances by Teco Cardoso (flute), Nailor Proveta (clarinet), Marcos Nimrichter (piano) and Jorge Helder (bass) augment the impressive vocals by Roberta Sá, Vicente Nucci, Mônica Salmaso, Antonia Adnet and Lenine.

Amazonia would not be complete without its extensive liner notes, including beautiful photos, lyrics translations and all personnel. Whichever way you look at this release, it excels in all fronts. Mario Adnet has been consistently releasing excellent work since his first album. Amazonia: On the Forest Trail is yet one more chapter in Mario’s vast collection of memorable recordings!

Please visit Mario Adnet to read more about Amazonia: On the Forest Trail and other amazing music he makes.

ALBUM INFORMATION

Mario Adnet
Amazonia: On the Forest Trail
Adventure Music AM1080 2 (2012)
Time: 49’47”

Tracks:

Trilhas da Floresta (Forest Trails) (Mario Adnet)
Borzeguim (Buckskin) (Antonio Carlos Jobim) – w/ Mônica Salmaso
Os Rios (The Rivers) (Cláudio Nucci – Juca Filho) – w/ Vicente Nucci
A Rã (The Frog) (João Donato – Caetano Veloso) – w/ Antonia Adnet
Boto (Porpoise) (Antonio Carlos Jobim – Jararaca) – w/ Lenine
Rio Amazonas (Amazon River) (Dori Caymmi – Paulo César Pinheiro)
Canoa Canoa (Canoe Canoe) (Nelson Ângelo – Fernando Brant) – w/ Roberta Sá
Prelúdio 17 (Prelude 17) (Cláudio Santoro)
Saci (Guinga – Paulo César Pinheiro) – w/ Vicente Nucci
Uirapurú (Musician Wren) (Waldemar Henrique) – w/ Mônica Salmaso
Amazonas II (Amazon II) (João Donato – Arnaldo Antunes – Péricles Cavalcanti) – w/ Roberta Sá
Saudades das Selvas Brasileiras, 2º Mov. (Missing the Jungles of Brazil, 2nd Mov.) (Heitor Villa-Lobos)