Musical Heirs

My aesthetic direction is closely connected to Tropicália. I’m not very familiar with the – let’s say – theoretical part of Tropicália; what I do know well are the results. At the time, I thought that result had to do with a Brazilian translation of experiences made by George Martin with the Beatles, a fusion with classical music, and also what I saw in the films of Glauber Rocha. A revelation, a new way to understand Brazil, to understand what we were.

The album “Branco” by Caetano (Caetano Veloso, 1969) has a track, “Acrilírico”, which I consider one of the elements that were responsible for my impulse into composition. That was decisive. The music is spoken, declaimed; it has car sounds mixed with violins. When I heard that, I said: “That I can do.” I had had the same feeling with Béla Bartók and Stravinsky’s records.

What really interested me in Tropicália was the possibility to work popular culture with classical, because I was deeply connected to classical music. I didn’t have that same acquaintance with popular music.

I don’t know, if Tropicália hadn’t happened, which way I would have taken. Fusion is fundamental to me, and the influence I take from them is this trend to mix things.

When I met Caetano, in Nelson Motta’s TV show, in 1981, if I’m not mistaken, I told him that I thought they would do what I had done. I expected they would reach the same conclusions I had. Caetano answered: “No. That is something that belongs to you, that’s something else, that’s something you had to do.”

I felt deeply connected, at first, to Caetano’s and Gil’s early records. I thought at some point things would coincide. With time, I realized that I was very connected to classical music and they had a different “cup of tea”. Those guys are very into song, and I’m not so into song. To me, song is one of many aspects of music.

But Caetano was always interested and sent me many signs that he felt empathy for what I did. He even recorded a composition of mine in 82/83, for the film Janete, by Chico Botelho. In that song, I make references to Tropicália.