Música e vida

There are two things that I seek for when traveling: music and reminiscence.

As matter of fact, there are several clichés when traveling, mine is music. For example, if I had the opportunity to visit Paris I wish I could walk by the Tour Eiffel holding hands while listening La vie en rose from Edith Piaf.

My music story begins in Brazil a year ago. Since then I cannot forget the day when my cliché came true in a city where the language flows in rhythm with the sea. With this in mind, when I arrived to Rio de Janeiro, my purpose was to enjoy music in all kinds of forms and from every kind of source and place.

We take the subway on a Sunday morning to Ipanema’s beach. First thing to remember, I was sitting next to the sea in this indescribable place, but also I was watching the sunset in a little beach pub drinking a beer and eating some pizza. Unexpectedly a guy passed by and a warm and well-known guitar tone start trembling in my ears. I was so excited and fascinated with this musician who without even knowing was fulfilling my dream: to listen bossa nova while watching the sunset in Ipanema.

He began playing a song I just adore: Ipanema’s girl from Caetano Veloso. I know each word of that song, each key, each feeling and each memory. It was my father-daughter song. I used to play it on the piano at home while my father sang it to me. Since he died five years ago, the way I use to connect with him is by playing piano, hearing music, and trying to find the soundtrack of life in every step I take. I was, screaming in the inside with happiness from having found in music the only connection to heaven. It was so simple and so intimate at the same time. It was my own cliché, it was my travel cliché, finding music, discovering culture in every beat.

Furthermore that day I went to a restaurant with full live music performance called Rio Scenarium. It’s a traditional place near downtown in Rio de Janeiro, located in a rustic street where you can eat the most exquisite food and listen to the best without doubt bossa nova and samba music group, Artigo Esgotado. Picture this, a glass of caipirinha, a plate full of colors and flavors that in your mouth become one synesthetic experience because at same time you are listening to Mais qui nada from Sergio Mendez,

I couldn’t ask for more. Beyond every place I have visited, I found in Brazil’s music, the answer to every fear, the reason to write. In other words the reason to remember.