On the phone from Recife, Brazil, soundtrack producer Gui Amabis talked to GGC about Sonantes, the São Paulo based collective that he is a part of, along with Grammy nominated singer Céu, Pupillo and Dengue from mangue beat punk outfit Nação Zumbi, and Rica Amabis, a member of hip-hop collective Instituto. Sonantes’s debut album was recently released on Six Degrees and it also features some collabos with Siba, Lucio Maia, Beto Villares, and Apollo 9. Gui talked about his fascination with music from the past, São Paulo’s creative openness, and making good music with close friends.GGC: The idea for Sonantes began with 3 Na Massa how did things evolve and lead to another collaboration between you, Rica Amabis, Céu, Pupillo, and Dengue?
Gui A: It was Céu’s idea. She wanted to do something different from her personal work,
this was while we were finishing 3 Na Massa, 3 Na Massa wasn’t finished yet. It was like in the end of the process of 3 Na Massa and then I had some songs that I was composing, everybody heard it and liked it and we started like OK, so like we have some songs, so let’s make new ones and try to get a number of songs that we can release on an album. But it was Céu’s idea.
GGC: I’ve spoken to Rica a little bit about this, I’m very interested in what’s going on in São Paulo, in that it seems like there’s a group or a scene of musicians who like to experiment with traditional folk music from Brazil and hip-hop, and electronica, and it just seems like a very eclectic scene.
Gui A: You know what I feel is happening in São Paulo is like what happened in the 60s or 50s around the world when musicians had time to spend with each other, you know, and talk, and drink, and stay together, not even making music, just talking and hearing stuff and hearing what everyone thinks about things and I think that was lost for some time, because of the times, no one has time, everyone has to run, you know, to get to pay the rent, so I think it’s happening again, everyone is like having more time. And I think it’s also because of the crises going on in the world. We don’t have much work [LAUGHING]. We have work but we have more time, you know. I go to Rica’s house and stay there for like the whole day and then Pupillo shows up and Dengue shows up and then we go to Catatau’s place and talk, you know. So it’s like, I don’t know if it’s a scene you know. There’s a lot of different circle of friends, you know.
GGC: So there’s a strong spirit of collaboration.
Gui A: Yeah, yeah, I think people are starting… I don’t know, I sometimes think about that, I think somewhere in the 80s, I don’t know it’s my opinion OK, it’s my opinion…
GGC: Yeah of course…
Gui A: Somewhere in the 80s everyone was like this my style, I want to do my song, you know, and now everyone one is more like let’s do something and it’s more productive because I can start something with Rica and then come here to Recife and do something with Siba…
Gui A: You know what I feel is happening in São Paulo is like what happened in the 60s or 50s around the world when musicians had time to spend with each other, you know, and talk, and drink, and stay together, not even making music, just talking and hearing stuff and hearing what everyone thinks about things and I think that was lost for some time, because of the times, no one has time, everyone has to run, you know, to get to pay the rent, so I think it’s happening again, everyone is like having more time. And I think it’s also because of the crises going on in the world. We don’t have much work [LAUGHING]. We have work but we have more time, you know. I go to Rica’s house and stay there for like the whole day and then Pupillo shows up and Dengue shows up and then we go to Catatau’s place and talk, you know. So it’s like, I don’t know if it’s a scene you know. There’s a lot of different circle of friends, you know.
GGC: So there’s a strong spirit of collaboration.
Gui A: Yeah, yeah, I think people are starting… I don’t know, I sometimes think about that, I think somewhere in the 80s, I don’t know it’s my opinion OK, it’s my opinion…
GGC: Yeah of course…
Gui A: Somewhere in the 80s everyone was like this my style, I want to do my song, you know, and now everyone one is more like let’s do something and it’s more productive because I can start something with Rica and then come here to Recife and do something with Siba…
GGC: But it does seem like a lot of the best music coming out of Brazil right now is concentrated in Sao Paulo. Is that just coincidence?
Gui A: It’s because Sao Paulo is the economic capital and it’s happening in São Paulo but it comes from all of Brazil. Dengue and Pupillo are from here, Recife, Catatau from Cidadao Instigado is from Fortaleza, which is here in the Northeast also. So, it’s happening in Sao Paulo but it comes from the whole country and it gathers there. You know what’s happening I think is, it’s mixing more, you know, because people are going to live there and mixing more things there I think.
GGC: So correct me if I’m wrong, but I kind of compare it to what was going on in Rio in the late 50s and 60s when some of the best interpreters of bossa nova were coming from Bahia but they were all coalescing in Rio. I think it’s interesting that there’s been a shift, because Rio has traditionally been the epicenter for all the great music of Brazil but it seems like now it’s São Paulo and it kind of reflects that fact that we live in a post-modern world and I think São Paulo epitomizes that.
Gui A: It’s because Sao Paulo is the economic capital and it’s happening in São Paulo but it comes from all of Brazil. Dengue and Pupillo are from here, Recife, Catatau from Cidadao Instigado is from Fortaleza, which is here in the Northeast also. So, it’s happening in Sao Paulo but it comes from the whole country and it gathers there. You know what’s happening I think is, it’s mixing more, you know, because people are going to live there and mixing more things there I think.
GGC: So correct me if I’m wrong, but I kind of compare it to what was going on in Rio in the late 50s and 60s when some of the best interpreters of bossa nova were coming from Bahia but they were all coalescing in Rio. I think it’s interesting that there’s been a shift, because Rio has traditionally been the epicenter for all the great music of Brazil but it seems like now it’s São Paulo and it kind of reflects that fact that we live in a post-modern world and I think São Paulo epitomizes that.
Gui A: And I also, I think, in terms of the collective, I think we’re living in a crises and everyone has more time, you know, and everyone is more bothered in the city and I think that putting all of that together, the time we have, the more bothered we are with the city, with the noise, and the more references we have from everyone from the entire country, I think that culminates in what’s happening here.
GGC: And in Sonantes, I’ve listened to the album a lot and I’ve noticed that there’s a
GGC: And in Sonantes, I’ve listened to the album a lot and I’ve noticed that there’s a
confluence, if you will, between this futuristic sound, but also kind of looking to the past and bringing elements of tradition into… you know it’s like a fusion of different times and different styles.
Gui A: I think we like old music. I think it’s the Portuguese side of everyone. I think it’s a very Portuguese album in my opinion, from the Portugal roots.
GGC: You mean from fado and that kind of thing?
Gui A: Yeah, it’s not so directed to the rhythm, you know, it’s more to the feeling, it’s a
Gui A: I think we like old music. I think it’s the Portuguese side of everyone. I think it’s a very Portuguese album in my opinion, from the Portugal roots.
GGC: You mean from fado and that kind of thing?
Gui A: Yeah, it’s not so directed to the rhythm, you know, it’s more to the feeling, it’s a
little bit sad and narrow, it’s not the rhythm, it’s the vibe. We listen to old stuff, you know.
GGC: What were you listening to, what were your influences when you were making this
GGC: What were you listening to, what were your influences when you were making this
album?
Gui A: Oh, I listen to very old things [LAUGING].
GGC: Like?
Gui A: Very old things. Some big bands from Europe from the 30s, Clara Nunes, her first
GGC: Like?
Gui A: Very old things. Some big bands from Europe from the 30s, Clara Nunes, her first
albums, when she wasn’t doing samba; her first albums she does a lot of traditional songs, Brazilian romantic and traditional songs, not samba, and I listen a lot to Siba. Me and Rica, and Dengue, and Céu, we are from Brazil but we grew up in a world in which radio played music from everywhere, so it’s not like ‘Oh I play Brazilian music,’ no I listen to since I was 13, I listen to Bob Marley and then to Fela Kuti and just listened to him and then Joao Gilberto, so I, I’m Brazilian, I have my Brazilian roots but I had everything, you know.
GGC: You were speaking of Siba and he’s actually on the album, he sings “Toque de Coito,”
GGC: You were speaking of Siba and he’s actually on the album, he sings “Toque de Coito,”
how was it that you all decided to invite him to participate?
Gui A: I was working on that track in my studio and the other room, I used to have a room in Catatau’s studio, Catatau from Cidadao Instigado, he has a studio with Caliu – Caliu is a percussionist and a sound engineer from Fortaleza also but he lives in São Paulo – and I rented a room there in their studio and I was working on that track, I was working on the instrumentals and Siba showed up to record with Catatau and he went in the room and he heard the music and he asked ‘What is that?’ and I said ‘Oh this is Sonantes we’re doing an album, I’m working on this track,” and I said ‘We’re looking for someone…,’ I was, I wanted to invite him, you know, but I was like ‘We’re looking for someone to sing this one thing,’ at the moment he said ‘I’ll sing that.’ I said ‘Oh, I don’t believe you can sing it,’ [LAUGHS]. It was occasional, he showed up, I was working on the track and he liked it, and now I’m doing a soundtrack for a play with him. Now he invited me [LAUGHS].”
GGC: There’s a cinematic quality to the Sonantes album, how has you experience in producing soundtracks influenced you?
Gui A: My brother [Rica] works with movies too, Puppilo works with movies too. I do more
Gui A: I was working on that track in my studio and the other room, I used to have a room in Catatau’s studio, Catatau from Cidadao Instigado, he has a studio with Caliu – Caliu is a percussionist and a sound engineer from Fortaleza also but he lives in São Paulo – and I rented a room there in their studio and I was working on that track, I was working on the instrumentals and Siba showed up to record with Catatau and he went in the room and he heard the music and he asked ‘What is that?’ and I said ‘Oh this is Sonantes we’re doing an album, I’m working on this track,” and I said ‘We’re looking for someone…,’ I was, I wanted to invite him, you know, but I was like ‘We’re looking for someone to sing this one thing,’ at the moment he said ‘I’ll sing that.’ I said ‘Oh, I don’t believe you can sing it,’ [LAUGHS]. It was occasional, he showed up, I was working on the track and he liked it, and now I’m doing a soundtrack for a play with him. Now he invited me [LAUGHS].”
GGC: There’s a cinematic quality to the Sonantes album, how has you experience in producing soundtracks influenced you?
Gui A: My brother [Rica] works with movies too, Puppilo works with movies too. I do more
soundtracks; that’s what I do more, I’ve been doing that most of my time. Doing TV series, doing movies... Going back to the conversation, you mentioned there was a shift from Rio to São Paulo and I think what happened in the 60s where people gathered to make music and thought more like in terms of a collective and not as ‘Oh I’m gonna do my work, my career, my thing, and my name,’ I think the record companies maybe did that in the 80s. And it’s happening again, there’s no more, for us, there are no more record companies, we work for ourselves, we take care of ourselves. So I think that for that reason [that era] is coming back, people are starting to… there’s no plan as a career you know.
GGC: I think that lends itself to more creativity, when you’re not being dictated.
Gui A: Sure, we did this [album] because we love each other’s work. Everyone, I love what
GGC: I think that lends itself to more creativity, when you’re not being dictated.
Gui A: Sure, we did this [album] because we love each other’s work. Everyone, I love what
Pupillo does, and what Dengue does, and what Céu does. We all admire each other and Céu admires Rica a lot. We did this in a home studio, only the end of the album, when we recorded the drums, was when we went to the studio, but the creative process was done at home. It’s very loose and I think the album reflects that.
GGC: I really like the track “Quilombo Te Espera.” Zumbi comes up a lot in popular myth in
GGC: I really like the track “Quilombo Te Espera.” Zumbi comes up a lot in popular myth in
Brazil and there are a lot of songs about him and the quilombos, and how he’s tied to capoeira too, and I love how you all take this legend of mythical proportions and you transform it into something new in the song, it has a very futuristic sound, but at the same time there’s a primordial, jungle futuristic thing going on. It’s a really good song.
Gui A: We look a lot to the old stuff, you know. We like everything that is going on also, but we guide ourselves to listen and I especially listen to old music, I try to remember where we came from and where we are.
GGC: There’s a balance between songs that bring in those elements from the past and other songs like “Defenestrando” which is more experimental. Can you talk a little bit about the instruments used in the album?
Gui A: We used a Hammond in a lot of the songs that Pepe Cisneros played. Pepe is Cuban,
Gui A: We look a lot to the old stuff, you know. We like everything that is going on also, but we guide ourselves to listen and I especially listen to old music, I try to remember where we came from and where we are.
GGC: There’s a balance between songs that bring in those elements from the past and other songs like “Defenestrando” which is more experimental. Can you talk a little bit about the instruments used in the album?
Gui A: We used a Hammond in a lot of the songs that Pepe Cisneros played. Pepe is Cuban,
he’s a percussionist, pianist, he plays everything; he’s a multi-instrumentalist [whose credits include Brazilian chanteuse Cibelle, Céu, Sizão Machado]. Pepe is a great friend of mine, we would hang out together everyday before I started working in the studio in recording and production, when I was just hanging out, having fun [LAUGHS]. And he’s a very good friend and partner and he plays the Hammond on a lot of the tracks, which I think is what repeats itself more. We used some synthesizers, and the cork, and some of that stuff. And a lot of pieces from samples from everywhere that we deconstruct and make it sound totally different, not using it in the traditional way like when hip-hop first started and they would just put the loop there and played a beat. We try to cut it.
GGC: Going back to Cuban music, and this has nothing to do with Sonantes but have you
GGC: Going back to Cuban music, and this has nothing to do with Sonantes but have you
heard of a bass player named Yusa? She just did an album produced by a Brazilian producer named Ale Siquiera.
Gui A: Oh, I’ve heard of her.
Gui A: Oh, I’ve heard of her.
GGC: I’ve always found it interesting how there are so many parallels between Cuban and Brazilian culture.
Gui A: I think that Cuba is the most similar place to Brazil.
GGC: I think it’s mostly because of the same African heritage.
Gui A: I think that Cuba is the most similar place to Brazil.
GGC: I think it’s mostly because of the same African heritage.
Gui A: And the mix, because in the rest of Latin America there wasn’t such great a mix of
Africa, and Europe, you don’t see many black people in Argentina, in Bolivia, in Peru. You’re either native or European.
GGC: Well listen thanks so much for taking some time out to chat.
Gui A: I helped you?
GGC: Yes, definitely.
GGC: Well listen thanks so much for taking some time out to chat.
Gui A: I helped you?
GGC: Yes, definitely.
Gui A: But just for you to know, Sonantes is like a… existe um carinho, sabe. We did it because we had these songs and we thought it would be a good album and that we could have fun doing it, and Céu especially was the one who was like let’s do it, let’s do it. And I think everything came out very good and the artwork I think is beautiful from Valentina Trajano and Jorge Du Peixe – Jorge Du Peixe is the lead singer and he writes all the lyrics for Naçao Zumbi – and I think it reflects what the album is.
GGC: The chemistry is palpable.
Gui A: I hope, I hope… I don’t hope anything, but I would be happy if especially North Americans could understand because it’s very Brazilian, some songs only a Brazilian can hear or only someone who really understands Portuguese is going to hear the lyrics and understand and remember their parents, it’s a very Brazilian album.
Gui A: I hope, I hope… I don’t hope anything, but I would be happy if especially North Americans could understand because it’s very Brazilian, some songs only a Brazilian can hear or only someone who really understands Portuguese is going to hear the lyrics and understand and remember their parents, it’s a very Brazilian album.
GGC: It’s nostalgic…
Gui A: That’s from the Portuguese side.
GGC: Tem uma qualidade ancestral, uma coisa assim.
Gui A: It’s from the past, from when there weren’t any records anywhere, and just the radio playing.
GGC: I think it’s an album to listen to sitting around the house, with a group of friends…
Gui A: That’s from the Portuguese side.
GGC: Tem uma qualidade ancestral, uma coisa assim.
Gui A: It’s from the past, from when there weren’t any records anywhere, and just the radio playing.
GGC: I think it’s an album to listen to sitting around the house, with a group of friends…
Gui A: Yeah, and then someone would stop to sing the lyrics, it’s very Brazilian.
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