Page 31 - aruba-today-20190709

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 9 July 2019

Brazilian bossa nova pioneer Joao Gilberto dies at 88

By MARCELO SILVA DE SOU- five top jazz singers. An en-
SA tire subsequent generation
Associated Press of Brazilian musicians, in-
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — cluding Gilberto Gil, Chico
Joao Gilberto, a Brazilian Buarque and Caetano Ve-
singer, guitarist and song- loso, are considered his dis-
writer considered one of ciples. Journalist and bossa
the fathers of the bossa nova expert Ruy Castro
nova genre that gained called the death of Gilber-
global popularity in the to a "monumental" loss.
1960s and became an Castro wrote in his book
iconic sound of the South "The Wave that Built in the
American nation, died on Sea" that Gilberto loved
Saturday, his son said. He soccer and was a fan of
was 88. the Fluminense club, whose
Joao Marcelo said his fa- games he liked to watch
ther had been battling with a guitar in his hands.
health issues though no of- "He managed to create
ficial cause of his death in a mystique about him
Rio de Janeiro was given. abroad, being who he was
"His struggle was noble. He and not even speaking
tried to maintain his dignity English," he told the Globo
in the light of losing his inde- television station.
pendence," Marcelo post- In this June 18, 2004 file photo, Brazilian composer Joao Gilberto performs at Carnegie Hall, in The musician had spent his
ed on Facebook. New York. final years wrapped in le-
A fusion of samba and jazz, Associated Press gal troubles, debts and dis-
bossa nova emerged in the hands for the first time. With 1964 album Getz/Gilberto to Rio de Janeiro at a putes with his children. His
late 1950s and gained a his unique playing style and with U.S. saxophonist Stan young age. He was influ- last live performance was
worldwide following in the modern jazz influences, he Getz sold millions of copies. enced by U.S. jazz greats in 2008 and he canceled
1960s, pioneered by Gil- created the beat that de- "It was Joao Gilberto, the and recorded songs in the a commemorative show to
berto and Antonio Carlos fined bossa nova, helping greatest genius of Brazilian United States where he mark his 80th year because
Jobim, who composed the launch the genre with his music, who was the defini- lived for much of the 1960s of health problems.
iconic The Girl From Ipane- song "Bim-Bom." tive influence on my mu- and 1970. With little interest in giving
ma that was performed by By 1961, Gilberto had fin- sic," singer Gal Costa wrote Over his career he won two interviews, he'd become
Gilberto and others. His wife ished the albums that on social media. "He will be Grammy awards and was known as the "reclusive ge-
Astrud Gilberto made her would make bossa nova missed but his legacy is very nominated for six, and the nius" in the streets of Leb-
vocal debut in the song. known around the world: important to Brazil and to U.S. jazz magazine Down- lón, the neighborhood in a
Self-taught, Gilberto said he "Chega de Saudade," the world." Beat in 2009 named him southern part of Rio where
discovered music at age 14 ''Love, A Smile and A Flow- Born in Bahia in northeast- one of the 75 great guitar- he lived but was seldom
when he held a guitar in his er," and "Joao Gilberto." His ern Brazil, Gilberto moved ists in history and one of the seen.q

Grand Ole Opry tours get updated with new immersive film

By KRISTIN M. HALL onto three screens inside of dimension. Brooks and
Associated Press the new Circle Room, Yearwood seem almost
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) which is the first stop for fans like they are standing on
— The backstage of the on the Opry's daily tours. a replica of the circle of
Grand Ole Opry, a radio Country singer Jeannie wood that artists stand in
staple since 1925, is a place Seeley is coming up on her on the real Opry stage.
where you might run into 52nd year as a member of "It struck me how difficult
your favorite country star, the Grand Ole Opry, one it is to represent so many
drop a letter in a singer's of only three living female eras and so many people
mailbox or take a peek artists who have been and cover 94 years," Seeley
inside a dressing room members longer than 50 said. "It struck me how well
where an impromptu jam years. The singer who had they did that."
session is happening. a hit with "Don't Touch Me" The film features archival
Every year, 1 million people in 1966, has seen the radio footage of iconic stars from
come to the Opry House in program, the Opry House Roy Acuff, Loretta Lynn,
Nashville, Tennessee, to see and its tours transform and Johnny Cash and Reba
a performance, or event, or be updated over the years. McEntire, and clips of artists
take one of the backstage "It is so alive. It is so realistic," like Carrie Underwood
tours that allow fans to see said Seeley of the new film. and Darius Rucker being
behind the red curtain "I think the pacing they did surprised with an invitation
on the "show that made creates that excitement." to become Opry members.
country music famous." This June 13, 2019 photo released by the Grand Ole Opry shows The film is projected onto The daytime tour also
And a new feature this the Circle Room, where a new immersive film explains the thousands of reflective features a guided tour
year on those tours is an history of the Grand Ole Opry while showing video clips of over threads that make up throughout the venue,
immersive film that explains 100 different artists on stage. the screens, and the including Studio A where
the history of the unique Associated Press movement of the threads, "Hee Haw" was filmed, the
institution while showing different artists on stage. by Garth Brooks and Trisha as well as the curve of the dressing rooms and the
video clips of over 100 The 14-minute film is hosted Yearwood and is projected screen creates a sense stage.q