By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – From Thursday (May 4th) to Saturday (May 6th), Caixa Cultural do Rio de Janeiro (Cultural Center of Caixa) will host Mostra Cultural Brasil Cuba (Brasil Cuba Cultural Festival), in Centro. The free event brings together Brazilian and Cuban musicians to audiences in Rio to exchange knowledge with open workshops.
On its first day, Mostra Brasil Cuba offers a workshop on Cuban percussion, at 5PM, to inaugurate the event. There, musicians Rodrigo Bueno and Franklin Santos discuss the similarities among Brazilian and Cuban rythyms, like Caranga, Ijexá, Clave and Cascara.
The proximity between the two cultures will also be explored in the concerts. On Friday (May 5th), Cuban singer Pepe Cisneros shares his Afro-Cuban and latin jazz references with Brazilian singer Thai, at 7PM. On Saturday (May 6th), the two artists gather in a musical encounter with Cuban singer Fernando Ferrer and his band.
Nephew of Buena Vista Social Club’s Ibrahim Ferrer, Fernando shared that this project “is an idea I have always wanted to realize, and really wanted to make it happen in Brazil: to mix Cuban and Brazilian music to show people these cultures have a lot in common, that they share the same roots”.
On Friday, Caixa Cultural offers the second and final workshop on Cuban School’s piano. Cisneros, who will run the activity, will bring to the public a historic panorama of the Cuban music, as well as technical knowledge of harmony, improvisation in piano and the use of the piano in diverse music genres.
In order to participate in the workshops, one needs to register, at least one day before the activity, via e-mail:[email protected]. Tickets for the show will be distributed from 6PM, at the ticket office, only two tickets per person are allowed.
After Rio, the project goes to Caixa Cultural Curitiba (in Paraná State).
What: Mostra Cultural Brasil Cuba
When: Thursday May 4th – Saturday May 6th
Where: Caixa Cultural do Rio de Janeiro. Av. Alm. Barroso, 25 – Centro, RJ.
Entrance: FREE