In celebration of the 203rd anniversary of Brazil’s independence, the Consulate General of the Federative Republic of Brazil in Chengdu and the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality hosted the Concert of the Brazilian Artist Ricardo Vogt as Part of the Celebration of Brazilian Day on the evening of September 2 at the Chamber Music Hall of Chengdu City Concert Hall, where Brazilian guitar virtuoso Ricardo Vogt, a three-time Grammy Awards winner, fused the vibrant passion of Brazil with the warm-hearted nature of Chengdu through his masterful guitar performance.

 

 

Ricardo Vogt, a jazz guitarist graduated from Berklee College of Music, has developed a unique fingerstyle technique by skillfully integrating authentic Brazilian dance music with jazz harmonies. Having residing in New York for ten years, he currently lives in Guangdong Province, China. He has participated multiple times in jazz star Esperanza Spalding’s world tours and composed the soundtrack for the animated movie Rio 2.

 

 

At the concert, the encounter between the enthusiastic “Celebration of Brazilian Day” and the vibrant Chengdu daily life rich with everyday hustle and bustle provided a poetic platform for cultural exchanges between China and Brazil in Chengdu. With his masterful guitar skills, Ricardo Vogt showcased his music excellence across various styles: The rhythm in his rendition of Samba de Uma Nota Só (“One Note Samba”) echoed the lively carnival beats in Rio de Janeiro; the essence of Brazilian bossa nova was vividly captured in Garota de Ipanema (“The Girl from Ipanema”); in Águas de Março (“Waters of March”), his guitar slides, as gentle as drizzle tapping on the window, told a poetic tale of Brazil’s rainy season.

 

 

Additionally, Ricardo Vogt captivated the audience with his renditions of several Chinese songs. As he sang and played Li Bai in fluent Chinese, the audience erupted in delighted cheers. The Hong Kong-style classic Hold on to My Dream resonated deeply with the audience, who spontaneously sang along in a relaxing and joyful atmosphere. When the melody of Chengdu echoed through the hall, he depicted an endearing picture of the city’s tender night with his exquisite tones; the lively rhythm of Brazilian jazz and the mild nature of the Land of Abundance merged with each other, as the audience sang along in a sea of swaying phone lights. At the end of the concert, Ricardo Vogt concluded this wonderful evening with the famous Brazilian song Mas Que Nada (“No Way”), prompting rounds of applause from the audience.

 

 

Through music, the concert fused the passion of Brazil’s samba with the affectionate spirit of Chengdu. It showcased Chengdu’s aspiration to embrace the world with open arms and imprinted a unique mark of Brazilian culture on the Land of Abundance, leaving a vivid testament to cultural exchanges between China and Brazil.

 

Edited by Zhang Yuanlin

Source:Chengdu Discovery