Reading · Jovino Santos Neto - Writing from the Heart of Music

Hello folks,

Many of you listen to my music on streaming platforms, most of which never give the listener any information about the music, the musicians and technicians involved in the production.

I will provide here the full information about my first big band album A Onça e o Pajé (The Jaguar and the Shaman), which was released on streaming only last year . If you are a voting member of the Latin Recording Academy, I appreciate your consideration for this album. In any case, consider this the liner notes for this work, which I am so proud of. I appreciate your listening to the music! You Tube links are posted below each track name.

A Onça e o Pajé was recorded live at the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus, Brazil, in July 2024, during the Amazonas Green Jazz Festival. The title track was composed especially for this event by Jovino Santos Neto, who also penned his other compositions and arrangements for this album. In addition to the musicians listed below, Elias Coutinho (soprano sax) and Johab Quadros (trumpet and flugelhorn) from Belém, Pará, were also featured as soloists.

Recording, mixing and mastering of this album were done by Clement Zular. The producer was Rui Carvalho, principal conductor of Amazonas Band and artistic director of Amazonas Green Jazz Festival, who also assisted Clement during the mastering phase.

1. Carambola (Starfruit) by Jovino Santos Neto - This is a theme originally composed for the Swiss Jazz Orchestra, built over a 7/4 groove. It flows over different rhythmic perspectives. The “odd” pulse feels even because the bass riff omits the first beat. Children love to dance to this because they are not worried about the meter.

2. A Onça e o Pajé (The Jaguar and the Shaman) by Jovino Santos Neto – The title track of the album, it tells the story of an encounter between Uyú-Puyú-Yrá, an Amazonian shaman and a black jaguar, Yaguaretê-pixuna. The shaman hunts the jaguar to extract its shin bone and build a sacred flute, jacuí. The jaguar hunts the shaman to feed its young. The musical narrative depicts both characters in their interactions. The jaguar is represented by a swing groove and the shaman by an Afro-Brazilian batuque.

3. Crossfire by Jovino Santos Neto – A baião with a bouncy beat composed in 1994. In this big band arrangement, I felt how the horns could play with pure rhythmic forms, using free pitches. Arranged for the NDR Big Band from Hamburg in 2000.

4. Gente Boa (Nice folks) by Jovino Santos Neto – In my hometown of Rio de Janeiro, gente boa is an expression you use when you describe someone as a good person. The song is composed and arranged in the gafieira style of ballroom samba dancing that was very popular in Rio decades ago. I had recorded it with Hamilton de Holanda on my album Roda Carioca in 2006, but the jazz orchestra version heard here expands on the samba possibilities.

5. Bebê by Hermeto Pascoal, arranged by Jovino Santos Neto – This is a classic Hermeto tune, and many beautiful versions exist for all kinds of instrumentations. My arrangement borrows an introduction that Hermeto wrote many years ago, and it explores a dialogue between two saxophones in the solo section. It was originally done for Harvey Wainapel and the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra from Denmark. On this recording we hear the beautiful soprano sax sound of Elias Coutinho.

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6. Brigas Nunca Mais by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes – One of my favorite Jobim compositions. The big band chart was commissioned by vocalist Sandy Cressman. I played an improvised introduction and orchestrated the textures, including an obligato section and a brief reharmonization of the melody on the outhead. A nice vehicle for improvised solos.

7. Você Já Foi à Bahia? by Dorival Caymmi – A classic samba. My big band chart was inspired by Dorival’s son Dori Caymmi’s arrangement. I borrowed his rhythmic accents and harmonies, and added my own flavor.

8. Eclipse by Jovino Santos Neto – This theme was composed in 1994 originally for my Seattle band, which had just been formed. In 2000 I arranged it for the NDR Big Band, and it has been one of my favorite pieces to play. The solos happen over a minor 3/4 blues.

A Onça e o Pajé (The Jaguar and the Shaman)

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