I have the pleasure of presenting the new Souza Lima
playalong method series. This project is the result of extensive
research and careful elaboration aiming at offering representative
material on the most varied styles of Brazilian music to professional
musicians, students, teachers and all those who take a general interest
in this field of music.
The focus of this series is on the language of instrumental music
nowadays performed in Brazil, based on elements of modern improvisation.
Each volume contains two CDs with seven pieces of music, which are
presented in the following versions:
1. Complete takes – in other words, the full versions of the pieces
included in the book, which are performed by all the instruments playing
simultaneously;
2. Without melody / solo part – so that the melodic instruments can play
along with the recording, executing their own interpretations and
practicing improvisations;
3. Without harmony – so that the harmonic instruments can practice the
language of accompaniment, especially with regard to the rhythmic
vocabulary of each style.
4. Without bass – so that the bassists can practice their traditional
task of accompaniment while working on the rhythmic but also the
harmonic aspects;
5. Without drums – so that the drummers can practice the rhythms
characteristic of each piece of music but also create their own
variations.
Each book contains the scores in the form of lead sheets in four
different versions: in C, Bb, Eb, and bass clef. Due to the widely
defined concept of this method, it is important to point out that
musicians playing transposing instruments might have to make adaptions
when reading the scores. Wind instrumentalists are at liberty to carry
out adjustments whenever these are called for in order to facilitate the
musical execution.
The Souza Lima playalong method series was not exclusively devised for
musicians to learn and practise how to read scores and accompany the
recordings. Try to be creative and explore each type of music in every
way possible. Transcribing solos, rhythmic comping phrases, bass lines
and drum grooves, for instance, can be an important tool in order to
assimilate the elements of this language. The instrumentalists may place
themselves in a new musical situation in addition to their traditional
roles: the bass can act as a melodic or solo instrument, the piano can
execute bass lines, and so on.
The complete music was recorded “live” in the studio to preserve as best
as possible the spontaneous character and spirit of working together -
features which have always determined even the most diverse genres of
Brazilian music. The authors and accompanying musicians were
deliberately chosen: The team unites dedicated instrumentalists known
for their vast experience and true mastery of the musical style in
question.
Good luck with your studies! (Carlos Ezequiel Producer)