Guarana: A touch of Brazil

What comes to mind when someone mentions Brazil?

For many, the Latin American country is synonymous with world-class soccer, coffee, gorgeous women and of course, the lilting rhythms and sensuous lyrics of the bossa nova.

Popularized by such artists as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Sergio Mendes, songs such as One Note Samba, Girl from Ipanema, Wave Desafinado and Agua de Beber immediately come to mind. Among the genre’s hallmarks are the rich, complex guitar rhythms and harmonies; the subtle yet compelling percussion work and the dreamy, hypnotic vocals as best exemplified by Astrud Gilberto.

In Manila’s free-wheeling music scene, very few artists have made the bossa nova a staple in their repertoire. In the mid-’70s, (keyboardist) Bong Peñera became a household word via his composition, A Samba Song. Soon afterward, jazz musicians continued to brandish their own diluted samba versions – weaving their improvisational threads upon the musical form’s rich harmonic terrain. And while such groups as Sabor Latino and Puro Ritmo lord it over the city’s glitzy ballroom haunts these days, their brand of Latin music rarely crosses over the bossa’s boundaries.

Almost half a century since its inception in Brazil, the lilting strains of the bossa nova now ring clearer and louder here in Manila, thanks to the efforts of its new advocates: the Guarana Band.

"Guarana is a fruit which, like a coffebean, is endemic to Brazil," explains the sultry and exotic-looking lead vocalist Eileen Sison. An alumnus of such band as Coolwind and Acoustic Jive, Eileen recently returned from Brazil late last year, where she literally traced the roots of the bossa nova – studying the language, hanging out at historic haunts and just plain soaking up the culture.

It was last November when Eileen met up with veteran jazz drummer Richie Quirino and hatched the idea of a bossa nova group. "When she came back, there was an opening at Ran Kan Kan, a Latino bar in Alabang. They needed a Latin group, so I called up some of my buddies," recounts Richie. "I met Eileen several months back when she would do occasional gigs with my other group, the JR Cobb Jazz Chamber."

The baptism of fire was soon followed by more gigs at Jazz Central, Café Azurro, Art Avenue, Shirazz, Bistro 110, Flute, Che’s, El Botin, Quick 8, Jivaro and Monk’s Dream.

Guarana is composed of seasoned jazz players including Ding Basbas, tenor sax; Prof. Ron Nethercutt, trombone; Mon Guevara, percussion; Tom Marco, guitar; Ruben Reyes, bass; and on special occasions, Bading Tuason on piano and Butch Silverio on trumpet and flugelhorn.

While not exactly on a self-imposed mission to become a bossa nova jukebox, Guarana focuses its sights elsewhere. "We’re not out to copy the records," clarifies Richie. Eileen adds, "We want to share with them the beauty of real bossa nova by doing our own interpretation. That’s why I try my darndest best to sing the Portuguese versions, then the English. In time, I want to do the Tagalog lyrics as well."

And more than just churning out soothing melodies, Eileen feels equally responsible about enlightening their audience not just about the musical form, but Brazilian culture as well. "We try to share the little we know about Brazil," adds the dusky singer who also works as sales director of the Marsman-Drysdale Group.

Expect every Guarana gig to be an educational experience as well. While other singers go through their usual tirade, Eileen gives out pointers on the Brazilian language. "For instance," she stresses, "Ipanema is pronounced with a short é, and Jobim is pronounced as jobing. Also, Brazil is actually pronounced braziw."

The beauty of the Portuguese language, as Eileen adds, is its sheer poetry. "It’s an exotic language that hypnotizes the listeners. Why do you think bossa nova CDs continue to sell in other Western countries?" she asks.

"It’s actually harder to sing," she points out. "I had to unlearn some of the typical singing techniques, like the vibrato. The bossa’s beauty is its simplicity. It’s like telling a story. There’s absolutely no belting here!"

Although Astrud Gilberto ranks as one of the more popular bossa nova singers, Eileen draws her influence from such greats as Mara Leao, another contemporary of Jobim and Joao Gilberto, Nana Caimi, Billy Blanco and Ivan Lins.

"Aside from meeting Ivan Lins in person," Eileen huffs, "one of the highlights of my Brazil trip was being able to sing in Ipanema. There was this bar called Vinicius, named after Vinicius de Moraes, the famous poet. It’s alluded to as the temple of bossa nova. On the night I dropped by, there was this famous singer, Marcelo Lessa who I talked to right after his set. Surprised by my adulation, he insisted that I come back, and I did. Then guess what? He called me up onstage, introduced me as a Filipina and asked me to sing Corcovado!"

"It was maybe the best moment in my life!," she adds with a twinkle. "The whole room was still, even the waiters stopped moving about. After the first song, the audience cheered and so on, until about the third song. It’s one of those moments that can make you say, "I can die tomorrow na, I’ve done what I’ve always wanted to do."

But die she won’t, as Guarana has been getting accolades in the lounge scene these days. Armed with such bossa nova classics as Dindi, Meditation, One Note Samba, Desafinado, Chega de Saudade, Bridges, Insensatez, and instrumentals like Summer Samba, Song for My Father and Gentle Rain, Guarana continues its quest to endear the enduring Brazilian art form to a wider, younger audience.

Last June 7 to 10, the group performed at the Second Cebu Pacific 7017 Islands, Hotels and Resorts Golf Tournament at the Regency Hotel in Boracay. They also played at the launch of ñ restaurant at the EDSA Shangri-La Carpark last May 29. Guarana will also be Guarana was at Monk’s Dream (Jupiter St.) last June 15 and 22. They will be at the Sanctum (Puerto Isabel, Intramuros) on July 4, and every Wednesday this month at Jivaro (along Heritage Park at the Fort).

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