Joao MacDowell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brazilian musical artist Joao MacDowell, born in Brasilia, 1965. started his professional career as leader and vocalist of the Brazilian cult band Tonton Macoute. The composer was in a couple of bands before that, one of them called Antiperipleia, another called “Sabado Cedo Nao Tem Carne” with Brazilian artist Marcio Faraco on guitars, Cascao on drums, from the band “Detrito Federal”, Pedro Hiena on bass - Arte no escuro and the late Ric Novaes (DJ Mr Spacely) on vocals.[1]

The band Tonton Macoute left a mark on a generation of artists in the capital of Brazil and further. They had an amazing track record of radio hits. The songs Electric Light and A Pele reached numbers one and two, respectively at Fluminense FM radio, in the summer of 1987, in Rio de Janeiro, the cultural capital of Brazil. This radio exposure led to a consistent following on their performances. They also made hits in many radio stations across the country, many of these stations, such as Radio Cidade and Transamerica, would normally refuse to play independent bands, which made their achievement quite a unique feat for the time.[2]

On the verge of a major recording contract, Tonton Macoute broke-up, each of the musicians going on to lead distinguished musical careers of their own. The band still has a following to this day, and it is often mentioned in retrospect articles and in Internet rants of fans who insist that the band should get back together for more concerts.

Joao Mac Dowell went on to become one of Brazil's top producers and composers, working with names such as Bebel Gilberto, Claudia Otero, Fabio Lobo and Rubao Sabino. He also wrote soundtracks for films by Mauro Giuntinni, Katcha Donida and others.

In 2000 Joao Mac Dowell released his first solo album: “Parece que Existo” (It Seems That I Am). In the following year Joao toured every major Brazilian city, as a solo performer, totaling over two hundred performances in more than one hundred venues.[3]

In a peculiar Brazilian practice, JoaoMacDowell would get different nicknames in different towns, adding to the myriad of identities that he has personified. He would also interact with local musicians and have local guests to his solo performances, often writing new material to suit the characteristics and different styles of the individuals he was interacting with. Over the years Joao Mac Dowell has disguised himself under a number of identities: Kau MacDowell, Joao Kahuna, jKau, Joao do Cerrado, Joao do Mar, Joao do Mundo, Joaozinho das Candongas, Uncle Joey, Claudio Mattos and his own name.[4]

In 2001 Joao Mac Dowell wrote the score for “Baldes” a contemporary dance performance by Tabula Rasa Dance company, choreographed by Henrique Shulle, and performed at the International Contemporary Dance Biannual (2001). For this performance, Joao captured the sounds of the dancers over a couple of inches of water, on a three ton structure that reverberated as buckets and bodies hit the floor. Splashes and bangs became the source of a melodic fugue, performed live with the help of electronic samplers and microphones on stage.

“The Traveling Man and His Music Box” (2002), was his second solo album release. An album that still preserves the popular melodic aspect of his previous works, though it points to the direction that his music would take after that. In it his audience heard for the first time the motif theme of Tamanduá, with an introduction that bridges Brazilian traditional music with contemporary classical orchestration. This album brought MacDowell to tour in the United States, with performances in New York, San Francisco and Philadelphia. In Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro he performed at major venues such as the Teatro Nacional and Teatro Nelson Rodrigues.[5]

Joao Mac Dowell’s electronic composition “Lanterna” selected for the Lucky Strike Lab, contemporary music festival (2002). His soundtrack for the multimedia event and CD Rom “A Deusa” by Cila MacDowell, video-artist collaborator, presented at the Electronic Language International Festival (2002).

Also in 2002, JoaoMacDowell's score for “Tecido Marinho” won a first prize for Sound Score at the International Circus Festival of Belo Horizonte. This show went on to tour seventeen countries in Europe, with the “Circus Chen”. The music was chosen to be broadcast on a Children’s Day TV Special of Rede Globo, “O Circo do Huck”, reaching an audience of over 10 million people.

“Quarteto” (2004) was Joao Mac Dowell’s third solo release, featuring his Brazilian-Jazz band based in Rio de Janeiro.

"Alice In Miami" (2007), an EP release, featuring tracks produced in Philadelphia, with Paul Atkinson and Max Laskavy at Aurum recording studios.

Joao Mac Dowell's talent as composer and record producer has been in demand in the USA, he lives and works in New York City, where he also acts as Creative Director for Come Together Music. The producer has not limited himself to the studio work, he has put together a group of musicians and songwriters to perform as “The Mamaluco Project”; a collective of artists, musicians and songwriters, with common interests in World Fusion and ideals of tolerance, self esteem and integration. They have been performing regularly in the Northeast of the USA. [6]

In the USA Joao Mac Dowell has produced a number of recordings, including: Wayne Hsu, Lydia Witman, BB, Noel Garcez, Jason Tanner and an album of World music with various Ethiopian vocalists over his instrumental arrangements, co-produced by Mengistu Melese of Masinko productions.

He has also written soundtracks for Graham Elliot’s documentary “Grayhound to Cuba”, Debra Solomon’s animation “777, 6th Ave.” and Oscar nominated director John Dilworth’s “Cartoon Physics”, and the theater play "Barry White - Guided by Destiny". A participation on TV personality, singer/songwriter Jane Norman’s seventeenth solo album, “With Love”; together, MacDowell and Norman deliver a performance of the Jobim standard “Quiet Nights”, featuring a full orchestra, conducted and arranged by Grammy Award-winning arranger Richard Rome.

In New York Joao Mac Dowell has been performing as a solo artist, with his band and participating in performances of singers such as Brazilian virtuoso baritone Claudio Mascarenhas with whom he has been doing concert previews of selections from Joao MacDowell's Brazilian opera "Tamanduá".[7] In NY joaomacdowell can also be found performing as guitarist of Cuban pianist/songwriter Alina Brouwer.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Brazilian Music's Latest Moment. Retrieved on August 1, 2007.
  2. ^ Estrela da Musica Brasileira. Retrieved on July 12, 2007.
  3. ^ Brazilian Music's Latest Moment. Retrieved on September 21, 2007.
  4. ^ Brazilian Music's Latest Moment. Retrieved on September 21, 2007.
  5. ^ Joao esta de Volta com muita Energia. Retrieved on June 1, 2007.
  6. ^ King For a Day. Retrieved on March 24, 2008.
  7. ^ João Está Ativo em Nova York. Retrieved on June 1, 2007.

[edit] External links