Summer(stage) is coming

I have a love/hate relationship with Central Park's Summerstage series of free concerts. I love the fact that 10 years ago, my friend Bill (back when he was a Summerstage programmer, before I even knew him through Joe's Pub) introduced gringo New Yorkers to the likes of (the dearly missed) Chico Science and (now Minister of Culture) Gilberto Gil, back before Brazilian music had gotten the higher profile it now has. I remember in the first New York summer of my Brazilian-music obsession, going to see Os Paralamas do Sucesso and being amazed at all the Brazilians in the crowd, waving giant Brazilian flags and singing along to every last word of every song.

But what I hate about Summerstage is that it's become a victim of its own success. The shows have become so popular that it's sometimes impossible to even get into Rumsey Playfield unless you get there hours before the band you want to see goes on. Yeah, we're talking FREE concerts, so my expectations should be accordingly lowered, but when I've got native New Yorker friends who tell me how good Summerstage used to be, it gets depressing. Sometimes it seems like New York has jumped the shark and that anything worthwhile has been discovered, exploited, and overpopulated. The worst part is when people in the audience don't even know or appreciate who's on stage.

So whether or not I'll actually make it to some/all of these Brazil-related Summerstage offerings remains to be seen. Nonetheless, they sound intriguing and I wanted to bring them to your attention:

Friday, July 08, 2005
Beginning at 7:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage

The Brazilian Film Festival Of New York kicks off its third year with two special nights at SummerStage. The festival will present a week and a half of great new films from one of cinema’s most vibrant creative communities.

Opening night on Friday, July 8 begins with a performance from Brazilian rapper Gabriel O Pensador. One of the most popular (and controversial) rappers in Brazilian hip-hop, Gabriel Contino, a.k.a. “Gabriel the Thinker,” first emerged in during the early ‘90s with songs that mixed pop production with witty and caustic observations of Rio’s wealthy youth subculture. Gabriel’s performance will be followed by Maria’s Place (Bendito O Fruto) from director Sergio Goldenberg. An accident involving a flying manhole cover leads to a chance reunion between two childhood friends--one a widow, the other the owner of a beauty parlor. Thus begins an entertaining game of seduction that brings memories and hidden desires to the surface--furtive passions that end up threatening the hairdresser’s de facto marriage.

Saturday, July 09, 2005
Beginning at 7:00 PM
Central Park SummerStage

Under the direction of its late front man Chico Science, Nação Zumbi was one of the first bands to pioneer the mangue beat in the early ‘90s. Basically an embrace of all things contemporary, mangue beat bands incorporate hip-hop, funk, British acid rock, free jazz and much more into more traditional forms of Brazilian music.

The Owner of History (A Dona da Historia), directed by Daniel Filho, is the compelling vision of a middle-aged woman who confronts her younger self, reliving her past and discovering what direction her life might have taken.

The Brazilian Film Festival of New York was founded by Inffinito Arts Foundation in 2003, while in Miami the festival celebrates its 9th year in 2005. Together, these festivals represent the largest event to showcase Brazilian Films in the US.