Priscilla Riofro on the bus from Mancóra Peru to Guayaquil.

Mariza! is a wonderful singer of Portuguese fado music. This particular song celebrates the wonderful intoxicating gifts of wine. You can feel the swoon of  the wine in her voice and in the lilt of the melody. Mariza is one of the most popular interpreters of fado, and is gaining a world wide recognition of her music.

I am just now learning about fado music, and the only reason I have picked up an interest in this music is due to how well Mariza sings.

So the things that I know about portuguese music are the fado and the bossa nova.  All that i know “academically” about  this music is from Wikipedia, but one thing that can not be described there is the emotionally soothing quality of this music.

Wikipedia tells us that there are some who feel that there are African rhythms mixed with the traditional music of Portuguese sailors and that you three is also an Arabic influence.

Mainstream fado performances during the 20th century included only a singer, a Portuguese guitar player and a classical guitar player but more recent settings range from singer and string quartet to full orchestra.

Lyrics Portuguese (Working on English translation)

Ouça la, ó senhor vinho

Vai responder-me, mas com franqueza,

Porque é que tira toda a firmeza

A quem encontra no seu caminho?

La por beber um copinho a mais,

Até pessoas pacatas, amigo vinho,

Em desalinho,

Vossa merce faz andar de gatas!

É mau o procedimento

E a intenção daquilo que faz,

Entra-se em desiquilibrio,

Não ha equilibrio que seja capaz,

As leis da fisica falham

E a vertical de qualquer lugar

Oscila sem se deter e deixa de ser prependicular!

Eu ja fui, responde o vinho,

A folha solta a bailar ao vento

Que o raio de Sol do firmamento

Me trouxe à uva doce carinho.

Ainda guardo o calor do Sol

E assim eu até dou vida,

Aumento o valor seja de quem for

Na boa conta, peso e medida

E só faço mal a quem me julga ninguém,

Faz pouco de mim,

Quem me trata como agua,

É ofensa paga, eu ca sou assim

Vossa merce tem razão,

É ingratidão falar mal do vinho

E a provar o que digo

Vamos, meu amigo, a mais um copinho

(Instrumental)

Eu ja fui, responde o vinho,

A folha solta a bailar ao vento

Que o raio de Sol do firmamento

Me trouxe à uva doce carinho.

Ainda guardo o calor do Sol

E assim eu até dou vida,

Aumento o valor seja de quem for

Na boa conta, peso e medida

E só faço mal a quem me julga ninguém,

Faz pouco de mim,

Quem me trata como agua,

É ofensa paga, eu ca sou assim

Vossa merce tem razão,

É ingratidão falar mal do vinho

E a provar o que digo

Vamos, meu amigo, a mais um copinho

I am meeting really wonderful people the world over and enjoying every moment of it. The most recent Abraham material has been a real blessing to me and doors are opening everywhere I go.

Right now I am not sending traffic to this site and there has not been any new content added to this site for some time.

If I have expressed an interest in talking, working, studying, playing, navigating or anything else with you as an individual, please be aware that you can reach me by email at mrooh@mrooh.com

Mr. Ooh!

At the Los Angeles Workshop, Esther’s interpretation of Abraham was, as usual, fast, fleet and fabulous. I’ll have to say that I got a lot of it in through “osmosis” but that I look forward to the arrival of the CD so that I might savor.

There is one datum that was very important to me that I wanted to have NOW to use NOW and to pass to friends.

(In regards to Abraham, when I post a quote that I transcribe, I always check it over 3 or 4 times to make sure that I have it verbatim. In that I do not have the CD or tape yet, I am not able to do that here and now.

But, I think that I have this almost perfect… and I KNOW that I have got  it right in concept.)

Here you are:

“The more you corridor your life off from things that displease you, the more you corridor your self away from things that could please you.”

Abe  then said, “That was good!”

Abraham

Los Angeles Workshop,

September 06, 2009