Braziliance Presents
New Brazilian Beats

Every 1st Thursady of each month.

with Resident DJ Joe Bryl
Host El Nico
7pm - 2am

Early Brazilian film screening:
Macunaima (1969)
Directed by: Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
DVD projection

Doors open 7pm - Film screening 7:30pm
No cover for screening - 21+

Braziliance dj set starts @ 9pm. No cover for Braziliance before 10pm / $5 after

Brazilian Links:
http://www.carnaval.com/music/samba.htm
http://www.metrotimes.com/20/37/Features/musTaste.htm
http://www.dustygroove.com/featured.php?cat=2

Macunaima:

Following the 1964 military coup in Brazil, filmmakers comprising the Cinema Novo, or New Cinema, explored the pressing political and social problems besetting the culture in Brazil, from explicit forms of censorship, the movement from the country to the cities and class conflicts based on color and sexuality. Brazil's situation, much like that what had taken place in the United States and still continued unresolved, was a melting-pot of varied races, cultures and ways of life adapting slowly to a mass modernization causing monumental civil unrest and ultimately a heavy-handed response by the authorities. While the U.S. was awash in daily demonstrations against the Vietnam War, civil rights protests, the emerging Women's Liberation Movement and inner-city riots; Brazil's military regime reacted to their country's unrest with censorship and repression. Institutional Act No. 5, enacted on December 13, 1968, suspended all individual guarantees such as habeaus-corpus, imposed controls over the press and silenced both civilian protestors and various political groups.

The film Macunaima, made in 1969 by Joaquim Pedro de Andrede (1932-1988) put all of these issues into a modern allegorical fable with its mock-epic/magic-realist/demented/didactic mixture that was part art house, part hallucinatory fairy tale and part anti-authoritarian diatribe. Like the emerging New Wave in France, and particularly the work of Jean-Luc Godard (see 'Les Carabiniers' (1963) and 'Bande a Parte' (1964) for similar stylistic touches), Macunaima combined street-level theatre, a rich palette of vibrant primary colors with a contempt for authority and an absurdist view of the human condition. Macunaima can be equally described as Godard did with 'Bande a Parte' as " Alice in Wonderland meets Franz Kafka" with its carnivalesque satire of ogres, guerrilla terrorists who are unable to handle their own bombs, greedy industrialists fixated on talisman and cannibalism (predating Nelson Pereira dos Santos' Brazilian black comedy 'How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman' by 2 years).

Originally released in a dubbed print in New York as an exploitation-house run in 1972 titled 'Jungle Freaks' and advertised in the Village Voice as "95 minutes of Brazil nuts", Macunaima was part of the underground circuit of films often taking place at midnight shows, others being Todd Browning's 'Freaks" (1932), Louis Gasnier's 'Reefer Madness' (1936) and Dusan Makavejev's 'Sweet Movie' (1974). Macunaima most closely resembles 'Sweet Movie' with its mixture of cartoon like narrative, sexual politics, anarchy and Rabelaisian bawdiness.

Macunaima was closely tied to the 'Tropicalismo' movement in Brazil, a reaction by writers, artists, musicians and film-makers to the over present military dictatorship and like the bomb of the urban guerrilla the film explodes the notion of normalcy and tradition by destroying and shooting away at the forces of oppression. Its anarchistic attitude is tied to both Marx’s, Karl and Groucho, and like 'Duck Soup' (1933) it takes dead aim at property, family, and supposed glory.

Macunaima links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macuna%C3%ADma_(film)
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0064616/
http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/jc12-13folder/macunaima.html
http://www.filmref.com/journal/archives/2007/09/macunaima_1969.html
http://movies.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/movies/06macu.html

Braziliance:

Urban centers like Sao Paulo, Brasília and Rio have a long history of creating sounds, both cosmopolitan and cutting edge. And for anyone familiar with Brazilian music, hybrid is as crucial an adjective as infectious. After all, Brazilians have been the quintessential postmodern musicians unearthing and exploring eccentric sounds both local and global. New Brazilian Beats explores this hybrid and infectious groove that has found its’ way to dance floors all over the world. Noted DJ/Maestro Joe Bryl leads the way, spinning from his vast collection, the pulsating new sounds you can’t ignore.

To help capture the feel of Brazil, on this night Sonotheque also offers you “The Braziliance Drinking Guide”, a special menu of liquid creations that capture the art of cocktailing in Rio. New interpertations of Mojitos and Caipirinhas are among the choices. Start off the evening with dinner at Flo (1434 W. Chicago) featuring a special Brazilian Appetizer & Cocktail Menu. Diners at Flo on March 6, will be guests of Sonotheque for the event.

It is impossible to deny the influence that Brazil has on today’s global culture. From music and film to fashion and dance, Brazil has become one of the world’s most important resources of popular art and entertainment. BRAZILIANCE will bring you the finest in Brazilian sounds and culture. Sonotheque offers Brazilian beer and cocktails for your pleasure.

“Hosting DJ sets from heavy-hitters, Sonotheque has become the best place to glimpse the record collections of your favorite artists.” Robert Mentzer – URB Magazine.

Joe Bryl:

DJ Joe Bryl was once named by the Chicago Tribune as Chicago's "Most Interesting DJ.” He has been working in the club and entertainment industry for the last 20 years and was an original partner in the creation of HotHouse. A true pioneer continuing to push the international sounds as a DJ, he is also the artistic director for Sonotheque where he presents internationally renowned DJs. He holds the monthly "Braziliance" residency at Sonotheque which showcases the best in Brazilian beats, soulful Samba anfd funky favela. He has opened up for Seu Jorge at Millenium Park and has curated film events at The Chicago Cultural Center. Recently, he opened up for Os Mutantes at the Metro. He has also DJ'ed with the people as diverse as Madlib. Tetine, Greyboy, Giles Peterson, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Peanut Butter Wolf, Bonobo and Diplo.