“I´M ON THE CONTRAFLOW, I´M A GAUCHO SAMBIST!”
Shhh! Let´s make silence. The composer sings softly… Deep, tuned voice. Strums the acoustic guitar gently – it´s his way. He does not imitate anyone as it could be suggested on the imperative above.
Ita Arnold is a self-taught composer, guitarist, singer and a stray philosopher. Born in Passo Fundo-Brazil, he began his musical career by 1971, on the “Perfume Corner,” along with the musicians Alegre Corrêa, Ronaldo Saggiorato, Raul Boeira and many others.
Ita refers to the special influences of his friends Alegre Corrêa, Raul Boeira, “Big-Head” and Bibi Marcolan on his musical formation and on his poetic philosophical thinking.
From 1980 on, ITA performed a series of shows called “Sound Brazil” in the Theater of the University of Passo Fundo. He participated in the University Festival in the 1983 and the 1984 editions in his hometown. He also played MPB in bars in the Mid Plateau Region and in the Missões Region of Rio Grande do Sul. In 1986 he started composing his first songs together with friends Raul Boeira and Paulinho Saggiorato. Later, he moved to Porto Alegre, and kept playing in bars and performing in theaters.
Since the mid-90´s, Ita Arnold has been devoting special attention to his compositions. His authorial work has been influenced by bossa nova, the march-ranch, gaucho folk and has samba as its vital driven force! Among his partners are Raul Boeira, Paulinho Saggiorato, Daniel Sá, Alexandre Florez, Sandro Dornelles, Rosane Arostegui, Bira Azevedo, Giovanni Mesquita, Dinho Oliveira, João Mayer, Renato Borba and Orestes Dornelles.
Music, particularly samba, the art longing to express itslef, when not explaining man´s unconsciousness through the artist’s creative moment, dizzies him! A philosophy and psychology fan, a pre and post-Socratic disciple – Ita (meaning “stone” in the Tupi language) reveals that the storms of life inspired some songs of philosophical and psychological core, such as “Dialectic” and “Metaphísica”, both partnerships with Alexandre Florez. Besides the invaluable partnership with Sandro Dornelles, “Living Philosophy” and “Psyche,” a portrait of the unconscious, with Dinho Oliveira, Paulinho Saggiorato, Daniel Sá and Orestes Dornelles. “Quasar (To Be not Be),” with Renato Borba and Rosane Arostegui, also draws on philosophy and literature.
Ita Arnold, a Brazilian composer, follows the philosophic musical trail of João Gilberto and Rosa Passos.
On the musical movement “PERFUME CORNER”
His friend and partner Raul Boeira describes the time lived in the “Perfume Corner”, around 1979, in Cruzeiro neighborhood in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
“It was always the same. Just going up the Colonel Pelegrine Street, around eight o’clock. In the Perfume Corner, were “Happy” and “Gringo”. Acoustic guitars jamming. Dozens of guitarists used to be there. The sound was Brazilian. Talents were flourishing. The musical information came from all sides. MPB, Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso albums. The jazz records, and their weird scales. From hand to hand, the little guitar tablature books, filled with those complicated chords: dissonance”
(Text published on 06.19.1995 on “O Nacional” newspaper of Passo Fundo, entitled “A journey through the musical history of Passo Fundo”).
WHERE IS ZEBU, PEOPLE?
The phrase is almost a manifesto, that’s how Ita announces his arrival at the microphone. His composition blossoms from the cauldron of the collective unconsciousness, with a touch of uniqueness, which is intended for all who enjoy the exercise of style and tradition of Brazilian Popular Music. Creativity! Art can never do without a certain amount of delusion, madness, lyrical reverie … It is all the fun of it!
“TENDER VIOLINS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY RAIN”
The universe in trance, thoughts, music in dialectical process. I mean tender music with its melodies… The transformation, the revolution paving the way for the people to be happy!
On the album “DIALECTIC”
On the outrageous road of dreams, Ita Arnold presents his first album with the verve of the pure Brazilian Popular Music, a completely authorial work. The album “Dialectic” has contributions of the finest musicians: Production, musical direction, arrangements, acoustic guitars, guitars, vocals by Daniel Sá, Marquinhos Fê on percussion, Ricardo Baumgarten on bass, Michel Dorfman on piano and keyboard, Pedrinho Figueiredo on flute, Luciano Maia on accordion, Jorginho do Trompete on the trumpet, Rodrigo Bustamante and Omar Aguirre on violins, Álvaro Aguirre on acoustic guitar, Rodrigo Andrade Silveira on cello.
The album was recorded at DA CAPO Studio in Porto Alegre, from April 2007 to February 2008, by Hílton Vaccari. Mixed and mastered by Pedrinho Figueiredo. Artwork by Fernanda Bengert, cover photo picked up from the family collection album, back cover photos by Hílton Vaccari. Presentation text of the authorial album by musician and composer Alegre Corrêa.
Alexandre Florez, Rosane Arostegui, Raul Boeira & Ita Arnold