André
Midani throws amazing dinner parties, but apparently, that’s what you get when
you know everyone who is anyone in Brazilian music. Over a number of casual
get-togethers, Midani tells anecdotes from his career as a record executive in
between laidback performances from his famous friends in the feature
documentary cut of Andrucha Waddington & Mini Kerti’s miniseries, André Midani—An Insider’s Story of Brazilian
Music (trailer
here),
which screens as part of the Music + Film Brazil film series at Symphony Space.
Midani
was originally a Jewish Syrian who came to Brazil via an extremely circuitous
route. As it happens, Brazil was not his intended destination, but he liked it
so much during a stopover, he decided to stay. We can’t really blame him for
not knowing Portuguese under the circumstances, but it made finding a job
difficult. Yet, somehow, he was able to talk his way into a meeting with the
president of Odeon Records and the rest is music history.
When
we say Midani has famous friends, we are not kidding around here. Those you
will hear laughing and playing at Midani’s comfortable home include Caetano
Velsoso, Gilberto Gil, Erasmo Carlos, Marisa Monte, Jorge Ben (Jor), Marcos
Valle, Roberto Menescal, and Carlos Lyra. In addition, a small army of
Brazilian rock stars who haven’t crossed over to the extent their Bossa Nova,
Tropicalia, and MPB colleagues have also duly pay homage to Midani. Plus, we
see some archival footage of artists Midani nurtured, but sadly are no longer
with us, such as Nara Leão.
There
is some great music here, particularly the jams featuring Jorge Ben Jor, Monte,
and Gil. The latter is a near constant in the film, appearing with just about
every informal ensemble. Fittingly, he gets to take the out chorus, performing
a poignant solo rendition of “Não Tenho Medo da Morte.”