Passing On Passarim
One of my musical heroes, Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim (more popularly known as Antonio Carlos Jobim), was an excellent composer, guitarist, pianist, flutist, and arranger. He became one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Antonio was also known as Tom Jobim and is largely responsible for the very popular bossa nova style of jazz. He was born on January 25, 1927 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Jobim was the son of a Brazilian diplomat and poet, who passed when Jobim was a child. His stepfather bought him his first piano and paid for his music education, encouraging him to pursue music as a career. Jobim is known to have said, “I was a beach boy, and I believe I learned my songs from the birds of the Brazilian forest.”
As a musician and music lover, I am particularly moved by the lyrics and melody of Jobim’s song “Passarim.” “Passarim” is the Portuguese translation for “little bird.” In this song, Jobim warns a little bird in the rainforest about the creeping deforestation by humans. Deforestation is the clearing of trees, transforming a forest into cleared land. In his composition, Jobim eloquently uses the analogy of heartbreak to mourn the deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest. “Passarim” was released as the title track of Jobim’s 1987 release, post bossa nova craze of the ‘60s. This classic recording featured some family members and close friends. Jobim’s son Paulo contributed one of my favorite tracks, “Samba Do Soho” and Jobim covered the American standard “Fascinatin’ Rhythm.” Jobim’s music transcends time and trends. It is like an eternal supernova of powerful ideas expressed with superb craftsmanship.
What an experience it must have been to see and hear Jobim perform these recordings. For me personally, a concert held outdoors among the trees and fields offers an earthy experience that is uniquely spiritual as well. Speaking of earthy experiences, I was working in my yard one sunny afternoon while music waved at me from my porch. Yard work is good therapy and exercise. One of the songs playing, contained sounds of wildlife and it seemed the insects and birds in my immediate surroundings, joined in with them. It actually seemed like an organized response. I felt a kind of Shangri-La moment as I sensed a spiritual connection with matter itself. Sounds a bit corny, but I have experienced a multitude of such moments while listening to music, like Jimmy Webb’s string arrangement on Swing Out Sister’s “Forever Blue” instrumental mix. The effect of music seems more potent outdoors. Do certain titles or visual art pieces bring about such experiences for you?
I love the clip of Duke Ellington improvising with his trio (John Lamb–bass and Sam Woodyard–drums) outside of the Maeght Foundation at St. Paul de Vence in France circa summer 1966. The Joan Miro sculptures and sunny weather seem to inspire them to “swing like crazy” as Duke put it. Great music occurring in a breathtaking outdoor space seems to transport my mind’s eye to additional scenes of beauty that I can never fully describe with words. Unlike in synesthesia, what I see are fluid, dreamy presentations, even though I am awake. I suspect that if you feel an emotional connection to music and the natural environment, you are more likely to be sensitive to both.
Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries on our pale blue dot, a.k.a. earth. It contains more than 56,000 described species of plants, 1,700 species of birds, 695 amphibians, 578 mammals, and 651 reptiles. It once held about one-third of the world's remaining rainforest, including a majority of the Amazon rainforest. Years ago, roughly 25 percent of cancer-fighting organisms could be found there. Forest loss, due to agriculture, forestry and development, is responsible for about 25 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Millions of forested acres have been lost annually during the height of the deforestation period. How do these factors impact those rainforest creatures, those cancer fighting organisms, not to mention the rest of us around the world?
Obviously, there are conflicting views between those who profit from the gradual destruction of the environment, and those who value its sustenance, not just for beauty’s sake, but for real tangible medical benefits to humans (and animals). Why not conserve the natural beauty around you? Why not value music and the musician more than we do nowadays? Jobim helped bring these conditions to light. I appreciate him for that alone.
With a groovy bank account you can do this and that, but without the life-sustaining benefits of a thriving natural environment, what will your descendants have to look forward to? Let’s think about this.
With that, I pass on to you the message of Jobim’s little bird, “Passarim.” You can listen to it by clicking on the play arrow below. I arranged and produced this recording with great respect and admiration for Antonio Carlos Jobim. The message to the little bird to be wary of its rainforest perch, “You fly, you fly you fly you fly!” should be food for thought in today’s climate.
- Blog by Lenny Rountree (musician, artist, author, and educator)
"The effect of music seems more potent outdoors" - Lenny Rountree
