Eleanor Polak photo
Grecco Buratto and Caro Pierotto on the Green.
The evening was warm but not too warm, the New Haven Green was packed full of people, and the sweet sounds of Brazilian bossa nova perfumed the air.
Caro Pierotto, a Grammy nominee and musical mastermind who effortlessly combines traditional rhythms with modern twists, performed with her Brazilian band for the city in one of the last concerts of this year’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas.
“We’re here to spread some amazing Brazilian energy to you,” said Pierotto. “Are you ready to receive it?” The crowd cheered.
Pierotto’s music was upbeat and perfect for dancing, which she encouraged the audience to do. They swayed and spun and clapped along to the beat, her energy infectious. Pierotto was an expressive performer, acting out the emotions of the songs she sang as if she was having a conversation with the crowd.
Pierotto was accompanied on stage by her husband, Grecco Buratto, on guitar. She explained that he was her third husband, and after the second, she had sworn off dating Brazilian men. But when she met Buratto, he was totally unlike the other Brazilian men she knew, and the two fell in love. That inspired her song “Não Dá Pra Esconder,” which translates roughly to “Who are you trying to fool?” — a joke about how she had perceived him as non-Brazilian.
“Bossa nova is the genre that opened doors for Brazilian music across the world, so I love it so much and I’m so grateful for it,” said Pierotto.
Her next song had been written for a movie, and was supposed to capture the feeling of two lovers in the honeymoon stage in Rio. Pierotto encouraged the audience to close their eyes as she sang and picture the scene. The music was slow and sweet, like gentle waves against white sands. In an English interlude in the otherwise Portuguese song, Pierotto sang: “Someone to take my hand and give his heart to me / Someone who’s ready to give love a shot with me.” In the end, she explained, she liked the song so much she had decided not to sell it.
Listening to Pierotto perform was like flipping through a Rolodex of languages. She sang primarily in Portuguese, but threw in some English (“Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green and “Killing Me Softly With His Song” by Roberta Flack), some Spanish (the Osvaldo Farrés classic “Quizás, Quizás, Quizás”), and even some French (“Temps Perdu,” an original song based on a poem that a friend had written). No matter what language Pierotto sang in, she made her meaning clear with her expressive inflections and full, beautiful voice.
Caro Pierotto performs "Espacial Nave."
Next, Pierotto performed “Espacial Nave,” or “Spaceship,” an original song inspired by an out-of-body experience where she imagined herself floating in the cosmos. She recalled feeling relaxed and free from worry, and said that the experience encouraged her to appreciate what she has in life.
As she sang, the Green vibrated with the energy of hundreds of people dancing. Pierotto invited the audience to participate with their voices as well as their bodies, teaching them lines from songs to sing along and elaborate clapping rhythms. Even people walking by developed a sway as they passed the stage. The Green rang with the sound of shared music.
Pierotto performed her final song, “Para y Repara,” a samba song about growing up and learning to make your own choices. The audience called her back for an encore, and even when she was completely finished, they seemed reluctant to see her go. But one thing was certain: Pierotto had completely changed the energy of the evening. Attendees left the Green with a swing in their step, a light in their eyes, and the melodies of bossa nova still ringing in their ears.