Summer. Copa America. Musica. Vida! Vida! Vida!

This summer I’m in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brasil, and Mexico. Figuratively, of course. Each day begins with a serious foray into Spanish studies over oats. (I know, most of us North Americans should have been exposed to this in high school; I was working my French...)

Copa America!!!
Yup. Still captivated by the footballing talents of South American teams like Uruguay, Brasil (always...) and Argentina. It’s hard to contain my joy of watching such individuals like Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz move with such grace, majesty, and SPEED....

..so I translate my inspirations into musical selections. Particularly, if only for kitsch’s sake- it has to be an all vinyl fest. In August I’ll be spinning at a pop-up dining experience in North Berkeley.

For the uninitiated, a pop-up is a private party, usually with a flat fee prepaid, so that you can just come and partake in all the lovely jubblyness of it all.
Figuring best targets come from within. Putting one and one together, I’ll be flying those fine dining listeners to South American coastlines and inner regions. Yet,think, time travel portal links to New York’s Palladium at 53rd & Broadway circa 1960 meets Bossa Nova meets Salsa- freak it: think drum, rhythm, and something sweet.
Very sweet. Everything aforementioned in a blender.

And tell me, why would someone cry at the end of El Cantante on a warm Emeryville evening in July of 2011? But there I was. bawling like a newborn, slapped for a life-check. I knew the story, but the dang. Such sadness!!!
[ What is UP BRAH'? ] Let's just say, a lot of stuff is moving around inside.

And as recently discovered from someone kind and beautiful, the title of a Violeta Parra poem says it all:

Gracias a La Vida

Gracias a La Vida (Thank you to Life)

Poem by Violeta Parra
Song by Mercedes Sosa





Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
Thank you to life, which has given me so much.
Me dió dos luceros, que cuando los abro.
It gave me two beams of light, that when opened,
Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco
Can perfectly distinguish black from white
Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado,
And in the sky above, her starry backdrop,
Y en las multitudes
And from within the multitude
el hombre que yo amo.
The one that I love.



Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
Thank you to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho
It gave me an ear that, in all of its width
Graba noche y día grillos y canarios
Records— night and day—crickets and canaries,
Martillos, turbinas, ladrillos, chubascos
Hammers and turbines and bricks and storms,
Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado.
And the tender voice of my beloved.



Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
Thank you to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario.
It gave me sound and the alphabet.
Con él las palabras que pienso y declaro,
With them the words that I think and declare:
“Madre,” “amigo,”hermano,” y luz alumbrando
“Mother,” “Friend,” “Brother” and the light shining.
La ruta del alma del que estoy amando.
The route of the soul from which comes love.



Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
Thank you to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados.
It gave me the ability to walk with my tired feet.
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
With them I have traversed cities and puddles
Valles y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
Valleys and deserts, mountains and plains.
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.
And your house, your street and your patio.



Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
Thank you to life, which has given me so much.
Me dió el corazón, que agita su marco.
It gave me a heart, that causes my frame to shudder,
Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano,
When I see the fruit of the human brain,
Cuando miro al bueno tan lejos del malo.
When I see good so far from bad,
Cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros.
When I see within the clarity of your eyes…



Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
Thank you to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado la risa, me ha dado el llanto.
It gave me laughter and it gave me longing.
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
With them I distinguish happiness and pain—
Los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
The two materials from which my songs are formed,
Y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto.
And your song, as well, which is the same song.
Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto
And everyone’s song, which is my very song.




Smitten.
-Frank Niao