>> Biscoito Fino
bio: The idea of starting the record company Biscoito Fino began with the project, ComPasso, Samba e Choro, developed by Olivia Hime, at the invitation of Kati Almeida Braga, in the Pa?o Imperial in Rio de Janeiro. Enthusiastic about that series of presentations, with musicians the caliber of Guinga, Cristina Buarque, Yamandu Costa, Mi?cha, Francis Hime, Zez? Gonzaga and many others, Olivia and Kati decided to record the CDs of the shows. Their enthusiasm grew beyond just the CDs and the team aimed for an independent record company, proudly unconcerned about market tendencies. At first, Biscoito Fino edited songs by old and new composers, recorded and distributed CDs. Today, with its own studio and equipment available to musicians, Biscoito doesn?t want, to paraphrase Noel Rosa, smother anyone, but only to show that it also makes the best Brazilian popular music.
Since the writer Oswald de Andrade coined the expression ?biscoito fino (fine cookie),? it has become synonymous with something selected, of high quality. Responding to comments that he was not understood by the man of the street, Oswald quipped, ?the masses will some day eat the fine cookie that I produce? - a prophecy remembered 60 years later by another poet and writer, Geraldinho Carneiro, who, upon discovering that Kati and Olivia intended to set up a record company made up of the highest level of Brazilian music, exclaimed: ?But what you are going to do is make a biscoito fino.? The name was baptized.
Almost four years after releasing its first CD, Biscoito Fino has already produced more than fifty. All, or almost all, of the music is popular, but there is nothing orthodox about it. One of the first releases is a collection of the work of the erudite composer, Cl?udio Santoro. The flexibility of Biscoito Fino also opened the way for CDs of instrumental music, like Francis Hime?s Meus Caros Pianistas and the first CD of the choro group Tira Poeira.
Olivia Hime, musical director of the record company, considers one of her utmost functions, even more important than looking for talent, to be that of selecting musicians that have an affinity with Biscoito Fino. This is because, she admits, in Brazil talent blooms so easily that three record companies would be needed to record everything. When choosing between a musician with good selling potential but not really in tune with genuine brazilian music and another, less commercialized, but with more consistent work, she doesn?t think twice: the second one is the one for Biscoito Fino. Here are some examples: Luciana Souza, singer, composer and instrumentalist, living in the United States; Lucinha Lins singing Suely Costa, Olivia Byington re-recording Can??es do Amor Demais, by Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, released by Elizeth Cardoso and also a salute by Olivia herself to Dorival Caymmi in her latest CD, Mar de Algod?o.
?The role of Biscoito Fino,? - says Olivia - ?is to open space for the richness of brazilian music. If the whole world is consuming brazilian music and it is our prime natural resource, why not consume it here too?? And Biscoito has put things in gear by releasing compositions by Francis Hime, S?rgio Santos and Joyce, and recording with singers like Mi?cha and Clara Sandroni.
Not satisfied with just releasing and re-releasing quality CDs, Biscoito Fino has widened its compromise with the vast patrimony of brazilian music by recuperating unknown choro relics, in partnership with Acari Records, and promoting the project Centro Petrobras de Refer?ncia da M?sica Brasileira (Petrobras Center of Reference for brazilian Music). Working together with the Instituto Moreira Salles (Moreira Salles Institute) and sponsored by Petrobras, this project has put together the largest collection of phonograms from the mechanical era and the first electric recordings in Brazil. This collection is also open for people who are interested in the preservation of brazilian music.
In 2002, Biscoito Fino contracted singer Maria Beth?nia and in October of that year released Maricotinha ao Vivo, the CD that follows the 35-year-old career of one of the greatest interpreters of brazilian popular music. Maricotinha ao Vivo traces the career of Maria Beth?nia, from her arrival in Rio in 1965 to soon after becoming a star with her show Opini?o. In 2003, Biscoito Fino has released the DVD Maricotinha ao Vivo and the CD C?nticos Preces S?plicas ? Senhora dos Jardins do C?u, also by Beth?nia.
)
