Introduction to Dreams of a World
by Sharon Isbin

Clockwise from upper left: Sharon at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, July 1992;   Jerusalem, Israel, July 1978;   Caracas, Venezuela, October 1987;   Ireland, 1985;   Alhambra, Spain ‘Court of the Lions’ July 1992;   Jungle of Amazon, January 1994 Center: Athens, Greece, July 1992

The inspiration for this album is folk music—from the Appalachian Mountains, the British Isles, Spain, Greece, Israel, Cuba, Venezuela, and Brazil. Folk music was what first drew me to the guitar as a child. Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, Burl Ives, Malvina Reynolds, Joan Baez ... these are just some of the singers I grew up hearing. My scientist/lawyer parents were avid folk dancers in their spare time and I discovered exotic new cultures in the excitement of their rehearsals and costumed performances. My first guitar was a pint-size version they brought back from Mexico when I was three years old. The crudely cut wood did not yield much of a sound, but it was my cherished prop when I dressed up as a folk singer the following Halloween.

Age 3

I was nine when our family moved from Minneapolis to Italy for a year. It was my entry-by default-into classical guitar. My oldest brother wanted to be the next Elvis Presley, but when he learned that his teacher-to-be Aldo Minella taught Giuliani not ‘Jailhouse Rock’, he opted out of lessons. So I volunteered. A few years later, while studying dances of Lauro with Alirio Diaz and listening to flamenco music, I began my journey back to the guitar’s folk roots. Now, having traveled to some forty countries, I have come to appreciate and love the beautiful music associated with these diverse cultures that expresses the history, legends, identities, and passions of a people.

Luis Bonfa on Journey to the Amazon

The legendary Brazilian guitarist and composer Luis Bonfa exclaimed: ‘Sharon Isbin’s Journey to the Amazon is a marvelous recording. Words are not enough to describe the work of this excellent guitarist. Instead, I prefer just to listen to her genius touch throughout, enriched by Paul Winter’s rare musical sensibility and Thiago de Mello’s creative percussion and brilliant compositions. Excellent performances by three extraordinary musicians.’

Introduction to Journey to the Amazon
by Sharon Isbin

January 1994: Scenes from a trip to the Amazon, including (lower right) preparing for a hike with composer John Corigliano.

My love affair with South American music started when I was fourteen and studying for a summer with the great Venezuelan guitarist, Alirio Diaz. The spontaneity, exuberance, and joy in his playing of Latin dances was irresistible. I felt an immediate affinity for this music.

This passion would lead to many exciting collaborations. Among the first was with Carlos Barbosa-Lima, whose brilliant arrangements of Brazilian and American music have contributed important new repertoire for guitar, much of which we’ve played and recorded together over the years. Our creative partnership, performances and friendship with the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim were an especially inspiring part of this journey.

In l984, I traveled to Brazil to give a recital tour at the invitation of the Brazilian government. The radiance and magic of places like Ipanema and Corcovado suddenly came to life. I began to appreciate the intimate connection between the country and its music. That same year, I was invited to perform with Laurindo Almeida and Larry Coryell in a bossa nova/classical/jazz fusion trio. Our trio Guitarjam was born, and we toured and recorded together for five years. It was a privilege for me to learn from and share in the beautiful artistry of Laurindo’s music-making during his last decade. He was a cherished friend and is dearly missed.

Thiago de Mello, Sharon Isbin, Paul Winter

Our trio’s New York debut took place during a week-long festival I created and directed in 1985 for Carnegie Hall called Guitarstream International. It was there that I had the pleasure of performing for the first time with the Brazilian composer/arranger/percussionist from the Amazon rain forest, Gaudencio Thiago de Mello. Working with him created new dimensions of rhythm, color, and nuance. His wizardry at the helm of such exotic instruments as the rain stick, berimbau, jungle’s mouth and tortoise shell evoked the spirit and image of the rain forest itself.

A few years later, I made the first of several trips to visit rain forests in Costa Rica and Ecuador. Floating down the Napo River in a dugout canoe with piranhas, electric eels, and glistening crocodiles afoot, monkeys, sloths, toucans, macaws, and an occasional python in the lush foliage overhead, I was in a state of bliss. Surely, this was the Garden of Eden. I had no idea then that this experience would come to figure in my music as well.

Having experienced a taste of Thiago’s world in my travels, I became particularly fascinated with his compositions about the Amazon. We began performing in a series of projects—from concerts to a recording to my national radio series, Guitarjam. I relished bringing the rain forest and its inhabitants to life through music.

How fitting, then, that our guest on this recording would be Paul Winter. Paul’s love of nature has led him to integrate his music with a life-long quest to preserve the environment and champion endangered species. Like Thiago, his beautiful and haunting voice carries us to another world, a dream of the past and a hope for the future.

In this spirit, I dedicate the music and performances of Journey to the Amazon to the memory of Laurindo Almeida, Tom Jobim, and—on the first anniversary of his passing—to my beloved brother Neil Isbin.

Sharon Isbin, July 20, 1997