Marcos Valle makes the music of summer, playing sun-drenched guitar over irresistible bossa nova piano rolls and liquid vocals that soak into your soul.
The Brazilian musical legend has fine-tuned his sound over decades, releasing more than 30 albums across various labels aimed at sharing his music both in his home country and across the world.During his career, Valle has worked with renowned musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jobim, Sergio Mendes, Leon Ware, Chicago and Airto Moreira, and is credited with launching bossa nova into popular consciousness.
But his sound doesn't stop with bossa nova, which is evident in his albums immersed with dance-floor filling disco and pop, a blend of classical and modern sounds he credits to his early years.
"When I was very young, from four years old, I was listening to a lot of music," Marcos says. "My grandmother played classical piano and would listen to classical composers.
"My father enjoyed popular music, so with him I listened to a mix of jazz, black music and rock & roll."
Marcos also attributes his summery sound to time spent outdoors with his father. "He was very into nature, liked to do exercise and go to the beach, and took me and older brother along," Marcos says.
"I then got into surfing and that culture when I was 14 years old and was very attracted by the feeling of Rio De Janeiro in summer-time.
"It all had a powerful influence before I became a 19-year-old professional."
Valle is making his third trip to Australia for the 2022 edition of WOMADelaide, playing alongside long-time friends and collaborators Azymuth.
"I love Australia and took my son Daniel when he was very young so he could surf there," Marcos says.
"That was a dream, and then I played the Opera House for Sydney Festival with my band and some guests from Brazil. "This time, WOMADelaide will be spectacular, and I feel so great to be coming back and playing with Azymuth.
"We are so close, write similar music and have known each other for such a long time, so it's going to be great to be on stage together with them."
Valle and Azymuth plan to get together for rehearsals and to finalise a set list for the festival's 30th anniversary edition, but he feels it won't be too hard to find a solid foundation of songs to bring to the stage.
"We have performed many, many times together, not only in Brazil but in Europe, Japan, and so many other places," Marcos says.
"We already have songs and themes that we arranged, and we know it's going to work because it's so intuitive.
"When we get up on stage, there's something special that happens, and our experience gives us space to improvise a little bit. It's great."
The biggest job ahead of the show is paring back the wealth of material both Valle and Azymuth have created over the years, giving nods to classics from both of their deep discographies.
"We're going to put in some themes that traverse different records of Azymuth and mine, with songs that we know people love to listen to," Marcos says.
"One thing that's for sure is we'll start with the song 'Azimuth', an instrumental that's very happy and sets a fun tone.
"From there, people can expect that some of our most famous songs will be performed, but with a different flavour, a different arrangement, because we're playing together it has to be different from when we are separate. That's what it's about."
And Marcos is hoping to pick up the vibes of WOMADelaide's crowd, watching movement and joy as he plays. "It's impossible to stay still, so I hope people dance," he says.
"We love to watch people slowly stand up and start to move through our performance, I think it's great.
"At the same time, they can listen to the songs, enjoy the presentation and arrangement, while they dance to the music.
"Let's do it! That's part of the show."
Marcos Valle and Azymuth perform at WOMADelaide, at Adelaide Botanic Park, which runs 11-14 March.
