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CNN Live Today
Interview With Yo-Yo Ma
Aired October 15, 2003 - 11:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is on world tour for his new CD. It's called "Obrigado Brazil." In Portuguese that means "thank you, Brazil." The album is a mix of classical, bosanova and samba. And it features a collaboration with top Brazilian artists. The tour takes Yo-Yo Ma to San Francisco and Los Angeles next week. After that, on to Asia.
Fourteen-time Grammy award winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma joining us from New York this morning. Good morning.
YO-YO MA, CELLIST: Good morning, Daryn. How are you?
KAGAN: I am doing great. You're making my day having a chance to talk to you today..
MA: Oh, listen, you're making my day, too.
KAGAN: OK, well let's make some Brazilian music here. And first, let's talk. Why Brazil?
MA: I love this music. I always loved it since I was a teenager. But, most of all, it is a dream come true to play with such great musicians. Paquito D'Rivera, the Assad Brothers, Rosa Passos the great singer. I mean, it's -- what's not to love about this music that truly takes you, transports you into a different world?
KAGAN: And yet, when you think Brazilian music you don't immediately think, I know, let's get a cello.
(LAUGHTER)
MA: Well, actually, you know, you may say that, but, actually, some of the composers Vio Lovish (ph), for example, was a cellist. Actually, the cello is not unknown in Brazilian music.
And what I love about the music is that any instrument that exists on earth can be part of that music. And to be able to be part of that in between dream state and conscious state is heaven.
KAGAN: And so the cello being or the music being inclusive and the cello fitting right in there. But I'm wondering do you ever feel constrained by the cello because the Brazilian music, it gets in your soul, you want to get up, you want to dance. And as great as the cello is, as a dancing partner, not the best.
MA: Yes, you have sit and dance at the same time. But you know you can dance in your head, too. I think, so, I think the feel of the music is what makes you want to get off your feet. I think you can experience that somewhat sitting down, also. You should try that sometime.
KAGAN: Sometimes I have to because they make me sit here and do just that.
MA: That's right.
KAGAN: I think part of your career and your love and your passion for music is spreading the word, especially about classical music. How does the Brazilian project play into that?
MA: Oh, my gosh. I think, you know, the world around us is filled with people from all over the place. And I think music is a great way to get a sense of what people are thinking and feeling inside. Music tend to coat that.
And I think to be able to know what people are feeling in addition to them hearing the news, as you report it, I think that gives us a much you know, complete richer picture. And so, I like to do that because I love people and I love to know what people are thinking.
KAGAN: You love to play outside the box. Some of the different types of music besides classical of course that you've gone after. There's been French music, Appalachian music, you've done "Hush" with Bobby McFerrin and now this Brazilian CD. Yo-Yo, what's next?
MA: What's next? Well I don't know. I've been involved in some hall openings, lately. Zangel (ph) at Carnegie. We did the Brazil concert there. Disney next week. And home to Los Angeles for (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
And in December I'll be playing with the Iraqi National Symphony under a State Department program, Culture Connect. Pat Harrison's the head of it. And they're going perform at Kennedy Center with the National Symphony and I'll be participating in that concert.
KAGAN: That should be phenomenal.
MA: I'm really looking forward to that.
KAGAN: Please come back right before then and tell us more about that project.
MA: I would love to. Thank you very much.
KAGAN: That would be great. Bring some of the Iraqi musicians, as well. That would be excellent to have you on.
MA: OK.
KAGAN: Good luck with the tour, good luck the CD.
MA: Thank you very much, Daryn.
KAGAN: Yo-Yo Ma joining us from New York.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 15, 2003 - 11:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is on world tour for his new CD. It's called "Obrigado Brazil." In Portuguese that means "thank you, Brazil." The album is a mix of classical, bosanova and samba. And it features a collaboration with top Brazilian artists. The tour takes Yo-Yo Ma to San Francisco and Los Angeles next week. After that, on to Asia.
Fourteen-time Grammy award winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma joining us from New York this morning. Good morning.
YO-YO MA, CELLIST: Good morning, Daryn. How are you?
KAGAN: I am doing great. You're making my day having a chance to talk to you today..
MA: Oh, listen, you're making my day, too.
KAGAN: OK, well let's make some Brazilian music here. And first, let's talk. Why Brazil?
MA: I love this music. I always loved it since I was a teenager. But, most of all, it is a dream come true to play with such great musicians. Paquito D'Rivera, the Assad Brothers, Rosa Passos the great singer. I mean, it's -- what's not to love about this music that truly takes you, transports you into a different world?
KAGAN: And yet, when you think Brazilian music you don't immediately think, I know, let's get a cello.
(LAUGHTER)
MA: Well, actually, you know, you may say that, but, actually, some of the composers Vio Lovish (ph), for example, was a cellist. Actually, the cello is not unknown in Brazilian music.
And what I love about the music is that any instrument that exists on earth can be part of that music. And to be able to be part of that in between dream state and conscious state is heaven.
KAGAN: And so the cello being or the music being inclusive and the cello fitting right in there. But I'm wondering do you ever feel constrained by the cello because the Brazilian music, it gets in your soul, you want to get up, you want to dance. And as great as the cello is, as a dancing partner, not the best.
MA: Yes, you have sit and dance at the same time. But you know you can dance in your head, too. I think, so, I think the feel of the music is what makes you want to get off your feet. I think you can experience that somewhat sitting down, also. You should try that sometime.
KAGAN: Sometimes I have to because they make me sit here and do just that.
MA: That's right.
KAGAN: I think part of your career and your love and your passion for music is spreading the word, especially about classical music. How does the Brazilian project play into that?
MA: Oh, my gosh. I think, you know, the world around us is filled with people from all over the place. And I think music is a great way to get a sense of what people are thinking and feeling inside. Music tend to coat that.
And I think to be able to know what people are feeling in addition to them hearing the news, as you report it, I think that gives us a much you know, complete richer picture. And so, I like to do that because I love people and I love to know what people are thinking.
KAGAN: You love to play outside the box. Some of the different types of music besides classical of course that you've gone after. There's been French music, Appalachian music, you've done "Hush" with Bobby McFerrin and now this Brazilian CD. Yo-Yo, what's next?
MA: What's next? Well I don't know. I've been involved in some hall openings, lately. Zangel (ph) at Carnegie. We did the Brazil concert there. Disney next week. And home to Los Angeles for (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
And in December I'll be playing with the Iraqi National Symphony under a State Department program, Culture Connect. Pat Harrison's the head of it. And they're going perform at Kennedy Center with the National Symphony and I'll be participating in that concert.
KAGAN: That should be phenomenal.
MA: I'm really looking forward to that.
KAGAN: Please come back right before then and tell us more about that project.
MA: I would love to. Thank you very much.
KAGAN: That would be great. Bring some of the Iraqi musicians, as well. That would be excellent to have you on.
MA: OK.
KAGAN: Good luck with the tour, good luck the CD.
MA: Thank you very much, Daryn.
KAGAN: Yo-Yo Ma joining us from New York.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
