Carnaval, West End: . . . .the parade

Mike sums up people's feeling !

Boundary Street Parade

Rio Rhythmics is organizing a street parade this Saturday night, on Boundary Street, West End, to coincide with carnival in Brazil. I have been talking to Tarcisio about participating. For anyone who is interested, he could do with a few extra surdos, shakers, and tamborines, and a snare or two. If there is extra people, a few agogos. Dress is white. We are meeting at the back door of Rio Rythmics at 9pm.
For those who want a bit more action, come to my place at 5pm for a Brazilian BBQ, pagode, and carnival on TV (i have TV Globo, so it is live, but on Saturday, it will only be carnival from Sao Paulo). My house is just down the road from Boundary Street, so maybe at 8.30 we do our own little, much tighter, better looking and generally higher quality, parade while we walk down to Rio Rythmics. My office is conveniently next door to Rio Rhyhmics so we can leave instruments there and party on after if required.
Please let me know if you can make it to either the street parade or bbq or both. I will give address and so on Thursday.
Angus

Carnival West End

Sambistas, As you may be aware, carnival in Brasil starts next saturday. Rio Rythmics is having a street parade including bataria and dancers in boundary street, west end on Saturday night (21th) around 8.30pm. I have spoken with Tarcisio from Rio Rythmics and he is happy for members on GRES Unidos da Primaerva (us) to join in. He will let me know which instruments they have, and what they need. At this stage it looks like they need shakers, surdos, and snares, however I will confirm.
So preliminary plan is meet at 4pm at my house for a brasilian bbq (churrasco), carnaval on the tv (or a video if its not live), a bit a pagode, a few caparihas for those not driving, some dancing, and maybe some costumes for thise drinking a few caparihnas. Anyway, details to follow.
Angus

Note from Remko: note this in on the 21th, not today!

Earplugs

Just a quick reminder that I cannot always provide earplugs, and that it is everyone's own responsibility to protect your ears. You can buy cheap earplugs at your local Chemist. However I can really recommend 'musicians earplugs' that are specifically made for your ears. They are not cheap (over $100) but your ears are very valuable too.

If there is enough interest in musicians earplugs I can try to negotiate a group deal at a Brisbane based specialist? Let me know.

Update: I've only found one supplier here in Brisbane so far, to have ear imprints taken, earplugs made and fitted costs $240. They don't want to do group discounts. I'll have another look.

Re-introducing songs

For those of you who haven't followed the comments in the previous post, some of us will get together 6pm this Thursday 11 February at the Polish Club bar to discuss and hopefully improve the format of our weekly rehearsals, in particular by re-introducing songs in one way or another. Please feel free to join us, your input is very much appreciated.

By way of preparation, here are the main challenges that I can see that we need to overcome, your ideas would be appreciated:

1. We need a serious PA. From where, who will transport (it won't fit in my car), who will set it up in time for the rehearsal etc.
2. How can we make sure we cater for everyone, so both beginners and long-term members, and also (and this is not the same!) different skill levels.
3. How can we make sure that Remko won't get burned out on Thurday nights. When we previously did songs, even though I loved it very much, all the associated hassles on top of having to really work hard by singing, playing cavaco, concentrating on the bateria, dealing with Brian ;-) almost became to much for me.
4. How can we make sure the level of playing improves. When we step up there will be the requirement to learn songs etc, so people will need to start learning and practicing at home.
   

Your input is very much appreciated. Like Brian, I feel it's time to step up and do something different. I am excited and hope we pull through this important moment in the history of our samba school!

New Year , New Rehearsal Format ?

Remko, . . . . I'm bored !

Can we change our rehearsal format with a 30-45 mins pagode at the beginning of each session ?
I'd like to play something new .

It just dawn on me that the Samba school have a repertoire of only about 5-6 songs . And I've been playing these 6 songs over, over,...an over for the last 5 years since 2003 ( with a variety of breaks ) .

Each week, I'm willing to carry my small Mackie active PA sytem ( 100W RMS, 2 channels + 1 RCA input ), 1 x microphone for you to sing and play the cavacinho. I can bring my tan-tan as well.

The advantages of this format are:

* We can all learn something new while waiting for people who turn up late.
* Play samba with few people as possible. Improve our chance of paid gigs in smaller venues.
* People have a chance of really learn an instrument because people can hear your own mistake. No safety in number.
* Buddy system : experience players can stop and show beginners how to play.
* Those MPB songs are so nice .
* Brian will stop whinging because he's not bored.

Let's SAMBA!

It's back on: tomorrow Thursday 29 January will be the first Samba Class for 2009!
Be ready for some action!!!
Looking forward to seeing you all, it has been way too long!

Cheers
Remko

Rehearsal this Thursday - cancelled

Happy new year everyone!!!

Well after a great and intensive holiday in freezing Europe (with one night going down to -20 oC, not a typo)! Ruben has grown so much in one month too, and was happy to meet all the family and friends.

I was planning to start the Samba year again this Thursday, however unfortunately Nicki will have to go down to Melbourne for a funeral, which means I'll have to look after Ruben that night, so the first rehearsal will have to wait one more week. I'm very sorry about that!

I look forward to seeing you all on the 29th!

Enjoy the rest of your break

Remko

Hi all!

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR, BONNE ANNEE!!

I have decreed in my own little kingdom that 2009 will be a year of change… And what more drastic change for the egocentric narcissist than I am than to cut my trademark hair, yes, abandoning the pony tail (no it is not a mullet!!)…. Now, this hair has witnessed a whole lot of dramatic history, the Rwandan genocide, the fall of the Soviet Union, 9/11 and 2 gulf wars, the reelection of Georges W Bush… It can’t go just like that…

So here is the deal! I will cut my hair for the first time in 15 years and I’m asking you to sponsor me and support Medecins Sans Frontieres by jumping on this webpage http://www.justgiving.com/cedricrobillot . By making a secure donation through this website, you will assist Medecins Sans Frontieres in their mission to provide medical aid wherever needed (http://www.msf.org/).

Please support me in making some sense out of the terrible sacrifice I’m upon to commit (was I being a bit overdramatic here?). Anyway, to motivate you even further, the biggest donors will be entitled not to receive one of my locks in an autographed picture frame!!!

Please feel free to pass this email on.
I trust your compassion and, once again, wish you all the best for this coming year!!

Cedric

Brazilian Party This Thursday night

Hey Sambistas,

Just a quick plug for a Brazilian party going down (funny enough) at an Irish Pub!!??(O'malley's in the Queen Street Mall - underneath the Wintergarden shopping centre). Jesse Witney & Urukum (those at the Mel's Bond party would remember the older rarer brazilian sounds) are performing 2 sets starting at 10:30pm. A good mixture of new & old rare brazilian roots sounds (Marcos Valle, Dejavan, Gilberto Gill, Edu Lobo, Seu Jorge, Vanessa Da Matta etc etc). one such tune being played is Gilberto Gill's Classic 'Expresso 2222':



If that doesn't suit there's a James Brown tribute night going down at the Joynt in West End on Saturday night. Paying respects to the man.... 7pm-Midnight. good times...

enjoy

Pictures from Mel & Erins party

Hi Folk please find below the link to view and download pictures from the party, taken by Brian and Claire. Enjoy!

/BlizWizz/2008MelanieSBig50thBirthdayBash#

Folk, please find the link to all the piccies from mel & Erins party a few weeks ago, there are some really good shots taken by Brian & Clair so enjoy!


Whoops forget link! Try next post

Vieux Farka Toure : Bamako Jam

An impressive and not so " old" Farka Toure from Mali .

Groove Brazil Christmas Party

It is truly a very Brazilian weekend!

Groove Brazil Christmas Party this Saturday night at the Polish Club.
Samba and Gafiera dance class from 7.30pm
Party from 8.30pm-midnight with performances.
$20 pre-sales or $25 on the door.

Complimentary coffee, tea and Brigadeiro (Brazilian candy) more details at groovebrazil.com.au

In a word, awesome!

Samba fest time/place change

The samba drum fest that Mel speaks of will be in ORLEIGH PARK starting at 11AM this Sunday instead.
Will meet by the BBQ in the middle of the park.
Bring an instrument (if you have one) although there should be a whole batucada's worth of stuff to play if you don't have any or transport is an issue. Bring whoever ever else you'd like too!!

Marcel, considering it's your birthday recently, I hope to see you there rippin' it up on the repinique!

Samba drums in the park

Calling all you Samba dudes, we are planning a drum fest in New Farm park this coming Sunday 14th at lunchtime down by the bandstand end. We have drums, lots of sausages, lots of bread rolls and an urge to drum like crazy. Can you meet the challenge or do you want to go with all the other pussys down to the shopping centres to fight for Xmas shopping? Kick off you shoes and chill in the heat!

Mel and Erin

Help Remko make a buck

As you may know, things in the Old Country are considerably more expensive that they are over with you in the colonies. However, sometimes that can be turned into a benefit as well.

The photo was take at a (rather good) music shop in central Amsterdam. Yes, we do display other goods in our windows too. As you can see, it's a lovely chekeré (insert correct spelling here) - although I liked the Brisamba ones better.

What you can't see, is the price on the tag. I will tell you what it is, and do the complicated math of translating it into your local currency.

The price is 150 euro's, and by the time I've finished this post, that makes it well over 300 aussie dollars. So drive down to Toowoomba, load up the ute with gourds, do your fancy bead-works (those of you who've been to New Orleans during mardi gras should have an advantage) and stuff your finished product in Remko's luggage (a fairly large one should be able to fit around a small child) and help him turn a profit on his next trip to Amsterdam!
Don't worry, he won't be able to blow all the profits on magic mushrooms and cheap women because we've outlawed them over here (and they never were cheap, to begin with).

Of course, you could also pack a belated birthday gift for me - but I leave that entirely to your own initiative...

Dinner tonight

Hi all, tonight before rehearsal a number of us will have dinner & beer at the Polish Club, 6pm. Hope you can join us!

Real music

Remko,
I do hope you took the whole of the samba school to Suncorp Stadium to see what the flower of Dutch music had to offer?? Not even the wrath of god could stop him from playing!

Last rehearsal for the year

This Thursday 4 December will be the last rehearsal before the big summer holidays! I hope to see you all there for one last big bang before we all go and eat ourselves silly.

The first class for 2009 will be on Thursday 22 January. I intend to use some of the time in between to think through some creative ideas to keep everyone on their toes in the new year!

If you can't make it this Thursday, have a fantastic Xmas and of course a happy New Year!

Cheers
Remko

Note: it has been pointed out to me that on the same Thursday, some guy called Andre Rieu has decided to have a little gig in Suncorp stadium. For some reason a lot of people will go there (not from the Samba School I hope) so keep in mind traffic might be a bit heavier than usual.