Queensland Roars agains Racism - rehearsals

With only 4 days to go there's still a lot of work to do regarding our performance this Sunday:

• At tomorrow's rehearsal we'll again spend some time rehearsing 'Recordar'. Can I ask everyone to please be on time as some people will need to leave early tomorrow.
• We'll have another rehearsal, this time with ALL performers. This will be this Saturday, 3pm at Sunnybank State Highschool oval (some of you have been here before!). I hope everyone can make it to this one.

Another couple of points regarding these rehearsals:

• Some members haven't attended last Thursday and Sunday's rehearsals. As the arrangement is not trivial, and we won't be able to 'wing it', I like everyone to attend both rehearsals
• I was a little bit embarrassed on Sunday when half of the Samba School rocked up over 15 minutes late. On Saturday we'll rehearse with 120 performers so please be on time, preferably even early.

I will post details about the Sunday logistics in the next few days, still things to sort out...

Cheers

Remko

kuduro

I find the "mutant" steps quite fascinating with the dangling arms. Haven't seen in it catch on in the US yet.

Kuduro dance

These kids , from Angola, copy Remko's dance style and move a notch higher. Quite big in Angola and immigrants in Portugal. Wonder what the Brazilian kids can do ?

Naná Vasconcelos and Maracatu

Have you guys seen this clip yet ?

Extra rehearsal this Sunday

Thank you for the overwhelming response for playing at Queensland Roars against Racism on Sunday 12 July at SunCorp stadium. We currently have over 110 percussionists confirmed from 7 groups (Brazil, Sri Lanka, Middle East, Burundi, China, Cook Islands, Aboriginal).

Note there will be two rehearsals:

• This Sunday 5 July 3pm at the Polish Club
• Saturday 11 July (the day before the performance), time/location to be confirmed but likely to be at Ballymore stadium.

We'll also practice some breaks tonight at our regular rehearsal but this is part of what we do normally anyway.

Shaker with attitude

Two minutes into the performance, watch out for the Japanese female shaker on the left .

Volunteers wanted

If you have a little bit of time left and want to do something extra for the samba school, I could do with a couple of volunteers for the following tasks:

• Collect/make photos of all current members (in action!), as well as some further information like 'date of joining', 'a short paragraph about yourself' and 'favorite instrument'. This information will then be uploaded to a new 'who is who' page on the members area of the brisamba.com website. We have so many people now so it will make it easier for new members to learn who is who.
  
• Investigate new surdo straps. This job is probably best for a surdo player. Investigate what kind of strap is best, where to get them from, what price, or do we need to make something ourselves or get some made for us.

Please email me or post a comment if you would like to help with either task. Thank you!

João Rabello – An Experience In Six Strings

The guitar is central to the Brazilian musical experience. From great composers like Villa-Lobos, to folk forms like samba and bossa-nova, the guitar has played a pivotal role in unifying "high" and "low" music. In a country as large as Brazil, with such a rich musical heritage this means a lot. The guitar became popular there even before emerging as a concert instrument in Europe in the 20th century.

João Rabello has been described as a member of Brazil's elite register of musicians; little surprise when he can claim legendary guitar players on both sides of his family going back four generations. An Experience In Six Strings is João Rabello's tour through the universe of the Brazilian guitar. From the traditional to the vanguard, from the north to the south, this repertoire is for those who wish to hear a small piece of a long history carried in six strings.

• Fri 17 July 8pm
• The Tivoli
• Tickets: Full $39 Conc $29
• Bookings: 132 849 or www.qmf.org.au

Barbatuques: Baiana

This is an interesting Brazilian body percussion group

Gail's holiday party

(posted on Gail's behalf)

Why: Come and celebrate with a night of European food with ME before we leave.

When: From 7-ish onwards, Saturday 27 June

Where: 18 Neata Street, Corinda (0407 583 452)

Wear any of your favourite holiday gear (the more German, French, Irish, Spanish, Italian and/or English the better)

BYO drinks

Suncorp stadium gig - registration open!

As you probably know, we have been invited to play at Queensland Roars against Racism again on Sunday afternoon 12 July. This will be for about 55,000 visitors, a full house!

I'd like as many people as possible to play that day, we're working together with other groups as well so it's going to be something really really special.

Please let me know by email if you want to be there (and why wouldn't you!).

One thing, unfortunately it is extremely unlikely this year that we'll get tickets to see the game itself. Mind you, we would have to prepare anyway during the first half, however I think some of you may still be disappointed. Sorry, this is very much outside my control.

Cheers

Remko

Fete de la Musique - well done!

Well done everyone, despite the rain and the resulting lack of a real crowd, you all did very well indeed! Applause for Belinda, Fiona and Peter, it was their first gig with us!!!

And now for the next one....!

Reminder - Fete de la Musique this Sunday

All are invited, please let me know if you haven't done so yet.

• When: Sunday 21 June 2009, 11am - 12.30am, please be there 10.30am
• Where: New Farm Park "rotonda" (the music pavilion close to the road next to the river)
• Dress: Mangueira shirts, white pants, and/or creative pink/green
  

I'd love for all of you to be there - it's a big park ;-)

It has been suggested to have a picnic after this, I think this is an excellent idea. We can also play some pagode during this if you're up to it!

Marcio Local

Check this group out. They play good samba using daggy musical instruments such as the melodica, " ukelele" ( according to the translation ) and spoons ( wood ).


Have problem uploading the clip

Ile Aiye

These chaps seem to enjoy themselves, indeed.

. . . Surdo Limbo dancing anyone ?

Hot banana news!

*** Hot news ***

Patty just sent me an email regarding Fete de la Musique this Sunday, she is going to dress up as a banana! I really look forward to it!

Gig - Fete de la Musique

As you are hopefully aware, we again have been invited to play at this year's Fete de la Musique. Last year we played in Queen Street mall, and this year we'll play at Newfarm Park:

• When: Sunday 21 June 2009, 11am - 12.30am
• Where: New Farm Park "rotonda" (the music pavilion close to the road next to the river)
• Dress: Mangueira shirts, white pants, and/or creative pink/green
  

I'd love for all of you to be there - it's a big park ;-)

Please drop me an email to let me know if you will or will not play.

It has been suggested to have a picnic after this, I think this is an excellent idea. We can also play some pagode during this if you're up to it!

Brisamba on Brisbane City Council site

Please check us out on the following Fete de la Musique site. We're on front page !

Fete de la Musique: June 21st

After all the talk on the previous blog, are we doing any gig for the Fete de la Musique this year ?

Songs!!!!

Just letting you know I decided to bite the bullet: I just ordered an amplifier that we can use to connect to the big speakers in the Polish Club. This means that, hopefully from next week, finally we will be able to rehearse all kind of different songs, with vocal(s) and cavaquinho(s), and beautiful, beautiful arrangements.

This will be the start of a new era within the samba school, with focus shifting from just percussion to using percussion in combination with songs. You will not be bored. We will still practice rhythms, even new rhythms, so you should see this as an extension, not a replacement, of what we do. As I said, this will result in much more variety and this can lead to some big things in the future.

In the short term, this means that our lovely tamborim section will need to rehearse the songs that I arranged last year, and that I'll have to work on new arrangements. Also, we need to extend the tamborim section with people that will nail these advanced arrangements and that can either already read sheet music or that are prepared to learn. Let me know!

Regarding songs, I am very much open for suggestions on what other songs to make arrangements for. Again, let me know!

I am excited!