Stimulus Package and MARCEL

A quote from the ABC :

" . . . The Government has come under fire since the Tax Office revealed 16,000 cash payments were made to deceased estates as part of the economic stimulus package.

Another 27,000 cheques were made out to those living overseas.

The Opposition says that is $40 million that will not reach the Australian economy. "

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/28/2583249.htm

. . . Marcel, please do the right thing and send us $AUD 900.00 worth of Samba musical instrument . . . . ASIO and the ATO are looking for you, Marcel.

Bringing instruments to class

Just a suggestion for people bringing their own instruments to class (which I encourage and appreciate): please label them, to avoid confusion. I find a good way is with a permanent marker somewhere on the inside of the instrument.

ever thought of borrowing some tips from american marching drumming?! They got discipline! and still at high school!

Gig this Friday 29 May

We have been invited to perform at the Sunnybank State High School this Friday 29 May.

Where: Sunnybank State High School, 9 Gager Street, Sunnybank
When: Friday 29 May, perform 8:15pm sharp, be there 7:30pm
Dress code: Mangueira T-shirts

It's going to be a short & sharp gig, I think I want to play without any break, magically moving from one rhythm to the next. We need to play at 8.15pm sharp, no room for messing around as they have a very tight schedule!

Please let me know if you want to play by email or by reply to this post!

Rehearsal tonight

Just a quick note that I checked with the Polish Club and there's no problem with water there, so I hope to see you all tonight nice & dry!

Also I look forward to seeing Patty, Brian and Claire in their special garments!

Great percussion intro!

Announcing ... a great gig!

OK the press release has gone out today. So, Brisbane Roar is playing Celtic in SunCorp stadium on Sunday 12 July as part of Queensland Roars against Racism (QRAR).

We've done QRAR twice before, so why is this so much bigger?

• It's pretty much certain to be a sell-out, so 52,500 people or so will see us live
• It's going to be broadcast nationally and internationally

But what's really great, and a great honour for me personally, is that I have been asked by Multicultural Affairs Queensland to be the artistic director for half-time entertainment. I have been asked to completely create, arrange and manage a 6.5 minute 'percussion spectacular' at half-time, with not just the Samba School, but with other Brisbane percussion groups as well, with at least 100 drummers on the field. There's some further details that are still classified but you start getting the idea I hope.

So it's going to be an interesting two months, with a lot of creative thinking, arranging, rehearsing and project managing.

I'm looking forward to it! And I hope so are you! More details over the next few weeks...

Major event coming up

Here's a very early heads up about an event we might be involved in on Sunday 12 July.

For confidentiality reasons I am not able to say anything more at this stage, but if it all goes ahead this might be the biggest thing we've ever done.

If you think you may want to be part of this, please keep this date available.

More details next week, after the press release has gone out... ;-)

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Message from Lynne:

I was just wondering if any one from the Samba school is interested in tickets to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Monday June 29? Unfortunately there are no group discount price for this performance. All tickets are $82.90.

If anyone is interested they can email me at salsam3 [at] hotmail.com

Thanks
Lynne McLachlan

Ruben plays Cajón (box)

Fete de la Musique?

If we are going to FdlM, what I want to know is "where"? Any place but that nest of vipers, Queen St Mall, with its retailers who hate noise.

What about on a Citycat ferry? We could go up and down the river - or get off one ferry after a while and go back in the other direction on a different ferry.

That would be a HOOT! Imagine the faces of ferry patrons when they get to a jetty and hear us coming down the gangplank.

MWAAHAAHAAAA!!!

Tonight's rehearsal...

... is promising to be GREAT!

Why, you ask? Because PATTY IS BACK from Cambodia!!! Yes, she has been on a 3 week workshop over there to descend into the depths of her own mind and further improve her already excellent skills on the agogo, as well as incorporating elements of Khmer music like the Kong Vong Toch (Cambodian agogo) and the famous Krap (a pair of flat bamboo or hardwood sticks, not to be confused with popular Australian music).

I for one am looking forward to this new dimension that she will introduce tonight!

Caution: she will probably also offer some illegally imported Cambodian citrus fruit for sale! Be careful with these, they are worse than Amsterdam mushrooms!

class CANCELLED tonight 16 April

Sorry guys I've got a very sudden high fever.

That was fun!

Just a quick note to thank all of you who played yesterday in Brunswick street, that was a lot of fun! The bucket song was a "once off", we won't permanently introduce the bucket as part of our bateria ;-)

Well done to Byron and Martinho, it was their first gig!

Also well done to Gail for holding the shaker section all by herself!

As a heads up, I'm currently in the process of organising the following gigs:

• 29 May: Sunnybank High School
• 21 June: Fete de la Musique

Details for gig tonight

Not much more detail for tonight (Sunday 12 April) than I already wrote:

• Be there: 9:10pm
• First set: 9:30pm
• Second set: 10:30pm
• Dress code: Mangueira shirt, white pants (I'll bring more shirts in case people don't have one yet)
• Where: former church at corner of Malt & Brunswick streets in the Valley. Entrance is from Malt street

Instruments:

• Remko: Repinique
• Erin, Jason, Denis: Caixa
• Gail: Ganza
• Claire, Maria, Martinho: Tamborim
• Ereni, Angus: first Surdo
• Melanie, Byron: second Surdo
• Brian, Will: 3rd surdo

See you there!

Dan Bau ( Monochord instrument )

Remko, this is how it should really sound like , traditionally. Ignore the keyboard in the background.

Brazilian Internet Radio

Have a listen to this free Brazilian internet radio from Salvador, Bahia:" Radio Cana Brava "

http://www.live365.com/stations/307181

An old fashion arrangement where you can hear all the acoustic instrument clearly. . . . . As long as you don't mind occasional sponsoring messages from the C.I.A . But the music is good though, honest !

Brian is starting Dan Bau classes!

For all that are interested in learning to play the Dan Bau, please contact Brian. This is what you might learn:

Easter gig!

Yes, it's time for a gig again! It has been a while so I'm looking forward to this one. It's a pretty interesting 21st birthday, Neo Tribal party, with a very artistic/eclectic audience apparently. Let's see! We'll do two sets, a performance and then later another one with some intense audience participation.

• When: Easter Sunday evening 12 April, approx. 9.15pm
• Where: former church at corner of Malt & Brunswick streets in the Valley
• Costumes: Mangueira shirts

I realise this is Easter, however this also means you've got the day off the following day!

Please let me know by email if you can make it!

Thanks

Remko

Class CANCELLED tonight 2 April

Sorry all, I'm not feeling well and will have to cancel the class tonight. I'll also send out an email but unfortunately I think some people might get this message too late, for which I apologise.