Hi All,

I ended up watching a video from this guy Jamal on the web today (see link below). Hard to practise anything after that...

http://jamalmohamed.com/Jamal02.mov

Sorry for dial-up people but this is beautiful.

Cheers

A message from Lynne

Hi everyone, Patty here. Lynne has asked me to put a message on for her, as she's having a little trouble posting. Here's her message....

Hi everyone

Just wanted to say that the Brisamba group sounded awesome on
stage with
the
Melsamba group.

Well done guys.

Lynne

No class this Thursday 17 May

Sorry I'll have to cancel the class this Thursday 17 May. The good news is that our performance for Pride has pretty much been confirmed (parade, maybe not a performance at the end though) so if you haven't registered yet please do so here.

Tracks for Primavera CD 1

As requested, here are the tracks for the first CD:

1) Sergio Mendes: Fanfarra (Cabua-Le-Le)
2) Mocidade de padre Miguel: De Corpo e Alma na Avenida
3) Mocidade de padre Miguel: Brilha no Céu a Estrela Que Me Faz Sonhar
4) Salgueiro: Rio De La Pra Ca
5) Pega no Ganza
6) Beth Carvalho: Coisinha do Pai
7) Sergio Mendes: Magalenha
8) Mangueira: Exaltacao da Mangueira
9) Mangueira: Me leva que eu vou
10) Portela: Samba de Enredo Portela 2000
11) Olodum: Faras Divindade Do Egipto
12) Mocidade de padre Miguel: Olha A Virada
13) Uniao da Ilha: Live
14) Mangueira: Live
15) Imperio Serrano: Live
16) Imperatriz Leopoldinense: Live
17) Mocidade de padre Miguel: Live

Help!!

Hi All,

When I joined the Bateria, Remko gave me a CD with a few traditional songs, some of them obviously recorded on the spot during Carnaval in Rio. Does anyone have the titles of the songs or names of the bands? I know that Track 11 is from Olodum and called "Farao divindade do Egito".

I'm trying to get some lyrics on the web but my Portuguese is not as good as it used to be in one of my past lives, when I used to be a beautiful dancer from Rio...

That's me in the back !! (97th row on the left hand side with the big smile)

Cheers
Cedric

Samba Workshop with Carlos : Thursday

It's done!

Just a quick message that, after 2 months of very hard weekend work, I finally finished painting all rooms in our house. Why do I bother telling you this? Because now (well, after the Red & Black weekend), I finally will be able to progress with the organisation of the samba school as promised! Expect results soon!

Also, for those of you who haven't confirmed participation in Carlos' masterclasses this Thursday and Friday, please do so asap! And if you don't have ticket's to the R&B contact me urgently as well...

Cheers
Remko

Melanie's Becoming Australian Party (14th July)

A terrible mistake has been made by your good country! I have been tested and probed by John Howard (urgh the thought) and he has decided against the remote guano island option and has instead granted me citizenship, yae! So feeling all Australian I have decided to throw caution to the wind and have a party to celebrate on the 14th July Saturday afternoon at 1;00 pm onwards and fire up the BBQ in true Aussie fashion. Food will be provide but please bring a bottle for your own pleasure!! Oh also you should represent your country by exhibiting at least one Australia trait, other than drinking large quantities of beer. I also have a soundproof room and thats a clue so bring your noise impliment. RSVP so that I can sort out the food, also if you are veggie or like a particular burnt offering then please let me know in advance. My Address is 38 Rembrandt Street, Carina Tel: 3899 9968

Master classes by Carlos Ferreira

Carlos Ferreira from the Melbourne Samba School will do a couple of master classes in Brisbane on Thu 10 and Fri 11 May. Costs are $30 for one class and $40 for two classes. Please register here and include a comment if you will attend both classes or just one class. This is a great opportunity to learn some different samba rhythms and get some expert advice so I hope to see you all there!

Sambaspreadsheet

I can't remember what I had for breakfast, much less what beats we practice each week. :)

So in the spirit of the stuff we discussed at last Wednesday's meeting (ie being better organised), I've created a little spreadsheet with columns across the top, listing all of the beats we use, and down the side a list of rehearsal dates. So I can mark a tick against what we've done, and can see at a glance what still needs practice.

Now all I've got to do is find a pink and green clipboard to attach this list to, so I can march around the Polish Club on Thursday nights looking self-important. :) :)

Lawn Bowls to Celebrate!

Hello All,
I’ve organised to go barefoot bowling for my birthday! It’s not the same playing without a team, so I’m asking you fun people if you’d like to come along for a game (or three) and beer at genuine 19-something-odd prices!
Here’s the details…


Sunday 20th May – 3pm

New Farm Bowls Club

http://www.newfarmbowls.com.au/

Note: This is not the Merthyr club


Please let me know by 1st May if you can make it as I have to confirm numbers.
Cheers and hopefully I’ll see you there!

Getting thing done some more

Thanks to those who have registered for the "getting things done" day on Wednesday. Please note I need to know exactly who's coming to plan the day properly, so if you intend to come but haven't registered yet (you may have forgotten your password...) please register now or send me an email. Please don't rely on having told me - too much going on for me to remember ... Cheers!

Also note - start time has been moved to 12:00 noon as I'll need to finish painting one room first!

Getting things done!

As discussed yesterday, I propose to host a 'getting things done' day on ANZAC day, 25 April, at my house. Agenda to be confirmed, but there will be workshops in a number of areas, and hopefully we'll have some fun along the way.

Please let me know if you want to help out - I've used our gig info system for this so please register here!

Gail's house warmining party (finally)

We are having a house warming on the 28th April starting around 6 at my place 18 Neata Street Corinda. My house is near the back of Corinda High. I am trying to make it easy, so no bbq, but a chair, plate and something to eat would be useful. Everyone is welcome (it's a great place for kids). If you have any questions email me or reing me 0407583452.

Adopt-a-sambista

As discussed on Thursday, the Melbourne Samba School will fly up with about 10 sambista's for the Red & Black in May. If you want to host a sambista for the weekend, please let me know by email. Two free tickets are available for every host!

Lynne's travel news

As you all know, Lynne is currently travelling in Laos, before going on to China. Here's her latest news.....

Well have just arrived back in Vientiane (the capital) from an absolutely wonderful time in northern Laos.

Spent quite a few days in Luang Prabang which is the old capital and full of wonderfull French colonial architecture and great baguettees. My standard breakfast was to stroll down to the one of the small food vendors and get a small baguette with cream cheese with the freshest tomato and lettuce and this great spicy chutney all for about 75 cents.

Didn't often bother with lunch as it was so hot. The great fruit shakes were enough to keep me going to dinner. Mind you nothing as exotic as the fruit drinks in Brasil but still cold and yummy.

Spent a few days up river at a Hmong village which can only be reached by boat. Had a bungalow over looking the river which was very low because it is the dry season but still beautiful. Great place to relax, take a sauna, short walks and enjoy more fruit shakes.

Took the boat all the way back to Luang Prabang down the Nam Ou which eventually joined the Mekong. The deforestation is a real problem but there is no viable alternative yet for the farmers.

Dragged myself out of bed (twice) to watch the alms giving procession in the early morning. I really enjoyed it at Muang Ngoi where it was much more serene and the monks after receiving the alms stopped and gave a blessing.

One of the highlights was a overnight trip to visit the Asian Elephant Camp. They have a range of different activities and I chose to help out with the elephants. So we got to ride on their necks, return them to the jungle for feeding and fetch them in the morning and wash them in the river.

It was such a wonderful experience and a chance to contribute to saving them as they expect the Asian elephant will be extinct in the wild in 50 years.

The camp also has a 3 year old male who is just like a naughty child. Loves attention and is very wilfull.

So it is a day or so in Vientiane, more temples and then onto Bangkok and China.

Oh almost forgot. Whilst I was at the Elephant Camp the mahouts and guides had a little jam session. One guy (actually the mahout I was working with) could belt out a mean rhythm with a plastic buket and bamboo sticks. I was trying to recruit him for the samba group but I don't think he quite understood.

Rio, Red & Black in Brisbane!!!

Finally, the famous Rio, Red & Black party is coming to Brisbane on Saturday 12th May (in the Polish Club!). Starring the Melbourne Samba School (where I got addicted to samba), this party is one of the best. It is being held annually in Melbourne, Perth, and now in Brisbane.

I hope you can all make it, because this is your chance to see/listen to a bateria other than yourselves. Read all about it!

At next rehearsal I'll have discounted tickets for sale for $15. Please invite as many friends as you can to make this party a huge success.

Let's see if this works.....

Just testing to see if I can post on the blog. Soooo confused re accounts and passwords.

Reminder: no class this Thursday

Just a reminder there won't be a class this Thursday 29 March because of secret Polish business...

Hi All!

A quick one to say that the blog is also of great use to the ones far away abroad, missing their weekly 2hr drumming and laughing session and the rest of their family and instruments…

It’s great to see piccies of you all having fun and enjoying your music. Keep it up, it really helps getting through the poor weather and lengthy business travel!

I can’t wait to play again!! In the meantime, some pictures of my odissey...
The flying drummer who doesn’t know where he lives anymore…

PS: Happy birthday Paul! Sorry we missed it...

Boston in the snow… (= chaos in airports)

Spring in Cambridge (at least they have good beer)












Cheese in Paris… (that’s a positive)