Update 2 - Brazil (Belo Horizonte & Rio)

So here's another update from more adventures in Brazil! I've been in Rio for 2 weeks now and it's been amazing!

In Brief:

- After leaving Salvador I met back up with Carlo in Belo Horizonte (where he's visiting family).

- BH is known for its amazing food and Cheese (Queijo Minas)! And we had our fair dose of it...

- I met up with Beto Lopes (plays with all the Clube da Esquina guys - Milton Nascimento, Toninho Horta, Lo Borges etc etc!)...

- Saw the cd launch of an amazing Bass player - Eneias Xavier . One of the most musical and melodic players I've heard!

- Went to Toninho Horta's birthday party at Gabriel Gedes' legendary Godofredo Bar - with memorabilia from the whole Clube da Esquina movement!

- Went on some sight seeing adventures to Lagoa Pampulha to check out some Oscar Niemeyer buildings from the 60s, the Zoo, and a landscape garden/contemporary art museum called Inothim.

- I managed to get a drum lesson with the amazing Marcio Bahia...who will be coming to Australia in March 2012 with Hermeto Pascoal (I'm guessing it's for Womadelaide)...a must see show!

A 6 hour nightime bus from Belo to Rio De Janeiro - Cidade Maravilha.

- in the first 7 days I saw Joao Bosco (for R$10), Quarteto Olinda, Monobloco live at Circo Voador (which was definitely the biggest musical highlight so far! - thanks Mineiras Thais and Mariana and Mexicano Arjuna for the company!! good times!)
A killer Samba rock/funk group at Bar Na Pressao, amazing original samba at Carioca Da Gema (you cant beat the real deal old stuff), and the biggest forro session in Rio at Clube Democratico!....phew

- I also managed to get a lesson with one of THE go-to guys for the roots of samba on a drumset - Oscar Bolao...as well as a Zabumba lesson with master Durval....a good teacher and a super nice guy too !....Thanks Maracatu Brazil percussion school!

- Got to play with an amazing young group of talented musicians at a friend of Jesse Witney's Birthday party...

- And got to meet an amazing vocalist Karla Da Silva - who took me along to an amazing Roda de Samba in Niteroi....(possibly some more playing together planned for later in the trip!)...an amazing voice - from the same school as Miriam Aida from A Bossa Electrica.

- The Graf in South America is generally amazing (way more more imaginative and expressive than US stuff), but here in Rio it's especially interesting! Hitting the pavement for some wall exploration has been the best!

- I met up with Tuta a local Dj/Collector/Enthusiast (Originally from Sao Paulo), who heads up a collective (vinil e arte) of Brazilian DJs/Collectors keeping the good taste and vinyl love of their nation's music alive....After staying up all night playing and listening to records, Tuta and his Dj partner Pedro head off to Buzios (outer beach of Rio) to play a NYE party with Patife....
They gave me some good recommendations on some record spots to hit up, and I found some nice bits (Sivuca, Candeia, Beth Carvalho, Tom&Dida, Sivuca again...etc etc)

- Xmas was spent with the lovely host family here at my pousada in Gloria.

- Then New Years Eve at Copacabana beach battling the insane amount of people (truly crazy! - not recommended for any body even the slightest bit claustrophobic!). Beth Caravalho was my main attraction and she played an amazing set in the light rain....The Midnight fireworks was without a doubt the biggest in the world!...but after experiencing the mad crowds, I recommend viewing from another spot!....

Hopefully the next update will be from Nordeste!


- Feliz Ano Novo (Happy New Year)! 2012

Paprika

Finally after some slight delays and Australia Post mix ups, the debut 7" of my live Jazz, Funk and Rare groove project - Kerbside Collection - will be hitting record shelves worldwide 1st week of December - just in time for xmas!...Brisbane's first Jazz funk 45!

Australia’s first copies will be available from the green and gold’s finest vinyl merchant - Northside Records ….hit them up on online, or pop down to the store if you're in Melbourne town, and check the other local produce on the walls.

Amsterdam’s finest - Rush Hour records - will be helping it get into the hands of all other good independent record stores worldwide. (Find it now at the usual spots - Juno, Piccadilly Records, Jetset Records etc etc)

As with most independent releases - its’ strictly limited at 300 copies world wide!!!….

Press release below:

Kerbside Collection’s debut release on their self funded Cutucada imprint, is a fresh jazz funk 45 from Down Under. (their home city of Brisbane’s first jazz funk 45!).

Their first release sees them dishing out 2 drum break heavy numbers. The A side features a snappy jazz funk kicker entitled ‘Jelly Belly’, whilst the B side gives us the stand out number - a gritty b-boy funk version of Dizzy Gillespie’s classic ‘A Night in Tunisia’. Recorded in Melbourne with Jake Mason (Cookin’ on 3 Burners/Freestyle recs) on vintage analogue gear, and onto nice warm tape. Reviews and play listings already coming through from the likes Karsten John (Vinyl Vibes – Germany), Nik Weston (Mukastuku/UK), Chikashi Nishiwaki (Tree/Japan).

“An enjoyable listen!…love the Night in Tunisia rework!” (Karsten John, Vinyl Vibes – Germany)

“Cho Funky!” (Chikashi Nishiwaki – Tree - Japan)

“Dope version of Night in Tunisia!” (Ennio Styles– Stylin’ RRR Radio- Melb/Aus)

check here for other bits:

Kerbside Collection

Youtube

Facebook

Ola amigos e amigas,

Pepe Sol and myself have had some amazing adventures so far....digging through old record stores and stock warehouses in Baranquilla/Colombia....trekking through lush green wilderness parks and splashing down in fresh waterfalls.....chilling in beach hideaways.....enjoying circus performances on the beach in Salvador....hiking through underground caves in Bahia.....eating tasty local grub....drinking litres of fresh suco de maracuja (passionfruit juice)....uncovering Brazilian jazz nuggets in Belo Horizonte.....boogieing down to Nova Lima and Sean Kuti & Egypt 80 on the streets of Salvador.....

If you find yourself in Belo Horizonte this weekend we'll be playing some of the nuggets we've uncovered on our travels. We'll be running a Sabrosa Som Sistema session at Estúdio da Carne Av. do Contorno, 3946,BH,MG. We'll be spinning deep afro tropical dancefloor sounds from south americas, Caribbean, and africa. Expect cumbia, palenque, valenato, guaguanco, gaita, baiao, embolada, maracatu, afrobeat, high life, soukos, ska sounds....
If you're in Belo Horizonte get on down for some serious boogie action....

saludos e saude!

ola Amigos e Amigas,

DJ Pepe Sol and myself depart tomorrow for some musical adventures in Colombia and Brazil.
To celebrate I decided to jam this Drum n Bass mix I did with DJ Hasin (Sao Paulo) when we were in Melbourne together a couple of years ago.

Drum n Bass was the first dance orientated music I was exposed and got into back in the late 90s/early 2000's. Brisbane had a couple of crews doing things - and my first dance floor experiences were at Static & Lincoln's 'Rinse Out' sessions (Big up!!!) - one session I vividly remember was the 2003 Valley fiesta with their setup outside on the street infront of the Empire Hotel!.

It's a mix I'm really stoked on, even though it's only 1 hr long. The track selection and progression turned out super! (all credit due to the great producers/musicians who made the tracks we selected!). There's definitely some of my favourite drum n bass flavours in there - with selections from as far as Brazil and Perth Australia (Greg Packer - represent!)

turn up and enjoy!

stay tuned for some possible travel updates either here or on pepe sol's facebook - of the trip that's ahead...

Details for Brazilian Session tonight!
If you're in Brisbane - get on down!!!!
deets below and attached.

QUE SAUDADE!

This Friday 30th September
'o verdadeiro espirito brasileiro'
QUE SAUDADE!
Dance floor sounds from the colourful streets of Brazil.

Live samba :: gafieira :: samba rock :: forro music & dancing all night long!
with Live samba/samba rock & forro group feat members of Malagueta, The View from Madeleine's Couch, Yemanja, Forro Familia and Som de Calçada...playing music from Joao Bosco, Jorge Ben Jor, Clube do Balanço, Lenine, Gilberto Gill, Djavan, Chico Science, Zeca Pagodinho, Seu Jorge etc!

alongside Djs Pepe Sol & Paprika spinning authentic brazilian beats. check the new Dj mix from Pepe Sol & Paprika here. (Que Saudade vol. 2)
(samba, gafieira, samba rock, forro, brazilian soul)

Intro Dance class
from Groove Brazil dance studio. 9pm-10pm

9pm-3am.
Brazilian beer, Cocktails & Comidas de Boteco (freshly cooked Brazilian bar snacks! curtosy of 'Urucum')
entry : $5 before 10pm - $10 after

Casablanca (Upstairs room!)
cnr Petrie trc & Caxton st Paddington
(2 min walk from Roma st Station/10 min walk from Queen st Mall)

Hola amigos.

As promised here's Pepe Sol's 'Bailables Tropicales' Dj mix he did to give out at last week's Mexican Independence Day Party - which went down huge....Congrats to those special few that got a copy!
Here Pepe Sol mixes up some of his favourite tropical gems - Cumbia/Descarga/Guaguanco/Palenque etc....
(mind the cracks and bubbles - recorded from old vinyl goodness...)
enjoy

p.s. no tracklist unfortunately (get in touch with Pepe -Carlo Xavier - via his facebook for tracklist questions...or even second hand record purchases - he's always got bits to sell/swap).

Hola music lovers -
for those in Brisbane this weekend there's the annual Mexican Independence Day Fiesta going down at the Jubilee Hotel.
see below and attached for details....(I'll be djing alongside Pepe Sol as part of SABROSA SOM SISTEMA - spinning cumbia, guaguanco, descarga, salsa, palenque and other dusty hispanic sounds.....
stay tuned for a DJ mix to hit the player from Pepe Sol especially for this night.....

____________________________________________________

LATINO EVENTS presenta:
The Official and Authentic MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY PARTY!! ... Since 2006
¡¡LA FIESTA MEXICANA Oficial y Autentica!! ... Desde el Año 2006

+ FULL MARIACHI BAND, direct from Sydney
+ CHUKALE (Live Afrocuban Salsa)
+ MAMBISES (Live Salsa y Cumbia)
+ DJ Cubanito
+ Sabrosa Som Sistema (Djs Pepe Sol & Paprika)
+ Performances by the Mexican Folkloric Dance Group
PLUS
+ $5 MARGARITAS, CORONAS and TEQUILA SHOTS TODA LA NOCHE!!
+ Delicious Mexican food

8pm-4am. THE JUBILEE HOTEL, 470 St Pauls Tce, FORTITUDE VALLEY

+ $12 pre-sale, or $15 at the door.
+ Pre-sale tickets, visit:
* Online ticketing site: http://alpacagiraffe.com/MexicanParty/

¡¡VIVA MEXICO CABRONES!!

Good news for lovers of live Brazilian music, dance, and eats.
Brisbane's best Brazilian monthly session returns next week. There's a new live ensemble playing the sounds and hits from Joao Bosco, Jorge Ben Jor, Clube do Balanço, Gilberto Gill, Djavan, Chico Science, Zeca Pagodinho, Seu Jorge etc!....to celebrate, Pepe Sol and I cooked up a new mix of ancient and future Brazilian sounds (listen above - enjoy!)

QUE SAUDADE! returns

Friday 29th July
'o verdadeiro espirito brasileiro'
QUE SAUDADE!
Dance floor sounds from the colourful streets of Brazil.

Live samba :: gafieira :: samba rock :: enredo :: forro music & dancing all night long!
with Live samba/samba rock & forro group feat members of Malagueta, The View from Madeleine's Couch and Som de Calçada.
alongside Djs Pepe Sol & Paprika spinning authentic brazilian beats. (samba, gafieira, samba rock, forro, brazilian soul). Listen to Pepe Sol & Paprika's new 'Que Saudade vol.2' Dj mix above and here.


Intro Dance class
from Groove Brazil dance studio. 9pm-10pm

9pm-3am.
Brazilian beer, Cocktails & Comidas de Boteco (freshly cooked Brazilian bar snacks! curtosy of Pepe Sol's 'Urucum' - hand made afro latin eats stall)
entry : $5 before 10pm - $10 after

Continuing the last Friday of every month!!

Casablanca Cellar Bar
cnr Petrie trc & Caxton st Paddington
(2 min walk from Roma st Station/10 min walk from Queen st Mall)

For those needing to shake a leg in Brisbane this weekend! -
get out, warm up and catch some tasty live and gritty jazz funk & rare groove! this Saturday night 23rd July @ Ric's.

with Kerbside Collection (in trio format)! 8pm-8:45pm.

free entry. Ric's Bar - 321 Brunswick st Mall - Fortitude Valley.

see you on the dancefloor! hup..Kerbside Collection
'West Coast styled jazz funk and rare groove.
A gritty rhythm section of old school drums and fender or upright bass,
alongside funky Hammond/Clav/Rhodes keys, with the sweet voicing and phrasing of some great George Benson-ish octave guitar licks on top'

Comprising members from various Brisbane ensembles, including CP3, Scat, Kafka, and Malagueta the band plays good time jazz, funk and traditional rare groove for listening or dancing.

The sound harks back to the 60's and 70's West Coast Californian rare groove (soul/jazz/funk) music of artists - Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Chico Hamilton, Joe Sample & the Crusaders, whilst tipping its hat to today's contemporaries who are keeping the 'feel' alive such as The New Mastersounds, Soulive, Bobby Hughes, James Taylor, The Stance Brothers etc.

youtube

"Some great stuff going on here, keep it up" (Anton Deleca - The Bamboos - Melb)
"funky sounds indeed" (Jake Mason - Cookin' on 3 Burners - Melb)