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A moody sunset and rough surf can make sunset over Ocean Beach incredibly beautiful this time of year. And the samba can really get rolling, too. Let's welcome in the New Year with a boom. I'm happy to announce the annual samba batucada on New Year's Day.
It's a Rio de Janeiro tradition to honor Yemanja on New Year's, so you might consider this our annual offering to the goddess of the sea.

The event is not affiliated with a samba school or any commercial organization -- anybody who wants to play, dance, or otherwise enjoy the day is encourage to come. Details are the just about the same as last year and updated below.

In the case of intermittent rain we die-hards will probably be there to play anyway. In the case of all-out monsoon, we'll throw in the towel.

My first experience actually playing samba was at this event several years ago, so I particularly encourage novices to come out and give the surdo or another instrument a try. (Just heed whoever happens to be leading the group at the moment, and follow a better player as best you can.)

If you play a melodic instrument that can be heard above the din of the bateria (or want to bring an amplified guitar/cav/whatever) please come out and give us a samba melody or two.
 
Where: Across the street from the Beach Chalet Brewery. We play
next to the sea wall (our wind break and acoustic reflector) that separates the beach from the parking lot -- map at

http://sfmpb.com/newyearbeachbatucada/beachbatucadamap.jpg

When: 2:30 pm January 1, 2006
 
Who: sambistas -- musicians, dancers, enthusiasts of any kind!
 
Please forward this to anyone who might be interested.
 
 Tudo de bom,
 
Eric
(contact me directly for my cell number if you like)

Posted by sfmpber at 07:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How many years has it been that the Elbo Room has given over most Tuesday nights to groovy, funky Brazilian MPB/samba bands? It must have started about ten years ago -- when Kevin Welch started getting bookings for his new group, Vivendo de Pao. These days, Welch still plays the Elbo on Tuesday nights about once a week with his most recent group, Boca do Rio. Alternate tuesdays, like tonight, you can catch Dave Eresian's Nobody From Ipanema, or maybe Bat Makumba or those SambaDa guys from Santa Cruz.

 I notice that the first Tuesday night of 2006 will be non-Brazilian -- let's hope all our bands are just sleeping off a great holiday. 

http://subnautic.net/vivendo/Sites/biography.html

http://batmakumba.com/

http://www.nobodyfromipanema.com/

http://www.sambada.com/

http://www.bocadorio.com/

Posted by sfmpber at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Mandolinist Mike Marshall not only plays Brazilian music, he also has formed a label to bring little-known but sophisticated releases to American audiences. Marshall, based in Oakland, has released CDs of his as well as others on the Adventure Music label. For example, their most recent release features a Brazilian production of the early music of Moacir Santos, one of the finest jazz composers in Brazil. Additionally, Adventure will be publishing books: a 3-volume set of Moacir's music.

More info at the site of Adventure Music, which features a streaming music "jukebox" of their releases:

 http://www.adventure-music.com/index.asp

Posted by sfmpber at 05:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

American sambista Kathleen Hunt has been posting pix and video of recent Rio samba enredo ensaios:

http://www.zebrabunny.net/rio/

 One can't help but wonder why we're/I'm not there!

Posted by sfmpber at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

According to Brad Hamilton, bateria leader for the Sambao samba school, a major Brazilian and Portuguese social institution in the South Bay is losing its current location and looking for a new home. The C.R.E. Brazilian & Portuguese Club, at 80 N.27th Street in San Jose , will close its doors at the end of this week. According to Brad, "Although CRE hopes to relocate and open again soon(preferably in the Sunnyvale to Montain View corridor) at this time there is no location available."

http://www.creubsj.com/

Posted by sfmpber at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

With a taste for the traditional and obscure in samba, choro, and related forms, Daniella Thompson maintains an interesting blog that uncovers plenty of gems of Brazilian music. Some are from the early decades of samba (such as the "Stalking Stokowski" articles that brought to light some very rare recordings made by the classical conductor in Rio of Carioca greats like Pixinguinha) and some are quite recent (such as her delight in sambista Marcos Sacramento).

Check in with Daniella yourself at:

 http://daniv.blogspot.com/

Posted by sfmpber at 04:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Oi, galera! Welcome to the weblog of sfmpb.com, the Bay Area's Brazilian Music List. The purpose of the blog is to spotlight the Brazilian music scene in ways that the general events list can't.

You can contribute to this blog! Send personal anecdotes, photos, links, etc. to me.

I'd like to thank everyone who has helped sfmpb.com grow in the last six years, beginning with music promoter Thalia Lubin. Her encouragement, skills, and dedication have payed off in many ways above and beyond the great shows she has produced. Muito obrigado!

 I'm also indebted to everyone who's ever sent me gig information or, just as imortantly, corrections to my gig listings.

até próxima!

Eric 

Posted by sfmpber at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Alizinha in New York established the first well-known blog dedicated to Brazilian music in her berg:

http://www.thebrazilianmuse.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the site has been updated much lately...

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