BBB 10: Monobloco agita festa na casa
O Rappa, Tim Maia, Paralamas, funk e, claro, marchinhas… Tem de tudo no repertório do Monobloco lá na casa do “Big Brother Brasil 10″. Os confinados, todos fantasiados e em clima de carnaval, estão curtindo bastante. Anamara, de dançarina de frevo, e Lia, vestida de índia, são as mais empolgadas.
BBB 10: Monobloco excites the house party
O Rappa, Tim Maia, Paralamas do Sucesso, Funk and, of course, Marchinhas… Monobloco’s repertoire had it all in the “Big Brother Brazil 10” house. The housemates, all dressed in carnival costumes, were having a great time.. Anamara, dressed as a frevo dancer, and Read, in an Indian costume were the most excited.
I just wanted to say on behalf of all the BDSN organising team a big thank you for all the efforts that helped to make Thames Festival a big success.
We sounded great on the street and have had some very positive feedback, so happy days.
Some of the photos i’ve seen look great.
If you have any that you can send that would be great.
We also need video footage.
Also you can post a comments here.
I’m sure next year will bring even bigger and better things for all concerned and I hope all of you can stay involved.
Here’s a list of people I think need thanking
Our directors
J P
Marcus
Hej
Simeon
Sarah
Little Band
Fabao
Xavier
Ben
Gaio
Andre
Directoria
Jenny
Sam (you did a great job on repique)
Jackson
Dan
The sound guys
Steve
Generalness
Sophie
Also
Paul Baxter and his hareem for organising Ziriguidum
Maggie O’Keefe for sorting out Zona Norte
The maSamba sorterouters
and the Toque Tambor arrangemistas
Big thanks to the Thames Festival for inviting us to play.
They put on an amazing event.
Thanks to my Dad for singing “Aint no Sunshine” (one of the funniest things ever) If you missed that, you missed the best part of the weekend.
Of Course the biggest thanks goes out to all of you in the Bateria for all the hard work you put in.
Even though we all nearly went unconscious in the rehearsals, we managed to sound as good as a Bloco in Rio, and there are some recordings to prove it which will be available soon.
I’m sure I have forgotten someone and i’m sorry if I have.
However, roll on next year when i’m sire we will all get together again.
Hopefully see you all at the new sessions starting soon all over the place.
The group of 120, made up from members of many samba groups around the UK & Ireland, performed their first gig in Luton on Sun 3rd May and played excellently! It was the end of a long project and the start of the future!
There will be some more HQ video posted here soon, be sure to call back.
Don’t forget to leave a comment!
Here are some messages ……..
Hey everyone.
Please pass this on to the members of each of your groups that took part.
Brilliant weekend in Luton. Thanks to everyone for all their hard work in making everything run smoothly and without stress.
The band sounded great and the socialising was executed to Michelin Star standards.
Thanks to :-
Marcus, Hej, Fred, Fabao, Simeon, Barak, Gaio, Fabiano, Xavier, Andre, Antonio and Maggie O’ Keeffe and Paul Baxter whose effort in organising both their groups was crucial to the project.
And of course massive thanks to everyone in the Bateria you helped to make it a brilliant weekend.
Finally not forgetting thanks to the staff at the UK Centre for Carnival arts for giving us the platform for showcase our project.
The Thames Festival will be brilliant!
J P
Who would ever have thought that such sights and sounds and experiences could be wrought from the simple act of hitting a drum? That enduring friendship and new understanding could be kindled through carrying out this simple act en masse? And that the prospect of future gatherings could be so full of tangible anticipation?
Who would ever have thought that liver damage on that scale was even conceivable?
For those of you reading this who have no idea what I’m talking about I apologise wholeheartedly, but for those of you who were at the launch of the National Centre for Carnival Arts in Luton this weekend, and were part of the first Bloco do Sol Nascente show a massive and heartfelt THANK YOU!
Thanks to Fabio and Fred from Monobloco, who I think will return to Brasil with a better understanding of how percussion should be played as well as some handy tips on vodka consumption! Thanks to the rest of the lads on the stage : Xavier, Gaio, Andre, Fabiano and Antoni.
A big thank you to my co-conspirators in the Diretoria Marcus, Simeon, Barak and of course JP…..
…… but most of all a huge thank you to those of you who were wearing the blue and gold t-shirts. The Bateria Nota 10! Without your enthusiasm, hard work and all pervading sense of adventure, the project would never have got off the ground.
“We are sorry to inform you that Monobloco will not now be touring the UK in 2009. Instead the heart of Monobloco, the group Pedro Luis e a Parede, will paying a flying visit to the UK in May, following the Paris launch of their new album, Ponto Enredo, on 26th May. Gig dates will be announced soon. We are now working towards a Monobloco tour in 2010, when they too will have a new album to promote.” Marcus P (Monobloco UK Team).
After a night of pagode the Monobloco advance party set off early to WOMAD, ‘World of Music And Dance’, in Charlton Park, Wiltshire. The minibus followed having picked up dancer Mariana and assistant Rita.
The first engagement was at the Little Sicily Stage for an interview with Jan Fairley then off to the Siam tent.
“There were surprises over at the Siam Tent as Brazil’s thunderous Monobloco let loose with their battery of percussion, playing the Jorge Ben Jor riff that Rod Stewart nicked for Do Ya Think I’m Sexy along with a stellar version of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition.”
WOMAD review - by Jane Cornwell.
Monobloco had met, Senegalese Sabar master drummer, Modou Diouf at Drum Camp in Bungay and were delighted when he joined them for their last number.
An enjoyable workshop was given at the over crowded drum tent ….
Siam Stage - WOMAD
Media contributions courtesy of Junior T, Gabriel L, Mick P & Cachaca ~ Editing by Mick P.
….. while Mariana put a huge dance class through it’s paces.
Photos from WOMAD
Abertura & Coisinha do Pai/Vou Festejar
Que Bloco É Esse
Please feel free to leave a comment about your involvement and what your impressions were, Monobloco would love to read them.
The guys visited Dorking twice and stayed at the fantastic Juniper Hall which is on the side of Box Hill and surrounded by country side.
The, mainly French but also Portuguese, staff at the hall played football with some of the guys. France 10 - Brasil 7
Thanks to all involved.
Local group Bloco do Sul invited surrounding sambistas to join a workshop with Monobloco, it was great to meet some friends that they’d met during their tour and some had travelled a very long way! A fun time was had learning how the xote & quadrilha rhythms were combined to form ‘Tropicana’.
Between the 3rd Guanabara gig & WOMAD Monobloco dropped by Dorking again. This time to play some pagode in the smallest pub in town, The Star. Local group Choro Bandido opened the evening with some sweet chorinho & some of the guys joined in. Monobloco then played a fantastic pagode set with some choro thrown in. Most of the audience had to dance on the pavement outside as the temperature inside went up & up. An hot & memorable evening was had by all.
Photos from Dorking
Choro followed by a pagode at The Star
Media contributions courtesy of Andy H, Dawn R, Junior T, Gabriel L, Mick P & Cachaca ~ Editing by Mick P.
Chorinho class
On the last day Monobloco’s cavaquinho player Cachaca kindly gave a very productive choro lesson to Choro Bandido who learned how much they need to learn. :o)
Please feel free to leave a comment about your involvement and what your impressions were, Monobloco would love to read them.
This years tour of the UK & Ireland has been going very, thanks to all involved.
In time I will post some media here and list all that Monobloco were involved in.
For now please feel free to leave a comment about your involvement and what your impressions were, Monobloco would love to read them.
Meanwhile you’ll find some photos here …..
This was MB’s third visit to Ireland in two years, so the guys knew what to expect and were looking forward to meeting up with some old friends.
The mini tour started in Dublin at a venue called the Sugar Club, which is a converted cinema which used to be used by the censor’s office! Things there are a little more relaxed now, and the Monobloco team soon had the place rocking and steaming hot!
The Saturday was the longest day, with an early start to get to Sligo in the North West. Luckily, the lads had a comfortable bus and an interpid driver in the form of Larry! Larry had actually visited Rio in the past, and got on famously with the Monobloco team.
In Sligo, Monobloco delivered an excellent four hour workshop with samba percussionists, some of whom had travelled serious distances to take part!
After the workshop, there was time for a quick soundcheck, and then some well-needed rest for the team, as they weren’t on stage until midnight. This show was another huge success and the band were joined by the workshop team for the last couple of songs – there must have been seventy drummer banging away at the end of the show!
Sunday, the band travelled even further into the West, to an area called Belmullet in Co. Mayo, which is one of the most rural areas in Europe. The band only had an evening gig to worry about and took a leisurely cruise from Sligo, stopping at Strandhill Beach and the famous Musical Bridge on the way.
The gig in Belmullet was very small, but the audience was delighted to have a chance to see a band from Rio on their doorstep! We even had a visitor in the form of Mary Smith from Toque Tambor! Mary has family in the area and decided to use co-ordinate a visit home with the Monobloco show, that’s dedication for you! - Simeon Smith
Photos from Ireland
Many Thanks to Peter Crann, Stephanie Pawuli, Tony Conway, Jennifer Egan, MaSamba Samba School and everyone else who helped out with the Irish dates.
Please feel free to leave a comment about your involvement and what your impressions were, Monobloco would love to read them.
This years tour of the UK & Ireland has been going very well, thanks to all involved.
In time I will post some media here and list all that Monobloco were involved in.
For now please feel free to leave a comment about your involvement and what your impressions were, Monobloco would love to read them.
Meanwhile you’ll find some photos here …..
This years tour of the UK & Ireland has been going very well, thanks to all involved.
In time I will post some media here and list all that Monobloco were involved in.
For now please feel free to leave a comment about your involvement and what your impressions were, Monobloco would love to read them.
Meanwhile you’ll find some photos here …..
Pagode class
Big Brother Brasil
