Funk Original....

Ok - I'm trumpeting more these days and my next gig is Thursday 28th November 2013. Its a DVD recording for Gerson King Combo and the rehearsal yesterday sounded great.

The event is at TEATRO RIVAL BR – CINELÂNDIA Get yerself there! 'Friends list' is  R$ 10,00 - just send an email to gersonkingcombo@gmail.com

Come along - the much needed cash to make the recording happen has already been made via http://catarse.me/pt/gersonkingcombo but there is still room for a little one if you fancy a school night wiggle.

Gerson is 70 and this is really a big celebration of Carioca-style 1970's funk. Think platforms and afros and an overdose of peace and love.

What on earth shall I wear?

Rhythms Of The City....

So, a brit bloco is over in rio - and good grief, they know how its done.

Before we made our move to Brazil, I spent years nurturing a fascination with samba and bossa nova - and being a teacher, I loved the way that a truck full of drums could weave magic over performers and listeners alike.

I never got good at it though - and these days, the sensible musician in me is more inclined to keep my hands in my pockets rather than risk the humiliation of hitting something when it clearly should be left well alone.

Rhythms of the City (ROTC) however, took it to another level ages ago - and their brutal rock'n'roll batucada offensive is sure to turn heads - these guys are welcome to hang with Rio's finest (Monobloco, Sgt Pimenta, etc etc).

I saw them (and not all of them either) tear it up with a hall full of primary school kids. They performed to the kids with just the same energy that they would to Lapa's roudiest punters - Shitot.

In another flash of cultural inspiration we nipped to 'nos do morro' last tuesday to watch their musical - 'Bandeira de Retalhos' - a story about an attempt to demolish a section of Vidigal Favela in 1977.

Powerful stuff - especially as the theatre itself is in the heart of Vidigal, looking out onto the very spot that survived the attempted eviction and demolition. Amazing acting and musicianship, in a venue that is a truly special place, representing a really exciting and fresh company - even though they've been around for years.

There ya go - coupla cultural reasons to get of yer arse.

Can´t get enough, of that funky stuff

I'd buy that for R$1!

A few of cool musical things have happened to me recently. A colleague needed a last minute replacement for a gig at Teatro Carlos Gomes and I was in the right place at the right time.

The gig was for 70s carioca funk outfit, Gerson King Combo and the vibe was great. Can't believe how much I've missed this style of music, and the chance to play with these guys at a busy theatre gig was certainly not to be missed.

Click here to hear what they are up to - what staggered me was the sheer diversity of the crowd - hip twenty somethings to proper old dears. Great way to spend the early evening. - And the best thing was that the Prefectura subsidised the event so that punters paid a mere R$1 to get in! - Fantastic. All part of the campaign to hold some of the commuters in the city until the congestion dies down. Are you listening Mr Mayor of London? (whoever you happen to be right now....)

Band is available as a 9 piece + gringo at no extra charge

So, with a rekindled desire to be attacked by phat funk, combined with the need to embark on wholesome and boozy outings while I'm home alone, lead to me going to see Band Black Rio at Casarão Ameno Resedá. This legendary funk outfit also delivered, and this time in a really cool venue near Catete metro, that makes you feel as if you've just walked onto the set of a Bacardi advert.

Can't recommend this place enough and R$40 seemed pretty fair given the quality of the venue and the calibre of the band.  I would definitely get over ther and shake your booty before the world and his funky dog starts queueing around the block to get in. (the restaurant downstairs looks good too). Not sure about the after show DJ though. Erm, actually I am. He was bollocks.

Maria Fumaça - A Staple of Brasilian Funky Stuuf - uuuuuhuu!

Now I just need a mortgage for the Maceo Parker tickets in June..... 

MORRO DE SÃO PAULO

After a hard year work work work, we decided to head north for a week. Ilha de Tinharé is a just off Salvador, Bahia, and the bustling port town of Morro de Sao Paulo is the place to do very little.

We flew straight to the Pousada Vila dos Corais from Salvador airport. This was an unexpected luxury,  but what a treat! - Always wanted to know what it felt like to be one of those swanky types stepping of the tiny executive flight. Now I know. It's pretty cool. The flight home was a different story - put it this way, zero visibility can surely only be fun in limited situations - and in my humble opinion, those planes (or any other vehicles for that matter)  - thoroughly deserve the luxury of being able to see.

Morro de Sao Paulo International Airport

Anyhow - the rest of the week was pretty straightforward - lovely food (all the dende scented delights you could hope for - best go easy on that stuff if you don't eat it that often!) - and stunning shallow beaches for toddlers to fill their buckets with little fish and crabs, rather than the more familiar species of empty beer can and crisp packet found on Copacabana!

(don't get me wrong - I love Copacabana, but the way some people just throw all their crap on the sand is starting to get to me. My latest in a long line of reasons for learning Portuguese more quickly is so that I can be brave enough to pick up someone's crap and give it back to them-- 'Oi, you slovenly bastard, I think you forgot something! - How about putting it in a bin so my kid doesn't keep pulling your cigarette butts out of his sandcastles? Have a nice day.')

Anyway, the Beach in Morro was stunning - our little guy complained at one point that the sea was too hot! - Poor little mite - I guess Brighton must be becoming a distant memory....

Anyhow as our delightful week of doing very little, the Christmas and New Year punters were arriving in force, and it looked like DJ Jane on the top of the hill was going to be in for several long nights. What a beautiful place to make your resolutions though - I only hope that the fire-wielding hippy chick we saw in the square manages to set fire her Catherine wheel-come-Hula Hoop in time. (on the night we were there, the breeze was posing a threat to her eyebrows and her sanity).

You dancing? You Asking?

Rio Scenarium  

 Rua do Lavrádio, 20, Rio de Janeiro (Lapa)

http://rioscenarium.com.br/

This place rocks. Moreover it does that strange samba wiggle that cannot be learned. It must part of Brazilian DNA or something.

The best thing about having guests is that you make an effort to get off the sofa. On Thursday our visitor were here for the night en route to Paraty, so we decided to hit Rio Scenarium. I've been meaning to go to this place for ages.

Tucked away in Lapa its probably wisest to get a cab rather than risk the stroll. Getting in is a bit of a palaver, and don't forget your photo ID (this is the only time I've needed any so far in Brasil). You get a consumption card and pay on the way out.

Once inside, its easy to see why the Guardian rated it one of the top ten bars in the world. The whole place is happiness itself. Dance however you want an sing along at will. This is uninhibited fun.  The decor is anything and everything, from collections of posters and pictures, to a red phone box (how did that get here?). Tourists and locals smile and get on with the serious business of enjoying themselves. We stayed while the band did their thing. The time just flew. I'm smiling now just thinking about it.

Its pricey, but so what.

You dancing? You Asking?



You dancing? - Reminded me of the young ones...

Rik - Viv are you dancing?
Vivian - Are you asking?
Rik - Yeah
Vivian - Well Piss Off

How To Show Off In Rio

Oh how proud I was last Thursday when I had another chance to show off my new home from home....

This time I was tour guide for one evening only, so I planned it down to the last drop. I have to say it went rather well - so if its a boozy whistle stop Copacabana type of evening you're after, you might want to try out something similar to this. Here goes.

Step 1...Fail (once again in my case) to catch the sunset at Arpoador. This time we were all there with time to spare. Unfortunately a coupla perfectly positioned massive annoying clouds were too. We grabbed a couple of cans and went to stand on the rock anyway. I have to say the surf was up. Bigtime. Seriously - guinness and old spice combined would have binned it all and started filming again. Personally, I couldn't find anyone to hold my tinny, so I had to stay on terra firma. Bummer dude.

Step 2.... Head off towards posto seis (where the big din was way back in February) for a cheeky caipiirinha at a kiosk. By far the best value and after a couple of beers, it should really help to get a buzz going.

Step 3.... Cross into the middle of Avenida Atlantica and peruse the art stalls and souvenirs while trying not to give away the fact that you're an entourage of tipsy gringoes. Blow your cover completely by walking into the lobby of the Hotel Othon Palace.

Step 4.....Take the lift up to the 30th floor 'Skybar' and have another caipirinha by the pool. (this is the point at which showing off my fluent portuguese to the wonderment of my guests fell flat on its arse when neither of our waiters had a clue what I was uttering). Incidentally, the loo is past the lifts and on the left (just to save you an embarrassing game of charades).

Step 5...... Head along Barrata Ribeiro to the wonder of wonders, the Pavão Azul. Order Pasteis (smashin deep-fried envelopes of happiness - the cheese and sun-dried tomato ones won this time). Drink shedloads of Antartica Original whilst stood around a stood in the middle of the pavement. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. Thursday nights may never be the same again.

Step 6....... At this point I decided that step 6 was to abandon my mates and go home before I did anything too daft (such as embarking on a one-man stag do and winding up swinging by my bollocks from the nearest lamp post - very wise Andy, very very wise. My how you've learned)

The rest of the entourage, however, powered on with the boozing and wound up jumping off a nearby cliff. 

But thats another story.

The Glorious Blue Peacock. Mwah.

Lapa it up...

Ok - not been there yet - and with no babysitter in sight it may be a while - it seems that Lapa is the place to be if you're a bright young party animal.

Don't be put off though - apparently being a bright young party animal has very little to do with your age. You just have to act like you're young enough to not have a care in the world.

Nifty website too... have a look    http://www.lanalapa.com.br/