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Monday, January 30, 2012

My First International Race: Corrida de Belém


Usually when the streets of Belem are eerily quiet and I'm disregarding traffic signals, I'm in a speeding car avoiding a possible assault at a stoplight late at night. (Don't be alarmed. This is common practice in Belém and in many other cities throughout Brazil.) Still, it was a funny feeling yesterday morning trotting down the middle of empty streets, running red lights and not having a care in the world- except staying hydrated, so I could finish the remainder of the 10-kilometer Corrida de Belém.

Monday, January 16, 2012

MOZIK Release Party: Brazilian flavored jazz

MOZIK release party at Drom
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Doors: 9pm, Show: 9:30
Tickets: $10-$15

MOZIK is:
Gilson Schachnik / piano,keys
Mauricio Zottarelli / drums, percussion   
Fernando Huergo / bass
Yulia Musayelyan / flute 

Gustavo assis Brasil / guitar 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Bebel's Blooper at the Highline Ballroom

Red shoes.
Photo credit: sidewalkshoes
To kick off its 2012 season, SummerStage brought a killer line up to the Highline Ballroom this past Thursday, including nu bossa sweetheart Bebel Gilberto

Bebel began her headlining act with a disclaimer that she was nursing a broken pinky toe, so it was no surprise when she kicked of one of her red high heels during "Sun is Shining." The crowd even cheered as the shoe came off Bebel's foot and landed beside her. The second slipper didn't come off as gracefully, however. It flew off the stage and landed in the audience.

Brazilian bum bum at New York City's Annual No Pants Subway Ride

Photograph: Thomas Donley for Time Out New York
 From Time Out New York:
For the eleventh year, thousands of subway riders stripped to their skivvies for Improv Everywhere's annual wintertime prank. Bare-legged participants in three boroughs journeyed to Union Square, all the while acting as normal as possible to bemuse their fellow passengers. For the first time, there was an official after-party, hosted by Winkel & Balktick at the Greenwich Village Country Club. The strictly no-pants event featured a pants check, minigolf, No Pants Dance Squad and underwear-themed decor.
See more photos from the No Pants Subway ride and after party at: http://newyork.timeout.com/things-to-do/own-this-city-blog/2459359/photos-no-pants-subway-ride-2012?cmpid=twit

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Brazilian Music Showcase at Le Poisson Rouge January 9

If you are a lover or student of Brazilian Music, this event is your one-stop-shop! 

I've seen drummer, composer Maurício Zottarelli play at a number of venues around New York City, including the critically acclaimed Blue Note jazz club. I'm far less familiar with the other names in line-up but am eager to experience their music for the first time. 

Here's a full description of the event from the organizers:
Beneath and beyond the stylish Bossa Nova, the iconic Tropicalia and the contagious Batucadas that make up the collective wisdom on Brazilian music, there pulsates a vigorous ecosystem of creators, stemming from different regions of the country, drawing from off the beaten track roots and plunging into the universe of awe inspiring masters from past (Jobim, Caymmi, Villa Lobos) and present (Hermeto Paschoal, Guinga, Chico Buarque, Egberto Gismonti) while fully exploring the freedom of digital age. 
The official Brazilian APAP-NYC 2012 showcase is dedicated to this scene. Starting at 10pm on the 9th of January at the Le Poisson Rouge, audiences will be presented to composers such as Pedro Moraes and Mauricio Zottarelli, instrumentalists and arrangers, such as Sergio Krakowski and interpreters such as Mariana Baltar and Paula Santoro. It´s a new scene indeed, in which the familiar seductive beauty and rhythms of Brazil walk hand in hand with explorative musicianship and risk taking. 
One of such musicians, who´s also the curator of the showcase, is 32 year old singer/songwriter/guitarist Pedro Moraes, from Rio de Janeiro – an “Electro-samba adventurer” (NPR.ORG) whose CD Claroescuro was deemed “one of the top 10 world music CDs of 2010” (Boston Globe). Moraes has been touring extensively to the US, Europe and Asia since 2007 and, with his mastery of Brazilian, Latin and self-created rhythms, and deceptively organic melodies which hide “unexpected rip-tides and strong undertows” (Evangeline Kim, writer for NatGEO), has been establishing himself as an ambassador of this generation. 
This is a general admission event. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first seated basis. There is a two item minimum per person at all tables. Standing room is also available. We recommend arriving early.
Artists
Mauricio Zottarelli Quintet Critically acclaimed and award-winning drummer and composer. Brazilian Contemporary Jazz. “Outstanding – Much more than drums, cymbals, and drumsticks. 4 stars.”
(O Estado de São Paulo”, Brazil) 
Paula Santoro Jazzy, passionate and daring, the Minas Gerais born singer has become one of the most acclaimed Brazilian singers of last decade, both in Brazil and in the European jazz scenario 
Pedro Moraes Electro-Samba adventurer (NPR.ORG) 
Mariana Baltar Embraced as one of the leading, most sophisticated names of samba and Brazilian Popular Music, “strolls resourcefulness along the melodic and lyric spring that marks the paths of a new generation of composers.” (Jornal do Brasil)  
Sergio Krakowski w/ Choro Funk 32 year old Sergio Krakowski, one of the best Pandeiro players in the world, with his self-developed real time Pandeiro/laptop interaction software, in the ChoroFunk project.
Explorative Brazilian Music at Le Poisson Rouge
Doors: 9:30 PM, Show: 10:00 PM
Advance tickets: $15 ($20 at the door)
Event and ticket information: http://lepoissonrouge.com/events/view/2919

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Diogo Nogueira at S.O.B's January 7

I last wrote about Diogo Nogueira when he performed in New York in July at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing. Now, the soccer pro turned samba star is back in the Big Apple, this time at S.O.B.'s in Soho. 

So what's new with Diogo since he last graced the New York stage? 

In November, he kicked of the third season of "Samba na Gamboa," his weekly television program dedicated to samba music and samba masters. Diogo further expanded his TV presence with guest performances on two top Brazilian TV shows,  telenovela Fina Estampa and teen series Malhação. For the reality sports show Nas Ondas de Itacaré, Diogo took to the waves of southern Bahia with pro surfers Guilherme Tripa and Pedro Scooby and helped the teams competing in the show compose songs that best represent the spirit of the waves of Itacaré. 

On Saturday, January 7, Diogo Nogueira brings a bit of Brazilian sunshine to New York, heating up the stage at S.O.B's with his award-wining samba/pagode. 

Diogo Nogueira at S.O.B.'s
Saturday, January 7
10pm (9pm doors)
Tickets and event information available online