Squaredancing with the Saints:  São João / Festa Junina  

April 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment
(poster for 6/8 show)

poster: Michael galen

“…So these three Brazilian saints walk into a Brazilian squaredance…”

It sounds like a corny joke, but Festa Junina — the traditional Guinness record-setting Brazilian festivals of Saints John, Peter, and  Anthony,  are the ‘high holy days’ of the rootsy, raucous and rhythmic accordion music  known as Forró (fo-HOh.)

You don’t need to buy a plane ticket to  experience forró firsthand.  z’Bumba’s putting on its own Festa Junina at  Secret Society on Saturday, June 8, with special decorations, costumes,  and dances.

The caipira (‘hillbilly’) makeover table makes its return to  augment the traditional costume– plaid shirts, gingham dresses, and overalls–to help you get into the spirit of the party.

In addition to  the band’s regular rebellious repertoire, the band stays true to tradition, whipping up the entire audience in a  giant quadrilha: Brazilian squaredance with a groove.

There is really  nothing quite like a roomful of beery, plaided Portlanders dressed like Brazilian hillbillies dancing  in a giant circle. Viva São  João!

Show Details

Filed Under: Shows

Enxuga o Rato!

May 2, 2013 By 1 Comment

Wednesday is z’Bumba rehearsal night at Casa Carlitos. Gaby and Blake were sick tonight, and it was nice out, so the remaining four of us just decided to go out back and make videos.

Enxuga o Rato is a kind of a forró standard, and it’s one of our favorites.  It’s probably a “folia de 8-baixos” an old-school instrumental played on a little eight-bass accordion.  It was written by José Moreno in the 70′s and covered by a million forró stars. Maybe that’s why we included it in a medley on our EP!

The title means “dry the rat.”  Various different people from various parts of Brazil told us what they thought it ACTUALLY meant. One Paulista said that it referred to a marriage-minded gold-digger (we believed him, so Jake once stumbled his way out of announcing that while we were playing a wedding gig)  A Carioca said it meant something like “Carpe Diem.”  A Capixaba told us it meant something like “Hop to it.” or “Git it!”

Finally, Jake asked Pernambucano Maracatú teacher Nininho.  Through various whistling motions, vaguely obscene gestures and a few well-placed words, Nininho implied that it had something to do with couples dancing forró real close, and that was all I needed to know.

Blooper reel is on the way.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Mayday! Mayday! [Brazilian] Dance music for the people!

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Mayday! Fasten your chastity belts, O Portland Puritans, for those Accordion Agitators z’Bumba are bringing a grassroots groudswell of grind to the Secret Society May 11.

Portlanders’ hips, those bony bastions of decaying decency, face an imminent musical class war with fearsome foe Forró (fo-HOh) music – the People’s dance music of Brazil.

Like a Zapatista’s zydeco, this Comrade of Cumbia is an accordion-driven revolution.  Relegated to the Underground for years, Forró has recently emerged bearing the troublesome trifecta of trysting triangle, bittersweet harmony, and that salaciously saboteuring São Paulo songstress Gabriella.

All upright citizens are urged to stay at home, drinking warm milk and watch Lawrence Welk reruns.

Show Details

Filed Under: Shows

A Triangle to Ring in the Spring!

April 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It’s that time again – Second Saturday! Here’s what we’ve got lined up:

An evening of Brazilian roots music with z’Bumba
and guests Banda ARRASTA
Saturday, April 13, 9:15p-12:30a
The Secret Society 21+, $8 advance/ $7 door
116 N Russell Street, Portland, OR, USA

Special guest Banda Arrasta’s thunderous drums herald the return of Demeter, serving up earth-shaking grooves from the city of Salvador, Bahia, breaking you free from winter’s dying clutches.

Once marginalized as ‘music for maids and taxi drivers,’ forró music, like spring itself is in resurgence, rebirth & revival.

The love child of zydeco and salsa, the cousin of Cumbia, this irrepressibly danceable music is sure to lift the grey veil from your sleepy senses. Synaptic-swift rhythms sprout from a ringing triangle while primaveral percussion pulses beneath the Aprilous Accordion of Zé Raiz. As if that weren’t intoxicating enough, the vernal voice and Portuguese poetry of Sao Paulo songstress Gabriella washes over you like that fresh smell after rain.

Come celebrate April showers with the simple, saucy two-step that is forró!

Filed Under: Shows