The essence of drumming.

There is nothing more to say about it.

Here's Elvin

The gaps between every time I write here keeps getting bigger and bigger , but anyway , just to let my self know that I'm still a live down here. Her is Elvin. I'm gonna study him next semester.

Transcription

This last week has been devoted to my first written transcription. That means , sitting down with a song, analyzing it and writing down every single note the drummer plays, in the right form of the song. Let's say , make a sheet music. Every kick drum, hi-hat, cymbal bla bla bla .
Man , I think I have never heard the same part of a song over and over again like this one, to place all the rim shots of maybe Brazils most talked about and respected samba drummer, Milton Banana , from this 60 's recording.
Have a listen at the song on this tube clip , and imagine writing the sheet music. Now I want to listen to some simple pop music for some days !

It's friday !

It's friday at last , and having spent last night at the MTV music awards party , with some of the most shitty bands in Brazil running off with most of the awards, I 'm in the mood for some Blue Monk !
Enjoy this one and have a good day :)

Aprenda a Tocar Pandeiro com Abraão Valério

The key to the language.. Pandeiro

I have mentioned earlier the Pandeiro , as an important percussion instrument in Brasilian music. I have been told over and over to think about the rhythm of the Pandeiro when I play Samba on the drum-kit, to get the language right. Now I am practicing this instrument alongside with drumming. So here is a nice little instruction video for you who wish to do the same ;)

It goes too fast !

Again, I can do nothing but drop inn for a quick try to write some lines about how it is down here , but as it is 23.30 and I just finished studying for the day, I once again leave you with a video, as a metaphor for how fast things are going here and how hard it is to keep up. So here is a Baião , that is a type of music we play , and at a speed that we should play.

Long time no write....

In these Facebook days I guess no one has been biting nails waiting around for another post on this blog , but anyway here it is.
I'm well two weeks into my return to Brasil. The semester started as the previous one, with a lot of things to do, and little time to spend on the internet. Maybe mainly because as I got back I joined a quartet to play jazz-funk fusion, and last night we had our first show , that left me with a little over a week to learn over 20 songs. So , today , after a show that ended at 03.00 in the morning , I feel kind of sick and tired of my drum kit. Knowing my self though, that will last approximately 24 hours.
Since I am also kind of tired to write I'm gonna leave you with a very nice performance !

Making of a video

This is the making of the Vespas Mandarinas Video. The video is now nominated for clip of the year on MTV here, hihi.
They needed a drummer for the clip, and I was in the neighborhood. All live.
Was nice to play some Rock after all the Samba.

Vespas Mandarinas THE VIDEO

This is Norway!

Well into my holiday back in Norway , I was invited to join my old band colleague Kenneth Ishak for an offshore live performance for his upcomming single. Enjoy;)

groove.no Rastløs #15 - Kenneth Ishak from groove.no on Vimeo.

Hamster style

Something I have not mentioned before is how good they are at making commercials for television down here. It's a lot of humor and always leave's you smiling.
This one from MTV is my favorite, against our preoccupation with the World Cup, and it's in wonderful Mexican-Spanish. Reminds me of when I had a hamster.

And they returned

And then they returned , the vuvuzelas, the fireworks, the cheering every time Germany scored a goal against Argentina today. As I am watching the game in my house, and as my brasilian esposa by my side says, it has nothing to with the fact that they like Germany, and all to do with the fact that they want their neighbor country to suffer!
Both times played well, Germany was better, but I have to admit that to their cold and strategic way of playing this game I prefer the passionate and artistic manors of Latin football any day of the week. Pobre Maradona , hijo de Dios.
I'm gonna make my self a fresh pot of Brasilian coffee, return to the sofa and cheer for Spain in the next game!

Finally silence

This city has never been as silent as when I walked home after seeing Brasil loose the game for Holland today. People just went back to work with a complete empty expression in their face. No horns , not even from the cars, that usually make a lot of noise with their horns regardless of any football game.
I must say I felt with them for a moment there, but heck , it's only a game !
Until next time , let's sit back and cheer for Argentina !

Just Like Heaven

On this picture that I took in-country Brasil , I think I got as close to heaven as one can get.

For you who think you can play drums.

The level of the musicians here is extremely high. This video is a must see , and pay attention around 5 min into the clip. The drum solo is by far one of the best I have ever seen!

Vai Brasil !!!!

Today I was invited to some friends house to see Brasil's first game in the world cup, against North Korea, and I was instructed to wear something yellow, green or blue. So 25 Brasilians and one Norwegian were glued to a big-screen TV . And when they scored the long awaited first goal in the second half, the emotions that were released in the room and all over the neighborhood were overwhelming. Fireworks after one goal says it all. During the game it was official national holiday for 90 minutes. Shops closed, rush hour was moved back from five to two o clock because everyone was going some place to see the game and all buses and metro stopped. I don't think there exists one single person here that does not like football. Vai Brasil !

Another week has passed since I last had time to sit down and write on the blog. But needless to say, here as in the rest of the world, I guess there is only one thing on peoples minds these days , FOOTBALL ! The world cup could might as well have been here judging from the mood in the city. Brasil haven't even played their first game yet, and people are going bananas! Earlier I wrote about the overwhelming differences here, but the one thing that unites these people is when 11 of them go some place, with yellow and green shirts, running after a ball. Every car , every bar , every corner you turn there are flags, horns , hats or any kind of effect that can be used to celebrate ..eh.. a world cup that for them starts tomorrow. God knows how it's going to be here when they are hosting the circus them selves in 2014 !
The last time Brasil hosted the world cup was in 1950. The final was them against Uruguay at Maracana. The newspapers for the next day were already printed, with the front page saying victory for Brasil . They lost ! The following week there was a considerable increase of suicides in in the country because of this, as they called it a tragedy.
Football , a game ? Here it's religion.

Welcome to the Jungle

Well , I mentioned before that there is only 10 % left of the jungle along the Atlantic coast. And it is still a lot.
These pictures are from the park next to my house. Although it's totally an urban jungle I move around in every day, it's great that we now and then can come here and be reminded where we actually are. And judging from the way the people here got asswopped by nature this year, seems like this element can take the power back when ever it wants.

To learn another language

I now find my self in a place where it is not only about learning the technique of playing Brazilian music, but about learning the language. It' s about loosing the accent that makes people hear that you are not from here. And the more you play, and the more you get into it, the harder it is to get a hold of the small details that makes you sound different from the rest. It's enough to play some sixteenth note in stead of others , and it right away sounds like an Americanized samba or bossa.
It's about hearing, speaking, thinking the language every day. It's about not having to pull out the dictionary every once in a while. Will I ever get there... I don't know. I more frequently feel lost than oriented these days, and need to remind my self to listen through a indie or folk album a day just to breathe a little.
Song of the week: Steve Winwood "Can't find my way home" .

São Paulo Sunsets

In the all so stressful everyday life here, it is important to appreciate the sunsets, and here I have seen some great ones. The one to the left I caught at some friends balcony.The right is the view from my flat. Enjoy!

Noisy street..

If you thought your street has noise. I think I mentioned before that I live across the street from a football stadium, and tonight Aerosmith is playing, and the view from my bedroom window is this photo. And sing along , Arma-get-it-on !

Well , Friday again. I am not managing to post things here every day as I wanted , but some days I barely have time to take a shower let along turn on the computer. I am now struggling with my kick drum technique. To play Bossa nova , Samba in medium tempo or even Baião it works with how i have played my rock foot for the last 15 years. But man, try holding down a steady samba at 120 bp with 16's on the hi-hat! There is only one thing to do, and that is to sit down and work with the feet, like I have done for the last weeks, for no less than 5 hours a day. It's so boring I want to throw up, but like my teacher says, God will not come down from heaven and do this for you , you just have to sit there till it works. And I am still sitting..
Well enough about me , over to Milton Banana(Antônio de Souza), who did this very well. He was a self taught bossa nova/jazz drummer. Played with João Gilberto and Stan Gtez, but I recommend Milton Banana Trio !

Hammond groove.

There is a part of the city that is called Vila Madalena. And here there is a place called Madeleine, and this place has a groove. Hammond groove . A trio with drums, guitar and a real Hammond B3 with a Leslie amplifier. They play a mix of jazz, funk with Brasilian music. Amazing sound comes out of this little oasis once a week, and last Thursday I was so lucky as to be asked to come up and play a couple of tunes with them. This was my very first encounter with the live stage in São Paulo ,and rounded it of with Sissy Strut by the Meters. Pfff....
Obs: It's not me on the picture. This is Wagner Vasconcelos , and he's really good!

Pandeiro

This week I am going to start learning a percussion instrument that is very typical in brasilian music. It is called Pandeiro . It is some kind of a tambourine , with skin in the middle. Often used in small groups with a couple of guitars. There is a certain technique to play it, that makes it sound like there are several percussion instruments being played at the same time.
I'll let you know how it goes ;)

This is where I spend most of my time..

Rhythm of the week.

Baião is one of my favorite rhythm´s that I have learned her. It is to play very fast and with a more simple foot pattern, it leaves room and energy for a lot of improvisation and swing with the hands.
It is also cool to change the drumsticks with some kind of percussion. I prefer the triangle ;)
The baião originated with the native peoples in the Northeast but now incorporates elements of indigenous, African, and European musics. A good introduction is to check out Victor Assis Brasil.
He was primarily a jazz musician, but his reportoare spreads well into Samba and Baião. If you can find a recording or live performance of Creek you are in for a treat.

Virada Cultural

Virada Cultural is a cultural event that takes place in São Paulo once every year. This is an opportunity for everyone to enjoy music, cinema and exhibitions without paying anything. Over 50 stages all over the city with all from unknown performers to some of the biggest names in Brasilian music.
The problem is choosing where, who, what end when. There are so much things going on at the same time that this is the day you wish you could clone yourself. For me the choice fell on Vale do Anhangabaú, which is a great spot in the very heart of the center of the city. On an open air stage the the thousands of people that had showed up could enjoy the legend Hermeto Pascoal who is a very important man here. He was a part of Quarteto Novo, that I wrote about earlier. He is one of the more innovative musicians of his generation. After him, entered the stage Airto Moreira, who is a very known drummer and percussionist. He also played with Hermeto , and after he moved to the Unitet States he recorded with Miles Davis among others.

Burbon Street

Yesterday I turned 32. And what better way to turn than to have your wife calling you saying that she heard on the radio that one of your favorite bands are playing in town. And so it went , I got to see Medeski, Martin & Wood. We were not allowed to take pictures so this will have to do;) Maybe one of the most creative fusions of jazz , funk , all kinds of noises and after last night ,punk , I have seen. Worth to catch if they play near you.

Today I decided to change.. the language of my blog. With all do respect, I thought about my many friends who are not Norwegians. And this should be for them also, to the ones who were my first introduction to this country. And to all of you, I´m not going to translate old posts. Consider this your first lesson in MY language . Now that I have learned yours ;)
This blog is about how I see the country of Brasil, through my experiences as a student in São Paulo. I am hear to absorb the most important part of the brasilian culture, as I see it, the music.
So Brasil through the eyes of a Norwegian, hens the name of the blog. I guess you all know what havaianas are. For those of you who live in warm places , Lusekofte is some kind of a wool cardigan , that is very typical in in my country, good for when it`s like 30 bellow zero. Here is a fine example. Enjoy!

Ukas Rytme.

Frevo - er en rytme som kommer fra en typisk marstakt, og kan minne litt om den første rytmen jeg skrev om, Maxixe. Frevo kommer også fra nord-øst, rundt regionen Pernabuco. De fleste rytmene kommer egentlig derfra, da det er der man finner størst befolkning med bakgrunn i rytmisk rike kulturer.
Frevo hører spesielt hjemme i karneval, og spilles veldig fort på skarpen , med basstromme kun på 2 i et 2/4 mønster. Men det er også flere fine kombinasjoner for resten av trommesettet.
Ordet Frevo sies å komme fra ordet ferver, som betyr å koke på portugisisk, og at lyden av Frevo får de som hører på og danser til å føle at det koker rundt dem.

Her studerer jeg

Var vel på tid å vise hvor jeg studerer. Konservatoriet ligger ganske midt i det komersielle sentrum av São Paulo. Dette er stedet for shopping , gatekafeer og bra restauranter. Alt som er dyrt. Enda godt jeg ikke har tid til å ta meg til noe av det. Det er ikke mer enn et par hundre studenter her, hvor av de er det ca. tyve utlendinger. Jeg er den eneste fra Europa. Ellers er det en god blanding fra Amerika, Korea , Japan , Singapore og Australia. Og alle vil lære brasiliansk musikk. Dette er noe de lokale elevene og lærerene setter veldig pris på, at så mange nasjonaliteter er her for å tilegne seg deres kultur på denne måten. Jeg setter pris på å få være en del av det !

Ukas Album

Dette er den nye skiva til trommelæreren min. Litt vel progressivt for at jeg skal gi meg helt over , men det er en del interessante ting her. Vi spiller f.eks to av låtene i hans bandøving på skolen. Floreando som er en samba i 7/8 som går over i 3/4 og tilbake igjen. Og tittelsporet Outono, som betyr høst på portugisisk. Det er omvent årstid her , så det er faktisk høst i Brasil nå, og jeg er forkjølet igjen:( Været skifter utrolig fort i São Paulo. Man kan nesten ha tre årstider på en dag, og regnet kommer som lyn fra klar himmel. Jeg har ikke kommet inn i rutinen med å alltid ha med paraply, så det blir mye vassing i våte klær, grrr..

Et katteliv.

Noen dager kunne jeg ønske jeg var denne karen. Når det er så varmt at jeg ikke orker å øve, men må! Da ser dette mer behagelig ut.

Ukas Rytme

Maracatu er en rytme som først ble brukt under under religiøse så vel som folkelige feiringer i Pernabuco (nord-Brasil) . Nå blir den mest brukt under Karneval. Tradisjonelle Maracatuer , er dansere som kler seg opp i fargerike drakter, spesielt fra Bahia. Denne stilen ble etter hvert populær også i sør-Brasil takket være komponister som Luiz Gonzaga , Jackson do Pandeiro og Carmélia Alves. Det som kjennetegner takten er ofte en dyp tromme som gjennomgående ligger på en åttendel synkope. Jeg liker denne takten veldig godt.
Den har mange variasjoner for både hurtig og litt mer lade back tempo . Bra å kombinere med vanlig samba, f.eks under en solo.

En helt vanlig dag i São Paulo, sett fra bilvinduet.

STRENGER

En e-streng, bare en e- streng, nei nei nei .
Jeg skulle ut og ha en e-streng til gitaren min. Og hva finner jeg ut...
De selger ikke bare en streng her, bare hele sett. Det betyr at hver gang noen ryker EN streng, ja , bytt hele settet. Jeg overdriver ikke her , jeg var innom 63 musikkbutikker. Det er en gate her som heter Teodoro Sampaio , som har den største ansamlingen av musikkbutikker i hele Latinamerika.
Kul gate, her kan man kjøpe hva som helst innen instrumenter, bortsett fra EN gitarstreng.
Kjekt å vite for de som har tenkt seg denne veien for å spille. Ta med strenger !!

Komedie

Man kan jo ikke bare drive med skolearbeid. Denne helgen brukte jeg til å spille i min første og sikkert siste komedie. De trengte da en til å spille en gringo som blir lurt av taxisjåføren.
Og hvem bedre enn en ekte gringo. Jeg fikk snakke på norsk og det synes de hørtes hysterisk morsomt ut , samme hva jeg sa. Her er noen bilder fra settet. Gringo på flyplassen , take 34 , action !

Ukas rytme.

Jongo- er en afrikansk dans hvor musikken primært spilles med perkusjon , spesielt litt større pauker. En av disse er kalles Caxambu, brukt mye i staten Minas Gerais. Dette er en urbredt dans i Brasil, særlig i nord-øst , da det er her det er mest befolkning med afrikansk opphav.
Siden Caxambu er et viktig instrument i denne dansen, mener folk at både Caxambu og Jongo er riktig navn for samme dans. For trommesettet er det en ganske kul takt, litt rar å spille i starten da den har noe utfordrene fotarbeid.

Viktig mann

Moacir Santos er et navn å bite seg merke i når det det gjelder Musica Popular Brasileira fra nå av kalt MBP. Framførte i dag , lettere nervøs og litt svett i neven , April Child , med en lettere " safe " trommesolo. Tar litt tid før jeg tør å dra på. Mer øving.
Men mye gode folk her som inspirerer.

Ekte Havaianas :)

Sauna for sjelen

Denne helgen har for det meste gått med til å pugge pugge og pugge mer. Do re mi fa so la ti do-do mi do mi la ti do. Ikke mye mer interessant å si enn det. Prøve i hørelære i morgen og framføring av tre låter. Alt på samme dag , hvorfor ikke..




Kunne ønske jeg var der jeg var i påsken. En liten pousada
(et slags hostel) noen timer nord for São Paulo. Var som å tilbringe helgen i bjørneborgen i Star Wars 6. Alt var bygget i tre, fulstendig integrert i jungelen. Og tenke seg til at det visst nok bare skal være 10% igjen av atlanterhavsmatten som de kalte det. Resten måtte vike for å bygge ut landet. Men fortsatt skal du lete lenge etter en flekk
som ikke er grønn.
Pousada Das Praias anbefales. Peace.

Ukas album

En god introduksjon hvis man vil sjekke ut litt brasiliansk musikk er Quarteto Novo. En instrumental gruppe fra São Paulo. En viktig del av bandet var Hermeto Pascoal. De laget kun ett album i 1967. Dette er gode låter, ikke for mye mas , tørt lydbilde og bra sving.
Stilen kalles Bajão. Det første sporet på skiva " O ovo " , skal jeg presentere nå på mandag sammen med en gruppe fra skolen.
Alle som liker godt gitarspill bør sjekke ut nylonstreng gitarsoloen på "Fica mal com deus".
God fornøyelse .

Tragisk...?

Nå sitter jeg og følger en tragedie på kloss hold , via TV´n , men likevel.
I januar var det São Paulo som druknet, nå er det Rio. Det er umulig å måle menneskelig tragedie opp mot hverandre. Man kan nevne Haiti, som er et av de fattigste land i værden og at tragedien der rammet de som hadde minst og en infrastruktur full av sprekker falt sammen. Moder Jord er dritt lei oss og nå skjer det samme i Brasil , i mye mindre målestokk vel å merker, men da igjen , hvordan måle...
Dette landet har alle de ressursene en struktur som vil og bør ungå dette krever. Ungå at hele åssider med hus på størelse med tippekjosker, raser ned og folk blir begravet levende. Hus som ikke burde vært bygget der i det hele tatt. Dette er de som har minimalt av det som skal til for å overleve og mindre. De som aldri kommer til bo noe annet sted enn i Favelaen. Urørt , er selvfølgelig jeg , naboen som har fetere bil enn meg, naboen hans som har eget hus ved havet og naboen hans som tar helikopter til jobben (São Paulo er den byen i værden som har mest privat helikoptertrafikk). Ukontrolert befolkningsvekst i et land som Haiti med påfølgende vaklende infrastruktur kan til en viss grad forsvares. Men ikke her. Forskjellen mellom ekstrem rikdom og ekstrem fattigdom er påfallende. Og når hele landet for noen uker siden fikk presentert på tv en video av en høystående politiker som tar imot bestikkelser i form av seddelbunker som han stikker ned i sokken, kan man jo lett tenke at alt håp er ute. Brasilianere betaler prosentvis mer skatt enn vi gjør i Norge. Nå er dette bare min helt uproffesjonelle mening om saken. Jeg har sutra mye om småting hjemme, og i forhold til det føler jeg meg litt dum nå. Det er deilig å være norsk !