Sambas-Enredo Listening Party and Potluck: November 27!

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Now that the official 2014 sambas-enredo for the Rio samba schools have been released (see CD cover below), EEDS is having a small party to celebrate the occasion!

Join us in our class space, the Skydeck Room, 2nd Floor of the McGaw YMCA at 1000 Grove Street in Evanston on Wednesday, November 26 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm to celebrate the 2014 Rio samba schools. Bring food to share as we listen to (and dance to!) all the new enredos for 2014. Hope to see you all there!
Sambas de Enredo 2014 CD Oficial

Pictures from Open Rehearsal

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Last Saturday, November 16th, there was an open bateria rehearsal at the Quilombo Cultural Center. It was great to see percussionists from all across the samba community in Chicago come together to jam. We covered ijexá, coco and samba batucada beats. Thanks to everyone who attended – it was a lot of fun! These rehearsals will be occurring monthly, so keep an eye out on this blog (or on Facebook) for the next event.

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November Update!

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Hey!  Let’s catch up with some current events!

Over halloween some members of Bloco Maximo and EEDS headed to NYC to play with Samba New York! for their Halloween Parade.  It was a blast!  Here are some pictures and videos.

NYC 2013

Other Information

  • Yesterday was another great rehearsal at Quilombo Cultural Center.  Almost too much fun!  (More on that later).
  • Check out this recording for reference of current EEDS material: 

Upcoming Events

  • This Friday (Nov. 22nd) Pagode Maximo will be playing in Chicago at Borelli’s Pizza 6:30 – 8 pm. (2124 W. Lawrence).
  • This weekend there is a pretty awesome event, the Zumbi Celebration, organized by Gingarte Capoeira at the University of Chicago: check out: http://www.gingartecapoeira.org/ for more information.

Zumbi Celebration Schedule

Friday, November 22nd
Location: Gingarte Academy 1501 W. Chicago Ave. Chicago IL
6:30-7:00pm registration
7:00-9:00pm warm up and opening capoeira Roda

Saturday, November 23rd
Location: Ida Noyes Hall 1212 E. 59th St. Chicago IL 60637
10:30-11:00am registration
11:00-12:30pm capoeira workshop
12:30-1:30pm roda
1:30-2:30 Lunch break
2:30-3:45 dance workshop

Performance and Film Screening Saturday evening
Location: International House 1414 E. 59th St. Chicago IL 60615
5:30-6:00 doors open
6:00-7:00pm Show
7:15-10:00pm Palestra/documentary/dinner

Sunday November 24th
Location: Ida Noyes Hall
10:30-10:45am registration
10:45-12:00pm Dancas do Quilombo wokshop
12:00-1:15pm Capoeira workshop
1:15- 2:00pm break/food
2:00-4:00pm closing roda

-keep swinging hard

Rehearsal @ Quilombo # 2 this saturday (11.16.13)

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Brazilian Percussion Rehearsal this saturday November 16th
Let’s get this party started!!!
Quilombo Cultural Center (1757 N. Kimball Ave. 1-3 pm)
$5
All Levels Welcome
Introduction to Samba Rhythms and Technique
Members of EEDS, Quilombo, and Bloco Maximo will be in attendance. Bring a friend!
*message me if you need an instrument.

we are hitting every 3rd saturday of the month. last time there were 18 people there. lets make it 36!

facebook event here.

Mostra Brazilian film event Sunday, Nov. 3rd

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The Mostra Brazilian Film Series in Chicago starts tonight – and there will be many FREE Brazilian films in the next few weeks throughout Chicagoland. You should definitely check out the schedule. Some members of Evanston Escola de Samba is going to a film on Sunday, O Dia que Durou 21 Anos (The Day that Lasted 21 Years) , a documentary about the dictatorship in Brazil, and you are invited to join the group. The film is free – but you need to register and print a ticket for a seat.

Where: Facets Cinematheque (1517 W Fullerton Ave. Chicago, IL 60614)

When: Sunday, November 3rd, 5-7 PM

Afterward we will grab a cup of coffee/tea and discuss the film. While the film is not rated, its subject matter is probably not appropriate for children. There is a children’s film event earlier on the 3rd.

Open Bateria Rehearsal in Chicago this weekend! OCT. 19th

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Mark your calendars:

  • Open Bateria Rehearsal in Chicago this saturday (october 19th) from 1-3 pm
  • @ Quilombo Cultural Center (1757 N. Kimball Ave.)
  • $5
  • All are welcome.

more info here.  All Levels Welcome.  The class will serve as an Introduction to Samba Rhythms and Technique.  We will work on some new styles, cover some old styles, but mainly have LOTS OF FUN.  Members of EEDS, Quilombo, and Bloco Maximo will be in attendance. Bring a friend!

*message me if you need an instrument. reedflygt@gmail.com.  608.434.3173.

Introduction to Ijexá

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As EEDS Bateria Class is in full swing, our mestre Reed is introducing the class to a bunch of new styles. Last week we began learning Ijexá, a traditionally religious style that features a distinctive, heavy agogo pattern layered over polyrhythmic percussion. Ijexá (named for a subgroup of the Yoruba people in Nigeria and Benin) is the name given to a series of sacred rhythms in Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion based on Yoruba theology. At EEDS, we’ve adpted the rhythm to a secular performance context, just as many groups in Bahia and Pernambuco do. These groups are called Afoxês, and there are a bunch of famous ones in northeastern Brazil (the secularized music they play is also called afoxê). The Afoxê Oxum Pandá in Olinda is one of the best known, and the most popular is probably the Afoxê Filhos de Gandhy in Salvador. For a great taste of ijexá, check out this great video from the Afoxé Oyá Alaxé in Recife, and their praise song to Oyá.