Entertainment Archives - Samba Jig Productions

May 31, 2018June 4, 2018

Announcing our first annual Samba, Choro & Jazz Concert Series

Samba Jig Productions is excited to announce our first annual Samba, Choro & Jazz Concert Series for Fall 2018. The series brings four critically acclaimed international performing artists to the Washington, DC metropolitan area. These artists represent the highest level of samba music and choro (an instrumental Brazilian jazz). This year’s artist line-up includes the Hamilton de Holanda Trio, Neguinho da Beija-Flor, Choro Das 3, and the Brazilian Strings Trio.

The 2018 Samba, Choro & Jazz Concert Series was created by Samba Jig Productions founders Pablo Regis and Kate Spanos, in partnership with the The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland. The series engages audiences in the Washington, DC metropolitan area with a creative and talented roster of Brazilian performers. This is the latest effort in Samba Jig’s work to bring more Brazilian artists to a region that is typically overlooked when they tour the United States. In addition to the concert series, Samba Jig will offer interactive workshops with the artists and moderated pre-show talks with local experts on Brazilian music to foster audience-performer interaction and learning. (Details forthcoming.)

Brazil’s diverse music, ranging from cool bossa nova jazz to percussive Afro-Brazilian rhythms, has played an influential role in shaping global and American music, as well as received influences from around the world. The 2018 Samba, Choro & Jazz Concert Series opens the universe of these Brazilian music genres to DC area audiences, and brings these visiting artists in touch with new publics. Each of these artists demonstrates a unique take on samba, choro, or Brazilian jazz, exemplifying just how rich, fun, and interactive these genres are.

For more information about the series, please visit www.sambajig.com/2018series

August 9, 2016May 31, 2018

Monobloco in DC/Baltimore

We had a blast at the Monobloco percussion workshop at the Ambassador’s Residence at the Embassy of Brazil in DC on Wednesday! Thanks to Ambassador Luis Alberto Figueiredo Machado and his wife Maria Angelica Ikeda for hosting, and cultural attaché Jean Karydakis for helping us organize the event. We had tamborins, caixas, repiniques, agogôs, chocalhos, and surdos, and we learned to work together to create a pretty groovy sound! The evening ended with a stunning demonstration by Monobloco that brought smiles to everyone’s faces and samba steps into our feet.

Monobloco talks through some theory and technique

Students learn a basic rhythm on tamborim

The concert at the Creative Alliance was the dance party of the year! The caipirinhas were flowing and everyone was on their feet dancing, jumping, and singing. Chants of “Para porque? Porque para?” led to a 45-minute encore that brought Monobloco into the crowd, carnival street-style! We plan to bring Monobloco back next year, so stay tuned.

Thanks to Alex da Luz from Barbecue Brazil for sponsoring the event and providing food for the band. We showed them that they are always welcome here in Washington, DC!

Check out videos from the events:

Monobloco works with percussion students at a workshop at the Ambassador’s Residence at the Embassy of Brazil in Washington, DC.

Monobloco joins the crowd, carnival-style, at their concert at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, MD.

Check out more videos on our Monobloco in DC playlist.

January 29, 2016May 31, 2018

Live music at the Grill on Sunday 1/31

Come to the Grill from Ipanema in Adams Morgan neighborhood in DC for live Brazilian music! It is Restaurant Week for the Grill, so don’t miss out on this offer for a $35 three-course dinner. Plus you get to listen and dance to some lively samba, choro, forró, bossa nova, and other Brazilian music styles!

Check out the band’s rehearsal video for a taste of things to come:

November 30, 2015May 31, 2018

CyberTrad

The SambaJig team, Kate & Pablo, saw the innovative and refreshing CyberTrad music project last week 11/21 at Carroll Cafe in Takoma Park, DC. The show was a musical exploration on combining traditional styles of Irish and Breton music with hip hop, Quebecois, and funk. The combination of different styles, old and new, analog to digital is a most interesting topic for us. CyberTrad is a refreshing demonstration of how thoughtful rhythmic collaborations can take place across genres and cultures. The performers explored the differences between their styles through the common language of rhythm, and they remained sensitive to each other’s traditional forms while, at the same time, daring to innovate on those traditions.

The ensemble is led by Matthew Olwell on several different types of flute and percussive dance, and features Shodekeh Talifero on beatbox, and Aimee Curl on vocals and standup bass. We were excited to learn that the the show was one of several performances CyberTrad have before recording a CyberTrad album, which should be out in 2016.

July 28, 2015May 31, 2018

Samba Jig on stage

It’s a busy week of rehearsals for Samba Jiggers Pablo and Kate this week!

Check out Cissa Paz & Friends on Thursday, July 30th at 10pm at Bossa Bistro+Lounge in Adams Morgan. Cissa will be joined by Pablo on cavaco, Lucas Ashby on drums/percussion, and John Lee on guitar. Get there early for Dee and Amtchat’s samba de gafieira (partner samba) and forró (Brazilian two-step) dance lessons at 7:30pm so you can tear up the dance floor when the band takes the stage.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/857546004334186/

Washington Sound Museum Hip Hop Meets Ireland

On August 1st and 2nd, see what happens when Hip-Hop Meets the Music & Dance of Ireland. This collaboration between progressive hip hop artist and beatboxer Christylez Bacon and Irish sean-nós dancer and musician Shannon Dunne explores the connections between African American and Irish percussive styles. A variety of guest musicians and dancers (including Kate!) will join Bacon’s Washington Sound Museum orchestra this weekend for what is sure to be a unique and exciting show. Show times are 8pm on August 1 and 3pm on August 2 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in NE DC.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1625558094351309/