Gafieira Big Band at California Brazil Camp this August

As you probably know, I have been teaching at the California Brazil Summer Camp located at Cazadero in Northern California for a number of years. This is a great opportunity for all those who are interested in the many aspects of Brazilian music, as it offers a week-long immersion program, combining percussion, guitar, piano and ensemble classes as well as dance and Portuguese instruction. The daily jam sessions have become legendary as well.

For this year's second session (August 28 - September 3), we are working on a new concept: Gafieira Cazadero, A Brazilian Gafieira big band. Gafieira is the name given to the style of ballroom samba dance music as played by legendary Brazilian orchestras, including Severino Araújo's Orquestra Tabajara, Pixinguinha's Orchestra, Banda Mantiqueira and many others. The focus is on assembling a line-up of musicians who will work with me during the week, culminating with an all-Camp dance on the last day of the session. I am preparing arrangements of some of the greatest samba and baião classics of all time, combining traditional material with contemporary compositions. The focus is on great grooves, expanded solos and ensemble textures.

The intrumentation will be as follows:
5 saxophones (2 altos, 2 tenors, 1 baritone - doubling on flute, soprano, clarinet, and bass clarinet welcome)
4 trombones (tuba welcome)
4 trumpets (flugelhorn doubling welcome) Rhythm section ( bass, drums, piano, guitar, percussion)


We hope to also have other instruments, guest vocalists and soloists participating. This promises to be a great way for advanced and beginning musicians to become more proficient in phrasing, articulations and soloing options within Brazilian music styles. Basic sight reading skills are required. I intend to post the parts as PDF files online before the beginning of Camp, so players can start practicing the music ahead of time.

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Camp's web site at http://www.calbrazilcamp.com . You will be able to sign up for the Gafieira Cazadero there.

I hope to see you at Camp this year, and I am looking forward to a great musical experience.

Obrigado,

Jovino