Ginga and Ginga Grande: News

If you were there on the mall yesterday evening, you know what an amazing time it was to witness Boulder's first Brazilian Samba Batucada parade! Thirty musicians playing the bateria instruments marching the mall, stopping here and there to do mini shows. And a large crowd followed us down the mall dancing, clapping, smiling. We marched to the Laughing Goat where Ginga Grande played to a packed crowd, surrounded by a wall of singing and dancing fans, roda de samba filling the room with percussion, song, and energy!! We are all rather blissed out!! First Thursday of every month!!

To all of those that came out to Dazzle last night, thank you!! You were part of making our first shows at Denver's top jazz club a great success. The early show was sold out and the late show was nearly full. The enthusiastic audiences gave us a lot of energy to play our best, both instrumental and vocal music through both shows. People danced, many sang with us, nearly everyone clapped in the clapping parts of the pagode songs, people literally erupted in applause at the finish of some of the high-energy Brazilian jazz pieces. What a great time!! And a big thumbs up from the Dazzle management who want us back for a regular monthly slot. They are trying to put us in the Thursday June 11 date. We'll confirm that as soon as we know. Spread the word that Ginga is part of fostering a Brazilian scene in Denver. We need your continued support to make this work!!! See you at the next show...

The band had a great time playing last night at Dan and Diane's abode, a venue to many, many bands over the years. Once we got going, we didn't stop for two hours, mostly choros and pagode. We had the honor and pleasure of having Ty Hammes join us, hopefully one of many more evenings. Certainly Ginga's crowd is not used to seeing us in a house concert setting. It is way worth attending them to get the full flavor of the band, up close, not loud, you can see us sweat.

Join us for our monthly First Thursdays at the Laughing Goat in Boulder, CO (www.thelaughinggoat.com). Ginga Grande is the band, comprised of ten musicians playing the indoor samba music of Brazil. We sit samba de roda (samba circle) style around a table and the audience can come right up to the band, dance, sing with us, clap in the clapping sections of songs, and enjoy the authentic Brazilian experience. Ginga Grande is playing is support of Instruments For Change, an organization raising funds to purchase flutes, clarinets, and saxophones and send them down to Rio to supply a couple music schools with needed instruments. These schools are providing a musical education for the impoverished children of Rio's favelas. Your generous donations of dollars and/or musical instruments will go a long way to providing a way out of the favels for these kids. Join us March 5, April 2, May 7, and June 4. Summer First Thursdays are likely, too!!

Hey Ginga fans! Please join us DECEMBER 19 for an evening of music, dance, song, percussion, beer, wine, celebration of the solstice, or the holidays, or Friday!

We start at 8pm at The Laughing Goat at 1709 Pearl St., Boulder and will likely play till they make us stop. Admission is free, but we request your donations.

Bring your dancing feet, your vocal chords, your love of Brazilian music. Sing with us if you know the songs! We'll even have the lyrics set out. If you know the percussion parts, we may have you join us. We'll be playing samba, chorinho, pagode, maybe even some bossa nova.

The lineup: Greg, Francisco, Bill, and Raoul

ALSO:
Let us know if you are interested in joining a developing, beginning bateria. We are looking to have between 20 and 40 people in the ensemble by the end of 2009!! We're talking about a whole surdo section, a caixas section, a repinique section, and of course, the tamborim section, and the bells.

Ginga at the:
thelaughinggoat.com

December 19, 2008
8pm

We look forward to seeing you there!!

The band

Okay, so the main thing is Ginga is playing Tuesday night as always at the St. Julien. We are having a grand time, tending to play more instrumental Brazilian and Venezuelan music in the first half and more pagode in the second half. Lot's of people have been dancing as pagode is very moving for the samba.

Perhaps the top-ten Ginga question #8 should be What Is Pagode? Well, it's going to have to wait since our Monday night rehearsal just ended (at midnight) and sleep is calling. We worked on a bunch of new material, as usual. Sometimes it takes several weeks of rehearsals to get a piece up to presentation level, but we sure have a great time in the process.

So . . . come out and hear us, dance with us, sing with us (or start learning the pagode songs and join in). Remember to plan your party or gathering for a Tuesday evening with us at the St. Julien! The band is already hired and paid for. You can't beat that, for sure.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The band

So Ginga question #9 is "What's the itty-bitty guitar that Francisco plays?" At the risk of being way too didactic, here it goes.

The shrunken guitar that Francisco frequently plays is called a cavaquinho (ka-va-keeng-you), or more commonly called a cavaco (ka-vok). Little four-stringed guitars are found around the world, including the quatro of Venezuela, the requinto of Spain, and the ukelele of Hawaii, obviously related from way back. In Brasil, the cavaco is used in several styles of music including choro (shore-roo) and pagode (paw-goa-gee), both of which we play in Ginga. Choro is instrumental music with long, fancy melodies and pagode is the chorus singing with percussion. The cavaco has a cutting sound which lends itself to be both a harmonic and a rhythmic instrument. It is as much a part of the percussion sound as any of the drums or shakers. If you watch Francisco's right hand as he strums the chords, you'll see that he is playing a confusing looking rhythmic pattern that is essential to the sound of Brasilian music, a series of notes on and off the beat that gives the music its lilt. Combine that with the rest of the instruments and it makes you want to dance the samba.

So enough of that, already. Just come out and hear us play.

Tonight, at the St.Julien Hotel: 6:45-9pm. You never know what's going to happen. Last week we were surprised and delighted by two visitors that sat in with the band, a Brasilian guitarist/singer (lives in Florida now) and a Brasilian drummer/percussionist (just moved to Boulder). And, yes, we had a lot of fun.

See you there!

The band (Ginga)

#10 - How do you pronounce "Ginga?"

Okay, okay. So our name isn't very easy to pronounce. In fact, I think there are as many ways to pronounce "Ginga" as there are ways to pronounce Greg LaLiberte's last name. One of the common Ginga pronunciations is with both "G's" spoken as a hard "G." This, in fact, is how to pronounce the well-known Brazilian guitarist/composer, Guinga. Another common pronunciation of "Ginga" is with the first "G" spoken as a soft "G," for instance how we say "Jar." I even heard someone say Ginga with both "G's" spoken with that kind of soft "G." It sounded like "Gin-Jaw."

The proper first "G" in Ginga is similar to a soft "G" but with more length to it, as in adding vocal vibration to "Shhhhhh" the same way we add vocal vibration to an "S" to make a "Z." No English word comes to mind with this sound, but think of the way Italians say "Parmesan." The "S" has a lengthened soft "G" sound. The rest of the first syllable is pronounced like "Sing" and the second syllable is pronounced with a hard "G" rhyming with "Saw." That comes out to: ggg-ing-Ga. Maybe we start spelling it "gginGa." Was that clear as the meaning of the word "obfuscation?"

So . . . now that you know how to say it, come out and hear it. We play tonight (Tuesday) from 6:45-9:00 at the St. Julien, no doubt fireside in the lobby. We are getting the sound quality dialed in nicely. Last week we heard nothing but compliments on that very tricky of tasks for us since the lobby is full of flat, hard surfaces that ricochet the sounds back and forth.

The lineup: Greg LaLiberte, flute, saxes, percussion, vocals
Francisco Marques, guitars, cavacinho, percussion, lead vocals
Bill Kopper, guitar, percussion, vocals
Bijoux Barbosa, bass
Raoul Rossiter, drums, percussion, vocals


We are adding new material every week, lately especially more pagode (another word to figure out how to pronounce). We also enjoy playing your old favorites if you can hum a few bars. Or dance it. Or describe the song's form and key center.

Remember, have your birthday or any kind of party with us. The band and the service is built in and you can just hang out and have a great time.

We look forward to seeing you!

Ginga is pleased to have a very special guest this Tuesday, singer Sonya Vallet. From Madrid, she is more recently in Baltimore, so we are lucky to have her with us. She is a powerful singer and we are looking forward to playing some great music with her! 6:45-9pm at the St. Julien Hotel.

No telling at this point whether we will be playing inside or outside at the St. Julien. It's great either way.

Here's to putting a thought in your cap: When you are next planning a gathering or party, have it with us at the St. Julien. People have been doing this more and more recently and it has been great fun. Food and drinks are served, the music is provided (that would be Ginga!), and you can't go wrong.

We love playing our music for you!

The band,

Francisco and I (Greg) had the pleasure of attending the California Brazil Camp this August, 07. It was truly one of the most amazing experiences either of us has ever had. It was a musical high the entire week where we studied percussion, singing, samba dance, pagode, cavaq, Brazilian Jazz, and much more from dawn to dusk astounding musical happenings. Incredible people, incredible musician, incredible food, the whole thing was beyond first-rate!! We will try to get the whole band to go next year, perhaps two weeks for some of us. I am counting the weeks.

Yes that's right! Greg is back and the band has a new start time at the St. Julien -- 6:45 pm. We still play to 9pm. Actually, it will be a different sort of full band. Raoul is gone for a night and we will be blessed with the pandiero talents of Ty Hammes, a gifted percussionist that plays with us whenever we can get him.

Next Tuesday Francisco and Greg will both be in California doing some intensive Brazilian training at the California Brazil Camp, playing music 24/7 for a whole glorious week. Brazilian dance, percussion, singing, playing in ensembles, training with some of the great names in Brazilian music. They will bring back some great energy!

So, come down to the Julien and enjoy the warm evenings, the cool drinks, and the hot sounds of Ginga. Every Tuesday.

Sincerely,

The band

This evening we have our regular Ginga lineup with Greg, Francisco, Bill, Bijoux, and Raoul. Next week will be a bit different with Greg and Francisco gone. Ginga will have special guests Sonya Vallet and Jeff Jenkins for an evening of spectacular music making. Sonya is described by some as an unparalleled bossa nova singer with tremendous energy in her voice and Jeff is one of the region's premier pianists. Come out to the Julien terrace, enjoy the music, the summer air, the incredible view, the music, the food and wine, the music . . .

We look forward to seeing you!!

The band

Ginga's usual Tuesday is a Wednesday this week at the St. Julien, so come out to see us and the fireworks on July 4 with special guest, Mark Diamond! Mark is one of the premier acoustic bass players in the region and it is a thrill to have him play with us. He is super fun! 7-9pm on the terrace (or inside in the event of poor weather).

We have been truly blessed to have had the pleasure of Rony Barrak playing with Ginga this past month and a half. Since his visa expires shortly, he has to leave us soon but not without one more amazing time at the St. Julien this Tuesday, June 26, 7-9pm. Also, we will have the great honor and privilege to have Ken Walker with us on Tuesday. He his one of the premier bassists in the region and steps into Ginga for the evening, which is a real treat for us.

It is with great pleasure we announce that Ginga will have a very special guest performing with us at the St. Julien, Tuesday May 29, 7-9pm . From Lebanon, Rony Barrak came to Boulder as a featured guest for the Conference of World Affairs at the University of Colorado. He has since adopted Ginga (or we have adopted him) and we have been enjoying some great musical adventures together. Rony is a true master of the dumbek and he finds wonderful ways to enter into the Brazilian and Venezuelan music that we do. It is an amazing experience to hear him play the dumbek, creating sounds that are fresh, surprising, and inspiring.

We may be playing inside or outside, weather dependent. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

The band

Please join us for Gonzalo's final performance with Ginga before he returns to Venezuela. His father will grace the stage, as well, for some great music on the Terrace at the St. Julien Hotel this coming Tuesday, May 15. 7-9pm. Come join the fun and honor Gonzalo with us. He is a treasure and will be greatly missed.

The band . . .

Tuesday, May 15, 7-9pm
St. Julien Hotel
On the Terrace

What we intended to be a concert at Nissi's turned out to be more of a party and Ginga rose to the occasion. The audience was enthusiastic throughout and gave us a standing ovation at the end, one of five that Nissi's has ever had, according to owner, Teresa Taylor. She is working her calendar to get us on another date, likely in June or July. It was a treat to have Gonzalo Teppa's father, Francisco, playing with us and we look forward to more opportunities in the future to have Gonzalo and Francisco back with us. Because Ginga seems to appeal to listening ears, dancers, and the party crowd, at the next Nissi's performance we will enjoy trying to accommodate all through changing the seating arrangements. Be sure to get your tickets early next time as there were many that didn't get theirs before it sold out. We are also looking forward to scheduling an actual concert somewhere soon.

Come out and sip some wine
Every Tuesday at the St. Julien Hotel
7-9pm

For the late night crowd
Wednesday, April 25 at the Reef, Boulder
9:30pm-12:30

Yes, the Nissi's tickets are going. Get your tickets at nissis.com as soon as possible to assure your spot for our performance next Thursday, April 19 at 7:30pm. It will be fun to hear the band in a new place in a concert setting. New Brazilian and Venezuelan pieces, new original compositions, vocal pieces, features, batukada, and more. It's a great opportunity to enjoy what we do in a fresh venue. The lineup for the evening will be Greg LaLiberte, Francisco Marques, Bill Kopper, Gonzalo Teppa, and Raoul Rossiter.

Nissi's, by the way, serves wonderful food and drink, and we encourage you to support them by enjoying what they have to offer. It's a great room for music and it will be a plus to get Ginga in there on occasion.

Come out to the St. Julien to hear Ginga on Tuesdays from 7-9pm. It's less formal and a great way to meet up with friends and family and enjoy the St. Julien's improved service.

We love to play our music for you!!

The band
gingaband.com


Nissi's tickets: nissis.com
Thursday, April 19, 7:30pm

St. Julien: 9th and Canyon
Tuesdays, 7-9pm

You may have heard that Gonzalo has left the band, primarily to finish his masters degree at the university. And he is heading back to Venezuela for a while. It has been a difficult transition for us in many ways, as his sound and way of playing was key to who we were as a band. We move on, though.

We are very pleased to announce that officially Bijoux Barbosa has joined the band. He has been playing with us for a number of recent performances and loving the band. He is an amazing bass player and brings a very high level of musicianship to the group. Having grown up in Brazil, he has a real affinity to the music we are playing. Look for pictures and his bio soon.

You may be the first visitor to the Ginga website. Welcome! We are pleased to be finally up in the internet world as fans have been asking for this since last winter. Besides the refrain, "Do you have a CD?" we keep hearing the refrain that goes, "What's your website?" Wait no more. We are here!!

Your ideas for Ginga are welcome in the guestbook. Your thoughts, genuine guidance, gig referrals, repertoire suggestions, style of shoes we should wear, etc. Anything that can help Ginga move forward is welcome. Send us your emails. We want to know you are there.