Samba Elégua profile picture

Samba Elégua

Toronto's sexiest samba ... con fusion

About Me

Samba Elégua's instruments and rhythms draw on elements of Brazil's samba tradition, but this free percussion group also plays original beats, unites audiences and communities, empowers cooperative musical learning, and brings rump-shaking funk to the streets. We've played everywhere from warehouse parties and nightclubs to Cherry Beach to a bajillion parades and street parties.CONTACTING US: most DIRECT way is to email info (at) sambaelegua (dot) com. Re: MySpace messages -- we will get them, but it's not our primary contact method. This goes double for any booking inquiries. Thanks!MUSIC: More tracks on our Web site's Listen page. (We removed our music from MySpace for some time, but it's back up in sampler form. Why did we do that? Check out CBC Radio 3's Blog post on the matter.)(TESTIMONIAL) From David and Irving of Promise (Toronto events newsletter "for friends, and friends of friends"): "Thanks for New Year's Eve [2005/06]... The night went even better than expected. The highlight moment must have been when there were about 4-500 people packed into one of the rooms for Samba Elegua's midnight performance. They were awesome and when their mc [Esef] took the mic the crowd went absolutely nuts. The energy was invigorating and it's the kind of moment that makes you want to throw parties forever. Thanks so much."MEDIA: We've been featured in staff picks (music events) by alt-weeklies NOW and Eye, in Toronto Star and Spacing magazine photos and on CBC Radio's Metro Morning ("What's Goin' On").Info for new members here . This entire project is a peoplepower kinda collaboration so shout at us and let's make something happen, from DJs to accordion players we are open to ideas.CD info: A steal at $7 Cdn, this is a live collaboration from summer 2004 at the annual Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market , a car-free music and community event series. The CD features Samba Elégua with Rich Underhill and the Kensington Community Horns and other guests* on guitar, bass and accordion (*Well, okay, they also play in the band, but this time they weren't drumming :). Also see ReEvolution Day Arkestra in our MySpace friends list (or link here ), with shouts and much respect to Streets Are For People ! ( Finally, please ask before posting ads or we are likely to delete them.)Myspace Layouts
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Music:

Member Since: 5/6/2006
Band Website: sambaelegua.com
Band Members: Director: Jonathan Rothman. Director of Special Projects: David Arcus. Founding Director: Itay (Ty) Keshet. Recent Past Managing Director: Raphi Roter. BAND: We play in sections: shakers, bells (agogos, salsa bells), tamborims, surdos and caixas, plus the leader/whistle on repenique, and we do have sectional leaders and facilitators as well as members who have played in the group since it began nearly five years ago. More than 100 individual, wonderful souls have rotated through this collective, with a large Toronto-centred base and a recurring cast of cool kids who throw it down. Stay Tuned to our Web site for a page for all members who have rocked it with us, and who still do, and who would like to check it out!
Influences: Samba batucada, samba reggae, samba-funk breaks plus rhythmic experimentations, fusions and innovations drawing on various Carribean, Cuban, west African, Middle Eastern and north American tidbits. From dancehall to polka, Masmoodi touches to Bossa beats, we've been known to play around. Breaks. We like breaks. No DJs involved in ours though ... so far.
Sounds Like: While we may share open approaches with other samba-derived groups worldwide, our particular innovations on the bateria formation are unique. Collaborations and Affiliations: Rich Underhill and the Kensington Community Horns/ The New Kings (we share stages but also form (like Voltron) into the Re-Evolution Day Arkestra along with them), residents MC Esef on dancehall ragga and Rick on accordion, and others.Events around Toronto include Reclaim The Streets, Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market, Night of Dread parade, Toronto Pride parade, Cherry Beach Sundays, Darfur actions incl. Day for Darfur, Motionball gala (Special Olympics fundraiser), Canadian Book Expo gala, Toronto Island Party, World Car-Free Day, Nonviolence Festival and the Cannabis Week Festival.The group has University of Toronto Student Affairs Council group status.
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Tonight at Lula Lounge

Maracatu Nunca Antes is hosting a year end party. Samba Elegua will play.
Posted by Samba Elégua on Sat, 30 Dec 2006 05:10:00 PST