SambaDá workshop in São Paulo Brasil, July 18 2009

SambaDá has landed in Brasil. We have been running around trying to get all the last minute details together for our big show in São Paulo that paid for our tickets to ge

t down here.... but we had time to teach a

couple of workshops

for kids in some of the outskirts of this INCREDIBLY huge city.

There are more than 20 million people living in São Paulo. It is HUGE. To the right i

s the group of children we did our first workshop with. It is in the city called GUARULHOS. This group of kids played very well already, so we brought them some new rhythms from a song that Dandha sang with them. Here are some more memorable pics from this workshop:

This girl had a great time playing... she is 18 and has been playing with this group for a number of months. She was always making great eye contact with us as we all played together with a huge smile. Absolutely radiant.

Behind this little girl is a man who has composed many songs for two very famous bands in brazil, Olodum and Ile Aiye. He heard the kids drumming and came to the workshop. One of the leaders of the group invited him in and he started playing and singing,

and he was so into it... which surprised me, in a very touching way.

We spoke after the class, and he greeted me with open arms. People were amazed to see a band from the US coming to their little neighborhood, a band of different races, ages and genders coming together to share music and a message of cultural identity through music. It fills me with the feeling that I am part of a global community.

Bon Voyage

JULY 13, 2009

We leave for Brazil tomorrow morning!

I just bought a brand new MacBook for some friends down there, along with a new version of Pro Tools 8. They are going to be on the extreme cutting edge, cause down there, there was only one store in all of bahia that sold or worked on Mac computers (my h

ands down favorite).

We played a wonderful show last Saturday night, hosted by Bill from

Moes Alley. He gave us all the

door, and we raised an extra $2500 for the trip!

Bill also has donated a 3 microphones and this guitar... signed by Buddy Guy among other blues legends:

JULY 6, 2009

This is a whirlwind! I turn 30 years old, now off to brazil. We come home august 1 and then I get married, and honeymoon in Europe for a month. Here is my mama and I sitting right

where I was born 30 years to the minute... july 6, 12:27 pm 1979... Love you mama!

My folks still live in the house they built starting

over 30 years ago in Bolinas, California. I was born there, and lived there for 18 years till I moved to Santa Cruz. My parents got it going in the golden age: I think my dad payed $6,000 for 1/2 an acre in the 60's.

What will I say in 45 years?

JULY 4 GYPSY PARTY IN MENDOCINO.

This party was more than fun. Every aspect was amazing. Aine and I had a blast dressing up, I got to wear EYE LINER!!!! What a treat! There were lanterns everywhere, and everyone was so dressed up it was too good. SambaDá played an awesome set... the music felt good. It was as if we were all living off the land for real, drinking wine out of the barrel, and eating wild boar off of the fire.

They had this great Gypsy Wagon:

What a way to spend the 4th! No fireworks or drunken fights, or cars, just a bunch of gypsies out in an orchard. We believed that we were living the life!

SambaDá and Ile Aiye Bahia 2009!

What a dream! Today I was on the phone with the founder of Ile Aiye, Vovô... who is helping put this show together, and also getting our whole band to get from São Paulo to Bahia. It is a total dream come true.

We are leaving Tuesday, and today I made a couple of mixes of songs that I never really finished, which I started in Bahia, February 2008. I have been working quite hard since then in the studio on many projects, so never had a real chance to turn one of these songs out.

My good bro Ramnes (ham-e-seis) from Ile Aiye recorded a couple of raps with me...

I am trying to repair a hard drive recorder to bring down to dandha's brother... we will see what happens! SambaDá is going to play a benefit on Saturday night at Moes Alley in Santa Cruz to raise money for the trip.