The Groove Kitchen
The Lions of Batucada has broken its habit of rehearsing regularly, deciding to be an elite performing group that throws a few big-ass, bad-ass samba parties each year instead of having an ongoing rehearsal schedule and small-format group. And so we are in the midst of forming a new group that we call Groove Kitchen, as that is the title of our google group. So far we have met a few times and have decided that the group will be piloted by a 5-member steering panel. The group must elect its panel based on a 100-word statement about who each nominee is and what they bring to the table and where they want the Groove Kitchen to go.
Already the rehearsals have gotten frustrating, with the band playing too fast too soon, rushing still further, and going through our first 3 or 4 breaks repeatedly without attention to dynamics or feel. We need to give more attention to individual players, making sure everyone is improving and playing right, and focus on listening to each other as we play.
With the Lions I played surdo, but while I love it in a grooving group, I got tired of hearing the band blissfully not-groove while unable to affect it because I was on 1st or 2nd. So when I finally arrived at the terceiro I felt at least I could help the feel and keep the tempo steady and laid back. But for Groove Kitchen I play caixa because I feel like that was where the groove was lacking. So I’m reluctant to go back to 1st or 2nd surdo, where again I will have no effect on the feel of the rhythm.
Now I have been nominated to be part of the steering committee and I have to decide if I want to do it, when what I want to do with a new group would be more progressive, preferring a small-format ensemble with melody instruments and singers, playing songs.