Tokyo

Tokyo is blessed with heaps of samba bands. I was told that it was something to do with a government sponsored cultural exchange programme, where the Japanese sent farmers to Brazil and got samba drummers and dancers in return. That might be the abridged version, but it sure sounds like a bloody good deal to me.

The city is massive and has spawned scores of samba bands to support happiness and joy amongst the teeming and thronging population. I remember the last Brazilian Ambassador to NZ, who was a solid Batucada fan, saying that the only two countries where he had worked, where he thought they truly got the joy and passion of the original (not just the technical and repertoire) were Japan and NZ. I thought he was being generous towards us because he worked here, but practicing with these guys, I reckon I now know what he meant.

I had a marvellous guide in the shape of Anri. I was whisked along to a six hour rehearsal (just thirty minutes more!) with Liberdade , in preparation for the upcoming Asukasa carnival - famous as the biggest samba carnival in the northern hemisphere. A shame I couldn't stay the whole month for the main event, but the gravity of reality was slowly pulling me back towards the nine to five.

There were loads of dancers, loads of bateria, lots of song, lots of laughs, and a metronome.
And we have another convert to the sacred brother and sisterhood of Batucada. Once you don the t-shirt there is no turning back.

I also did a midweek samba soiree to see Saude play near my hotel. I would have been foolish to pass the opportunity up. I was greeted with ripping Manguiera from Yokohama and a bunch of my old pals from Liberdade. Whoop!