It Goes To Your Feet: Alô Brasil - P.A.W. Print

A powerful and sensual cadence tantalized the crowd at Mt. Airy's North By Northwest (NXNW) on the night of July 3. The Brazilian rhythms seemed to emanate from the lushly costumed dancers as their bodies radiated the Latin tempo through the summer air. The audience was quick to bask in the energy of the music. By the time the cavalcade of musicians and dancers made its way to the stage, people were already on their feet, swinging their hips.

The music is impossible to resist. Percussionist Eugenio Rausa philosophizes, "It brings people back to the first drum they ever heard, the mother's heartbeat. That's what the percussion is all about." The fact that none of the members of Alô Brasil is a native Brazilian is proof that the recognition of this primal drum is universal. The band is comprised of musicians of all ages, from their 20's to 70's, who have, at some time, in their lives been smitten with the sounds of samba.

"I've always loved Brazilian music," says choreographer/percussionist Peter Bertini. "This is a dream I've had since I was fourteen years old." There is obviously something fulfilling about experiencing the music and dance of Brazil. As Bertini puts it, "I think I needed to go to Brazil and hear the samba drum. I would really regret if I died without doing that."


Eugenio Rausa. Photo, Mike DelVecchia.

Brooklyn-born Rausa explains that he became enthralled with samba when he traveled to Brazil as an engineer. "I went to work on a bridge project," Rausa says, "and stayed for 14 years… I came back with a wife and two kids." After the completion of the Rio - Niteroi Bridge and returning to Philadelphia in 1985, "every morning when I'd wake up, I'd look at the ceiling and say 'What the hell am I doing here?'"

But Philadelphia has a lot of opportunity and excitement for a samba-enthusiast. "You know, there are more cultural organizations in Philadelphia than in any other city in the United States," adds Rausa who insists that part of the joy that Alô Brasil gleans from its performances has been the band's opportunity to share its love of Brazilian music and culture with people who have never been exposed to it before. "What's great about it [is that] we played at the Union League, as well as for many Philadelphia-type crowds, and we got them off their butts. It's just unbelievable."

The band enhances the traditional sounds of samba with original ideas and improvisations. Some members, like pagode singer Alex Shaw, compose original songs. Other musicians, like guitarist and cavaquinho player Patricio Acevedo, create original arrangements. "We do a lot of our own arranging with the percussion... we don't improvise once we have something set. But the arrangements are really quite improvised. We've listened to a lot of records, a lot of music from Bahia. We try to bring music from different parts of Brazil." Alô Brasil fuses samba, music from Bahia, afoxé, batucada, and foarro from the northeast of Brazil, with a unique mix of reggae, African rhythms, and even funk. "We try to be quite eclectic about the variety of music… our repertoire is always changing."

Musical influences are equally diverse "We have people who bring to the group different experiences from Brazil," explains Rausa. "Because the musical scenario in Brazil is immensely varied, depending on the region, we're lucky that we have a band who has interests in different parts of that scenario."


	Peter Bertini. Photo, Mike DelVecchia.

Many members of Alô Brasil started playing together in the band Philasamba, which was formed in 1987. "After various splinter groups, we ended up with what we have here," Rausa explains, adding, "It's lasted longer than any of the others, so we don't consider it a splinter group any more." Some of the musicians became acquainted with one another while accompanying Brazilian dance classes at the University of the Arts, where choreographer Bertini teaches. Bertini and others had been members of the percussion and vocal groups Banda Bacana and Samba Nosso. The band Alô Brasil was born when Chilean guitarist Patricio Acevedo joined. Bertini recalls working with Acevedo, "writing songs that he could sing with the guitar. And that kind of set us in another direction - that's when we called it Alô Brasil." After working with keyboardists Marc Johnson, and Dan Kleiman (from the group Siora), the band eventually recruited Jeremy Dyen who joined a year and half ago. Rausa says it was a "magnetic attraction" that brought all of the talent together. The band's mission, "to assimilate Brazilian music to the public who has never heard it before," was realized when the gigs became more frequent, the drum-playing grew stronger and the stage show became more theatrical. "The response we've been getting is really so satisfying… People come in and they're real tight, but by the time we're through, their necktie is loose, their shirt is open, and they're doing things they never thought they would do," Rausa says.

The drum beats were heard even before the musicians appeared from the basement of NXNW and diffused through the clapping, foot-stomping crowd. The members poured onto the stage in the formation of a blusterous commune, while the dancers performed for the surrounding audience who had formed a circle on the dance floor. A smiling nod from a cavaquinho player to a vocalist signifying a cue, is played off as a showing of approval and glee. The positive energy is musical, they will have you believe.


Jeannine Osayande performs an African dance. Photo, Mike DelVecchia.

Rausa makes it clear that the band has no leader. "Certain people have different responsibilities, but when it comes to making decisions, it's really a consensus … it's been working very well and we've been together about eight years now." Bertini adds, "We've known each other a long time. We're like family... when we play together."

Perfection does not come without practice, however. Alô Brasil's performances may seem like a big celebration. "But there is a lot of hard work and dedication behind the scenes," Bertini explains. "We rehearse two or three times a week," says Rausa, who adds, "We don't just rehearse when we have a gig."

Alô Brasil has been performing monthly at NXNW for the past two years. The club's manager Frank Chism explains, "This is one of the most energetic and fantastic nights you are likely to get here in the city or any place in this region." Chism, who began managing the club last May, added, "Because of such amazing groups as Alô Brasil, NXNW is getting Mount Airy recognized as the cultural treasure it most definitely is."

Other recent performance highlights for the group have been at the 2004 Brazilian Carnival Ball at the Trocadero Theater. The show was sold-out, drawing a crowd of over 900 people. Another highlight was the Brazilian Summer Festival on June 27, where the group shared the stage with the Afro-Brazilian band Olodum from Bahia. "It was pretty exciting for us to play with them on the same stage," says Rausa, who echoes his laudation regarding his collaboration with guest musicians from Bahia at the July 3 NXNW show. Percussionist Giba Conceição, singer Lazzu Matumbi, and bassist, "Washington," rhythmically careened with Rausa and Bertini while the congas were jumping. Regarding the name "Washington," Bertini explains, "According to Eugene, very few people know Bahians' last names. They usually either go by first name, or nickname."


	Special guest Giba Conceição (left) and Eugenio Rausa at NXNW. Photo, Mike DelVecchia.

The music "goes down to the feet, and it touches everything along the way," Rausa explains. The July 3 show opened with an African dance number performed by Jeannine Osayande. Brazilian dancer Luciana Dio Prado followed with a samba. Other dancers who regularly perform with the band include African dancer Adrian Paul, and sambistas Ludmilla Williams. Rausa's wife Maria Lucia and daughters Andrea and Tamara are also featured dancers.

Rausa sums up the infectious nature of the group's performances with an anecdote. "Somebody stopped me once after a performance … it turns out he was a dream therapist. He came up to me and he said 'I want to tell you something. You make me feel so happy, and you make me feel so free, and you make me feel so sensual, and I don't think anything is wrong with it.' When somebody says something like that to us, I feel very good about it."

Alô Brasil will be performing on September 8 at the fourteenth Annual Rittenhouse Square Concerts in the Park. The show will run from 7 to 9 pm. Admission is free. For more information about Alô Brasil, go to www.alobrasil.net. For information on upcoming shows at North By Northwest, visit www.nxnwphl.com or call (215) 248-1000.

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