Maybe it’s reminiscent of the beating heart I heard while growing in the womb, or perhaps it’s a primal connection to deep earth? Whatever it is, good percussion equals me dancing and slapping my thighs. Loving good percussion means loving Latin music. And loving Latin music means loving the sizzling-hot, Santa Cruz-based band, SambaDá.
I came across SambaDá by chance when our dear publisher, Mayumi, asked me to go see them at the Crystal Bay Club last month. I didn’t expect much as they were the opening band. Yet, from the moment I entered the Crown Royal Room, I was immediately blown away. SambaDá is a seven-person, Afro-Brazilian-Samba-funk band that knows how to bring down the roof. Each member of the band moves and shakes with the music, often changing from their own instrument to their neighbor’s. The bass tones mix harmoniously with drums in a traditional Samba beat, ringing through to your bones so that you cannot help but sway, shake, and shimmy. All in all, it’s what I would characterize as verifiably ‘happy’ music.
After the show, I was addicted. I bought their newest release, ‘Salve a Bahia.’ Honestly, I thought this album would be like all the other Latin albums I have bought (you know, the ones you buy because they say ‘Latin Music’ and yet have only two or three good songs worth listening to). However, I was greatly surprised. Not only does the recording capture the essence of funky SambaDá, but the CD is complete with great music – not one bad song! This CD is top-shelf material.
The songs of Salve a Bahia are sung in Portuguese with English translations in the CD packet for all of us Moonshiners who love to learn other languages. Dandha Da Hora, born and raised in Salvador, Bahia, sings lead vocals with a mystical tone that transcends eras. Band member and SambaDá songwriter, Papiba Godinho, (born and raised in Brazilia, Brazil) adds warm vocals and guitar. Though not Latino by birth, each of the other members are integral pillars to this samba foundation. In addition to a traditional trap drum set thumping away in back, there is an incredible saxophonist who hits all the right notes at the right time, a rocking bassist, and two versatile percussionists who play all those fun and obscure Latin instruments we all fought over to play with in Kindergarten.
If you don’t have a chance to catch SambaDá up here regularly, then Salve a Bahia will successfully fill the ‘Latin-music’ hole in your life.
SambaDá travels up and down the California coast so you are likely to catch them in any major coastal town. See them on at the Truckee-Tahoe Earth Day Festival at Squaw Valley for free at 3:30 p.m. sambada.com
~ Devout Moonshiner, Sara Zimmerman also squeezes drumming into her life, playing drums for The Last Levee. Lastlevee.com
