Extended samba family (written for TESS newsletter)

After eight months travelling, I'd started to feel a serious drumming twitch. Perfectly timed, a series of events (set in motion by the lovely Emily 'Kiwi surdo' Efford') led me to be standing earlier today with a caixa at the hip, sticks in hand, waiting for Wellington Batucada (WB)'s weekly rehearsal to start. Just like remounting a bike, all it took was the opening 'Dah-grrr, dah-grrr, dah-grrr, dah-grrr' from the leader and... well, let's just say the swing is definitely still there.

My first proper samba venture outside the secure embrace of Edinburgh Samba School (TESS)-landwas just what I needed. Just as with TESS, WB welcomed and accepted me, no questions asked. The whole vibe is so similar to TESS. I found myself closing my eyes and on opening them being very confused to see silver drums instead of the familiar red/orange/yellow ones.

I was going to write a long and tedious list of comparisons, but for once decided to restrain myself.

Instead:

I've been told about the 'samba family' effect by veterans, but this is the first time I've experienced it myself. I went to two hours of a WB party, a 2-hour rehearsal and an hour in the pub. Those 5 hours have strengthened my view that Wellington could become a definite candidate for temporary home for me (and presented me with at least 3 projects I had to resist getting involved in and a personal challenge to lighten up the WB caixa/snare section, and find a decent Brazilian DJ for them).

When I picked TESS over the university choir a year and a half ago, little did I know that, not only had I joined something that would give me so much enjoyment and great friends, but that, more than almost anything else I've been involved in, I'd found something that enables potentially any city in the world to so quickly feel like a home from home.

If I've now gone too soppy on you, well, tough. I wasn't wearing earplugs so my head's probably gone a bit weirder than usual. Oh, and if anyone's interested, they play samba way too fast too. Just as it should be!