March 26, 2017

Today I get by, with a little help from my friends. Up early to go play at the Sao Salvador roda, only to find out my amp isn’t working. Somehow it got messed up on the flight here, and I didn’t check it earlier so now there is nothing to be done. So I head out, with Iziane who has heard about the roda but has never gone. When I arrive, there is a cord and a slot in an amplifier for me– miraculous, and we have fun playing the tunes I miss so much when I am in the US. It is great to be back in Sao Salvador square, which has even more people and stalls selling crafts and food and drink and CDs than before. I see some old friends, make some new ones. Later in the evening I go with R. to a new roda at a bar right in our neighborhood. He plays, but I just want to watch the first time. Nice for me, the regular flute player is out, and they have invited a bandolimist I don’t know, Fredie, who has an interesting and original style. The music is good and it turns out that I know one of the players from a different context– we were both part of a festival in Rio where I played North American classical music. He makes me promise to play next week and I am happy to agree. Home late after a long and fun day of choro music.