Friday, 26th February 2016
Rose (clarinets), Len (tuba) and Katie (percussion) are all members of the same family who joined 10 other members of the band for a samba workshop social. Thanks to ‘the Tylers’ for this review!
We arrived at Readipop with nothing more than a pair of ear plugs and an enthusiastic smile. The evening started with a tutorial about the different drums and their role within the samba. Some parts were very simple, whilst others were definitely not! Three different sized drums provided the bass and foundation, with smaller drums providing a more interesting line over the top. Hand held percussion, including shakers and agogo bells, added further intricate rhythmic accompaniments. After the demonstration was over it was time for the hands on section of the evening. Gavin set up the bass and rhythmic accompaniment, then played solos over the top. We then learned to respond to his rhythmic signals. After a while we managed to lay down a real samba “groove” before it was time for a break.
Following a pause for refreshments we returned to create a new groove, however this time we all changed instruments. Once again, lots of fun for everyone as we followed the leader’s signals. By the end of the evening we had all had a thoroughly good time, and had learnt a bit about samba drumming. We had also learnt why we needed the ear plugs…!