Forro In The Dark - Dance, Groove and Musicianship!

I hope all of you can check out the Ottawa Jazz Festival and if you do, do not disregard the different venues - each one has a very specialized program and all of it is really high level. The one stage I haven't talked about much is the OLG late-night stage. This is the party stage, a place where we stretch the boundaries all within the confines of good taste of course. One of the bands coming is an incredible band from New York City... one that embodies the spirit of New York in fact. What I mean by this is that Forro In The Dark is based in Brazilian dance music but carries characteristics that could only exist in New York City.
For instance: Jorge Continentino is from Brazil, lives in NYC plays saxophone with great energy and dexterity and plays a traditional Brazilian wooden flute called the "Pifano" as though it were a saxophone. This may seem like nothing special except that the pifano is a diatonic instrument (a G flute will have only the notes of the G major scale with a variable 3rd), and Jorge has figured out how to play it with half-whole to give it the possibility of all twelve notes. This is something you do not see or hear every day and makes this band very special.
Mauro Rofesco, one of the percussionists in the band is quite busy when not with this band... he can be found playing with everyone from David Byrne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Brian Eno, Jesse Harris and the list goes on.
When the band started, one of the key members was Smokey Hormell - the great guitarist that has played with Tom Waits, Johny Cash, Robert Plant amongst others.
The band is rounded out with Davi Vieira on percussion and vocals, and Guilherme Monteiro on guitar and vocals.

If you are into dancing, this will be great for you and if you are into music, this will be equally as satisfying!
Do not miss this!!!

Here are a coupe of videos, one with Smokey and one with Daivd Byrne:

 

 

Forro In The Dark is performing
June 24th at 11:15pm at
OLG Stage, Festival Plaza