samba kat's Rio Stories: My Mocidade

Saturday night I was still recovering from my MCC (Musical Confidence Crisis). On the advice of some smart friends, I decided to go somewhere where the music has always been wonderful and fun. Something special and unique to Rio that I could only do during Carnaval season. Somewhere where I could play and feel good. So I went to Mocidade!

This was my last time at Mocidade. I won't be able to attend their few remaining rehearsals between now and Carnaval. So it was precious for me. My last time in that wonderful green-and-white quadra, feeling that thunderous driving Mocidade swing, watching Jonas dance every cue (I love his leading style - he is as graceful and fluid as a professional dancer). Seeing my bateria friends. I don't even know most of their names... but I feel welcome there. Even the director who used to scowl at me, smiles at me now.

And it was really intense tonight. The crowd was HUGE. The amazing wildcat samba singer Elza Soares was there! Mestre Jonas was under constant assault by about 400 people who all wanted to talk to him simultaneously - jeez, I don't envy the life of an escola mestre right before Carnaval! The lead guy from Funk 'n' Lata was there with a TV crew, doing a huge feature on Mocidade, interviewing everybody. They were crawling through the bateria all night, with lights, boom mic, huge camera, the works, zero'ing in on Jonas, on little Bruno the repique player, on everybody. The new queen of the bateria was prancing around all evening in an astonishing glittery outfit - she'd finally won the Queen of the Bateria spot last week over another contender, after a highly publicized series of catfights, and was glowing with triumph. We were bathed in spotlights all night. Everybody was a star!

I stayed the whole evening up in the bateria. I wanted to stay there as long as possible and soak up that wonderful driving Mocidade samba. I video'd for a while, till the bateria break; then grabbed a caixa, and played and played and played. The caixa felt GOOD tonight. Such a relief after the night before! I remembered how stiff and slow I was at the Mocidade pattern just two months ago. I couldn't even play it at their normal tempo, when I first arrived. But now - it felt smooth and solid, and I could play for hours. So, I guess I have improved after all.

Later I got bold about third surdo. I didn't wait for a free surdo; I took the other approach of getting on third, where you ask a player you know for a turn. I've never done that before, but I picked one of the regular third-surdo guys who kind of knows me, tapped him on the shoulder and gave him the series of gestures that means "can I take a turn on your surdo, later, after the next song?" He whipped the surdo off his strap and offered it to me instantly. I mimed "no, later is fine, you don't have to give it to me right now" and he mimed "go ahead and take it now!" So I did.

Back on third at Mocidade. It was wonderful, as always. And suddenly I was able to do a few more things! I've spent so much time watching third surdos here in Rio, watching and watching and watching them. I've made ... what ... thirty escola visits by now, this season? - and at every one, I stay for hours in the bateria, watching the thirds (and the repiniques!). And I've been playing third again in Banga this year, picking up some tricks from Rodrigo Maranhao and the Imperio Serrano guys; and got that 1 lesson with Jonas (just 1, all he's had time for, but it was a great lesson!) and have been playing next to him too, and studying him, and studying the other Mocidade players..... week after week.

And suddenly, last night in Mocidade, I could DO it all. Every third-surdo possibility suddenly seemed easy. It seemed obvious. It seemed simple. It was all just rolling out.

I even played chocalho for a little while later - I've never tried that in an escola - and found I could do that too. I have never played chocalho for real, in a group, though I pick one up at home sometimes for practice. This was my first try for real. I could do it! It was erratic, it came and went, and my arms got tired pretty quick. But I could do it.

So. MCC at bay for now. I CAN play third surdo and caixa better than I could before, so there. And even a bit of chocalho. I HAVE learned something here, this season in Rio. One step at a time. No need to chase the pro drummer boys. I am who I am, and I am following my own path and I'll just keep on following it.

And most importantly... it was fun. It was really, really fun. I was at home. I have a family there now, it was a hell of a party, and I had a great time. My Mocidade. Till next time, guys.

The view from the bateria: