Samba Ja Photo Album

Whiteaker Block Party 2009

quigmatta — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:18:11 GMT

...just happened. I love the poster this year!

Group shot, Winter 2009

Ashley — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:48:59 GMT

Peace March 2008

Ashley — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:47:16 GMT

Our bucket drumming friend busting a move. Photo credit Kristina Moravec.

Peace March 2008

Ashley — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:44:43 GMT

The funkiest nun ever. Photo credit Kristina Moravec.

MEMA World Music fest

Ashley — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:42:17 GMT

Descending upon Sweet Cheeks Winery, July 2007

HONK!FEST WEST!

quigmatta — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:23:45 GMT

Samba Ja logo

quigmatta — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 23:18:50 GMT

Bloco Amazinha, 2nd Eugene Celebration Parade, 2002.

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:42:53 GMT

Featuring the "Statue of Liberty" cosumes made primarily from scrap materials (Thanks, Burley design collective!) by Joan Connolly, the flags and banner sewed by Susie Lunas, we won both best of show and best music that year. We also got a really nice article in the register guard, who sent a great photographer and a great journalist. This really peeved the Weekly, who did not send a photographer or a journalist. Photo by Susan Detroy.

Glow Stix Carnaval 04 at UO Gym

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:25:57 GMT

Someone on the Students Helping Street Kids (www.helpthekids.org) board had this idea about a bunch of glow sticks. I throught it was the goofiest thing I'd ever heard and I gave poor Andrea a lot of unneccesary grief about it. It turned out to be really cool. Photo by Craig Volpe (www.volpephoto.com)

Willagillespie Madness

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:24:04 GMT

Another shot from back in the day. As if saturday mornings at Willagillespie Elementary wasn't enough Bloco Amazinha, some of us also did a weeknight class for beginners. Dave and Tina helped teach, and Jonathan came along 'cause he rocks.

CarnavalBrasilCozmic04

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:20:35 GMT

I can't remember which time this was, we played that house so many damn times. I think we moved the tables forceably that time and one of the managers almost took off Steve's head with a pizza wheel. Pictured: Jake and former members Kimbé and Miokk "Flossin the Ice" Miller.

Take Back the Knife Show

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:17:17 GMT

Too bad they didn't want to pay us to play the knife show AGAIN at 7:30 in the morning at the fairgrounds. We descended upon the bare-walled and floored cavern replete with aging vets, mastodon tusks, and shiny blades. They were stunned and mildly appreciative. In this picture we're shouting "Shake it 'til you break it Samba Já!" Celebrity former members include PR genius and surdo matriarch Shelley, as well as Ashley Adagio, who later graced the cover of Portland Monthly as the rock-star bass drummer of March Forth. Photo by Dennis the Knife (collector.)

Oregon State Fair Chair Lift

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:07:20 GMT

They really thought it would work to put half the band on the people mover chair lift thing that goes all the way across the state fairgrounds in Salem. It was insane. Truly insane- the band, spread out in twos over five cars - was spread out over seventy-five feet - the kiss of death for good timekeeping. Somehow, mostly by sight, it stayed together. I couldn't say no to Tia, the presenter who'd booked us - I'm a sucker for a firecracker in a cowgirl hat (not to mention a crazy scheme.) We got to rode over the whole state fairgrounds playing samba in the air. The country bands below us were NOT stoked, especially the bozos who, upon starting "Margaritaville," we drowned out intentionally. The latinos working the kitchens knew what was up and gave us big ups from below!

Sylvia, Seven, Phoenix

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 06:02:07 GMT

This used to be our dance team, before their mad sexiness made people's heads explode and they all either moved away or had giant families. Sylvia's back in Florianopolis. She once gave this advice to a male student in a dance lesson: "You say, 'I am a Man, and I want You, and I KNOW YOU WANT ME!" Seven R Allele is back in NO, and Phoenix is great with her third.

Can I be the mustard?

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:57:45 GMT

Plus, check out Ji-oshus Crist rollin' NO style in the back. I miss so much during the parade! Craig Volpe, photographer: www.craigvolpe.com. (We got Craig passes for him AND his 'assistant' for the 06 parades, but he 'missed us.' maybe we'll have a few more of his pictures from OCF 07.)

Jasmine and the Beach Towel

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:54:00 GMT

You know, we love Jasmine. She doesn't come to a lot of shows, but she looks a lot more Brazilian than the rest of us. Plus, she's awesome. I bought this beach wrap thing that looks like a flag on Copacabana beach in 2001. Later that afternoon it disappeared. Saul later confessed that he had to borrow it to get with his lady. We use it like a flag in parades, and, until now, I was the only one that knew that it might still have some real Brazilian funk on it.

Dancers at OCF, 2005

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:47:22 GMT

Meadow, Jules, and Dunya (left to right,) parading with SJ at the Oregon Country Fair, 2005. Photo by Craig Volpe (www.volpephoto.com.)

First Filbert Festival - Springfield

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:46:01 GMT

An upstart journalist from the coast took this. She was trying to start a magazine about the music scene on the coast. Naturally, this led her to come to where it's really happening - SPRINGFIELD!! We were still called "Bloco Amazinha," a name that managed to be both unpronouncable by americans and incomprehensible to Brazilians, so it must have been summer 2002. Nikki Demitrius, former Lions of Batucada drummer, talented dancer, and now a LAWYER, made a surprise guest appearance with us!

BradAlain

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:42:32 GMT

From the vaults! taken with a toy keychain camera - this is Brad Famoso of Roseburg High fame and Alain Despatie, now of Sound Druids and the Big Yellow Box. This was our first "Earth Day" parade downtown, sponsored by DEMI. We went into the alley afterwards and, deep in rock-out sesh, unknowingly drowned out the Peace Choir from 50 yards away.

Jam Basa

Polvao — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:31:35 GMT

We submitted this photo of "another" band - along with a completely false bio - to the Eugene Weekly so they'd at least print the picture. It worked!

Get Out The Vote!

quigmatta — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 12:33:34 GMT

Halloween party 2006

Eugene Celebration 2003

michaelblanco — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:18:16 GMT

Samba Ja group shot at Eugene Celebration 2003