Anjos da Lua
December 04, 2003

Anjos da Lua (Angels of the Moon) is one of the most grooving, interesting, unique and fun rodas de samba (a small group that plays around a table) in Rio today ... period. I remember when I first got here back in April, 2001 and they were playing at Emporium 100 on a street called Rua do Lavradio every Wednesday night. It would get going around 10pm or so and got until 2 or 3am. The place was always packed and the vibe was incredible ... on a Wednesday!

View gig flier (thanks Duda!) »

I filmed there several times for my pandeiro documentary and started to know the cast of characters. I remember getting to sit in a bit back then, but my arm was still bad and I really wasn't ready yet anyway.

Emporium 100 closed a while back and Anjos da Lua stopped playing altogether. The band is made up 6 people: Eduardo Gallotti, Pedro Miranda, Sandrinho, Pedro Hollanda, Rubinho Jacobina and Mariana Bernardes (but there are always a few other people sitting in as well). The important thing to mention is that all of these musicians are quite special as individuals ... as singers, instrumentalists and composers. Sandrinho alone, playing tan-tan and singing is a one man show ... amazing.

I remember hearing this group and thinking, "Man, I'd really like to get to the point where I could arrive at this gig and be welcome to sit down and play". Well, guess what? It's happened already.... just took a few years. I now arrive and I'm told to grab a chair and jump in.

A new place opened up called the Democraticos Samba Clube in Lapa and every Wednesday night ... Anjos da Lua! Return of the Wednesday night that blows away any Saturday night I ever had anywhere else in my life. I was there last night, sweating like a dog and playing pandeiro de nylon (a plastic head pandeiro) alongside my buddy Serginho who was subbing as the panderista on the gig. At one point I turned to Sergio and said, "Man, this shit is just TOO good!" I felt like I was almost tripping on the music. The repetoire was so wonderful, the groove so strong, the singing so pure. I told Sergio, "I've played a lot of music in my life and with some really special people... but this experience, with this group is right up there with the best of them". Playing percussion in a section with say 4 or 5 guys when it's really clicking is just heaven.

Playing at the table

Anyway, that's it. I just wanted to devote an entry to this wonderful group of musicians ... with whom I feel truly lucky to have the chance to play with. I will never forget these moments.

If you ever get to Rio I hope you're lucky enough to experience it for yourself.

I've actually got a little bit of recent video footage of this gig that I should share at some point.

Posted by Scott at 08:44 PM