Samba Três Cidades – Three Cities Samba

Summer 2015 saw a revival of regional project Três Cidades, a collaboration featuring members of Derby’s “Calidoscopio”, Stoke-on-Trent’s “Art Brasil” and “Nottingham School of Samba“. The director of each band taught and led one piece of music to the whole group with each city and band hosting one rehearsal and at least one performance.

The project strengthened ties and friendships between the three groups while providing opportunity for each group’s director to arrange and teach music for a larger ensemble made of members spanning both West and East Midlands. It also gave each group the chance to increase their numbers for a local performance to better demonstrate the full affect of a large percussion ensemble for which the music is intended and bring it to a wider audience. Performances included:

Stoke-on-Trent:

The Corporate Games – a parade through the city centre in Hanley with a static performance to finish.

Crunch and Dust – a fundraiser for local arts project Restoke at the old Spode factory

Derby:

Family Fun Day (part of Derby Caribbean Carnival)

Vines Bar – City centre performance and after party for drummers

Nottingham:

Nottingham carnival – Including the now legendary “Sambajam” with other local drumming groups on parade