Since Rio Máte launched and this website became active, our blog posts have been focusing mostly on either Brazil itself, or the Brazilian arts community and affiliates in Toronto, where Rio Máte is currently available. However, just across the provincial borders in Québec, there is another great Canadian Metropolis, Montréal. Low and behold Montréal has a Brazilian arts scene as well.

During a recent stay for the Festival de Film Brésilien, I was able to check out the “brazilophile” vibes.  The festival, like it’s counterpart in Toronto, is superbly programmed and well executed. One screening unique to Montreal was Orfeu Negro or Black Orpheus, the absolutely wicked 1959 Palm D’Or winner.

Because of the festival and its associated events, I was able to meet many of the artists, capoeiristas and cultural enthusiasts that make up the MTL Brazilian scene. Let’s do a quick survey of musicians, baterias, capoeira groups, some parties and restaurants.

Bossanova

In the moments before the screening of Tom’s House, a film about Tom Jobim, the lovely Célia Larocque-Pierre sang some classic bossanova songs accompanied by the guitar of Vincent Duhaime.

Baterias (drum troupes)

The grandaddy of Brazilian music, and especially Baiano music in Montreal, is Vovô. He is from Salvador, Bahia, from the Candomble tradition, and he spent a long time in Cuba studying conga. He is as much known as a congeiro as a sambista. Estacão da Luz is the samba troupe that Vovô leads and it functions as a school where people learn to play. They recently played after the screening of the Mystery of Samba at the Festival du Film Brésilien.

Vovô

Estacão da Luz at Cinema do Parc

Zuruba. Zuruba is a 40 percussionist strong ensemble styled after a Brazilian big band, but with the added oomph of an African rhythm section. I would say they are more of the Salvador style street bloco, or similar to Toronto’s Samba Squad in make-up. The band is the project of Quebecois Martin Bonin. At the age of 18 and on a trip to Morocco and Senegal, Martin Bonin discovered percussion. He returned to West Africa several times and traveled to the Middle East, Central and South America, Cuba and Brazil to further expand his knowledge of indigenous instruments and rhythms. A self-taught musician, Bonin studied the djembe and congas before forming Zuruba in 1999. One funny thing: the name Zuruba seems to be a mix between zuar (meaning play and make noise) and suruba (which means ‘orgy’). I don’t know if this is on purpose. I will ask next time I see Martin.

There are a few other groups like, Kumpa’nia and Malukai, but I didn’t get a chance to see them.

I also took advantage of my stay there to hold a workshop on Maracatu de Baque Virado and was happy to get a good turn-out.

A Brazilian Recording Artist based in Montreal

Monica Freire, a successful Brazilian songstress, made a few appearances at the festival screenings. Monica is a guitarist, songwriter and composer, and has been living in Montreal since 1993. She has performed in Canada, Brazil, Japan, France, Switzerland, Italy, Mexico, New York and St. Martin (Caribbean). She has a couple of CDs to her name and always plays at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Capoeira and Dance

While in the big MTL I visited four capoeira groups, two in the more contemporary style and two in the Angola style. The first capoeira angola group is Semente do Jogo de Angola, based in a beautiful studio on St. Catherines East, right next to Rue Bleury, is lead by the matriarch of capoeira angola in Montreal, Colette. She is the loyal Contra Mestra of the group’s Master, Jogo de Dentro. The trainings are hard, long, and work your endurance. The games between the students are a cadenced interplay of legs, arms and cunning. The other angola group is led by two advanced students, Rawn and Fabrice. They are more of a study group as of yet they are not an official nucleus of, but they are affiliated to, FICA, the Internationa Federation of Capoeira Angola.

The contemporary groups are Capoeira Camara in Montreal and Equipe Capoeira Brasileira. Capoeira Camara is up near Jean Talon and St. Hubbert. The group is a nucleus of the Toronto group and the instructor in Montreal is Cascavel. He also leads a drum group called the Afro-Malungos. I went to the academy but never got a chance to meet Cascavel, however, while there I saw a dance class by Brazilian dance teacher and researcher Raquel Bastazin. She runs a group called Levanta Poeira, which means “lift up the dust.” She teaches forró, samba, samba de côco, maculêle among others.

Equipe Capoeira Brasil has a huge studio and what seems like lotsa students. The mestre, Peninha (meaning little feather) is super friendly and seems to run a tight ship, with a careful teaching technique. Unfortunetaly I never saw a roda while at their academy but I was impressed with its size and organization.

Mestre Peninha

Parties, Jams

Mestre Peninha, is not only capoeira, but is also the producer of a party called Rio 40º a big party that tries to bring the heat of Rio to Montreal. While I was there they had their 3rd edition and actually brought one of Rio Máte’s favourite groups, Batucada Carioca, to play for them. The night was full of good times and lots of dancing.

Batucada Carioca playing at Rio 40º in Montreal

Another regular hang out for Brazilian enthusists is Le Bobbards on a Sunday night. Every week is different, and of varying quality, but it’s always Brazilian. One of the regulars is Niko Beki, a singer who has a project called Forrótimo.  The Sunday after I left played host to the pre-mentioned group, the Afro-Malungos. I was sorry I missed this because there seemed to be a lot of hype around the jam and the guys who play in the band were all 20 something percussion and capoeira enthusiasts, full of piss and culturally diverse vinegar.

For me the best parties in the city were the opening and closing parties of the Festival du Film Brésilien. This may display some bias, seeing as yours truly was one of the deejays at both events but hey, I honestly think these were the best jams. The opening night was at the Hotel Intercontinental downtown, and had the chic air of an opening party for dignitaries, sponsors, press and volunteers. It broke the ice for many people and set the mood for a successful festival.

The closing party was at Laika Resto-Bar on St. Laurent near Duluth. A coolest of cool bar, with a great soundsystem and a sweet DJ setup, not mention a cool owner, Bruno. This air was more celebratory, as the festival staff and volunteers as well as numerous Brazilphiles crowded the space. Djs Marcus, Oren and Alkiks put on the brazilian tunes. There was very good music, finely selected and mixed sets.

Laika Bar

Dj Mks @ Laika - Brazilian Film Festival Party

Of course all of these outside events aside, the house parties made the montreal trip very special. It wont take long in Quebec to be invited over to someone’s home for a get-together.

Restaurants

Once you get your fill of smoked meat and bagels with cream cheese and lox, you might crave some arroz e feijão (rice and beans). The Brazilian eateries were few but pronounced. The steakhouses are Senzala and Milsa. Lelê da Cuca is a neighbourhood style resto and Bayou Brésil is the St.Denis cool Quebecois variety of the same. A nice café with pão de queijo and brigadeiros is Chez Brésil.

Montreal is a magical city, full of the Quebecois joie de vivre, some of Canada’s oldest and best architecture, and a city on different topographical levels (offering des très belles panoramas of the city). The Brazilian arts scene is nice, smaller than in Toronto, but with a fresh edge that feels young and free. ok maybe I’m being a little romantically dramatic and full of hyperbole, but hey, Montreal was good times…

Alex Bordokas