EVENT SERIES • FESTIVAL • CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS
www.umanota.ca / info@umanota.ca / (647) 293-2266
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2013
Third Annual Uma Nota Festival of Tropical Expressions
OCTOBER 17-20 IN TORONTO
UPDATED INFO in release below:
Added to Forrallstar (festival-producer "super group" of Brazilian forró): Singer Flávia
Nascimento of Quebec City group Forrossanova.
Artist and designer Angela Vargas (Ecuador/Toronto) has been commissioned to create custom
decor & visual environment for the Bridges Tropical Mashup: Live, Analog & Digital. (Saturday, October
19 at The Great Hall)
Additions to workshops and talks:
 Multimedia presentation by photographer Jason Gardner from his recently published photo
book A Flower in the Mouth: The Beauty and Burden of Carnaval in Pernambuco, Brazil (Sun.
Oct. 20)
 Cuban Yoga in Toronto with visiting teacher Eduardo Pimentel (Sat. Oct. 19 at Lula Lounge,
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
 Flávia Nascimento of Quebec City group Forrossanova will also join Sapo Capoeira Camara as
a featured guest for the Coco de Roda workshop (folkloric northeastern Brazilian
dance/game/rhythm) facilitated by Maracatu Mar Aberto (Sun. Oct. 20)
TORONTO -- Uma Nota Culture announces the third annual Uma Nota Festival of Tropical Expressions,
taking place October 17 to 20, 2013. Uma Nota is a unique event series focusing on Afro-Brazilian, Latin,
Caribbean, Funk and Soul music provided by both live acts and DJs.
Comprising four days of music, arts and culture from across the Americas, this is Uma Nota’s biggest
festival to date. The live music and DJ lineup, with acts from New York City, the U.K. and Brazil, as well
as the best of the local scene, represents the city’s most tangible manifestation of the Pan American
experience.
In few other places in Toronto does one find music and culture from the Americas so diversely and
colourfully mixed. This year’s festival embraces global innovators and still celebrates the city’s
kaleidoscope of tropical groove.
International performers include:
 New York City DJs Uproot Andy and Geko Jones of the popular “Que Bajo!?” parties and label.
 Singer Alice Russell, a key figure on the British soul scene. Russell’s performance draws
comparisons to Aretha Franklin; she has collaborated with everyone from Mr. Scruff to David
Byrne and tours with producer Quantic in his Soul Orchestra. (*Uma Nota blog post here)
 Brazilian composer, arranger and master fingerstyle guitarist Rick Udler. His interactive
performance at this year’s festival is his only Toronto show.
Local highlights include:
 Afro-Brazilian percussion band Bloco Bracatum, led by Contra-Mestre Bola of Capoeira Camara.
 Heavyweights Brass Band, fresh from the studio with their bold arrangements of popular songs
and originals, from New Orleans, funk, Latin styles and beyond.
 Dreamy electronic sounds and live vocals from Colombian artist Lido Pimienta. (*Uma Nota blog
post here)
 Brazilian jazz from composer Gordon Sheard.
 Psychedelic indie Brazil-style Tropicália from Os Tropies.
 Six-piece roots cumbia band Los Hijos De Tuta, familiar to Toronto’s Colombian community.
 Brazilian choro, a melodically complex instrumental jazz style, as performed by Tio Chorinho.
 Forrallstar, a festival-produced “super band” of the city’s favourite Brazilian forró players,
including percussionist Maninho Costa, singer/guitarist Carlos Cardoso and a host of heavy
hitters. *JUST ADDED*: Singer Flávia Nascimento of Quebec City group Forrossanova. The
group played a string of successful shows in Toronto this past August; Nascimento brings back
a number of crowd-pleasing songs from the forró masters.
In addition, the festival includes a full series of Pan American based arts workshops and cultural talks,
presented by Dos Mundos Arts and Media and supported by the Toronto Arts Council. The workshops -along with food and drink, family-friendly activities and films via the Brazilian Film & Television Festival of
Toronto -- represent the multi-arts and culture additions to this year’s program.
Festival schedule at a glance:
Thursday, October 17
Festival Launch Party
Gladstone Hotel (ballroom), 1214 Queen St. W.
Os Tropies, Gord Sheard Brazilian Jazz Quintet and DJ Firecracker
Doors 9 p.m.
$10 at the door
More info: http://umanota.ca/events/festival-launch-thursday-october-17-2013/
Friday, October 18
World Soul Party
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.
Alice Russell (U.K.), Phil Motion and the Easy Lo-Fi, Marques Toliver and DJ General Eclectic
Doors 9 p.m.
Advance tickets $23 online
Co-presented by World Famous Music
More info: http://umanota.ca/events/world-soul-party-friday-october-18-2013/
Saturday, October 19
Bridges Tropical Mashup: Live, Analog & Digital
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W.
In the hall:
Live: Bloco Bracatum, Los Hijos de Tuta
DJs: Uproot Andy (NYC), Geko Jones (NYC)
Opening act: Lido Pimienta
In the record room: Jason Palma (Footprints), Humble Mike and MC Bookshelf (Record Collective),
Guv’nor General (Pressure Drop)
Doors 9 p.m.
$12 advance tickets online / $15 at the door before 11 p.m. / $20 after 11 p.m.
Co-presented by Dos Mundos Arts and Media
Record room co-presented by Footprints
More info: http://umanota.ca/events/bridges-tropical-mashup-live-analog-digital-october-19-2103/
*JUST ADDED*
Artist and designer Angela Vargas (Ecuador/Toronto) has been commissioned to create custom
decor & visual environment for the Bridges Tropical Mashup: Live, Analog & Digital, on Saturday,
October 19 at The Great Hall. At last year's festival, she created a design of exploding Rubik's cubes; this
year, she will create a parallel universe for the event.
Sunday, October 20
Community Cultural Fair
Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W.
Live music: Tio Chorinho, Rick Udler, Heavyweights Brass Band and Forrallstar (forró) + DJ Mogpaws
(Simmer Down)
Plus workshops, cultural talks, dance, food and drink (Brazilian feijoada) and family-friendly activities
2 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Pay What You Can ($5 suggested minimum donation/$10 after 7 p.m.)
Co-presented by Dos Mundos Arts and Media, Koffler Centre of the Arts and Lula Music and Arts Centre
More info & program schedule: http://umanota.ca/community-cultural-fair-sunday-october-20-2013/
*JUST ADDED*
*Multimedia presentation from A Flower in the Mouth: The Beauty and Burden of Carnaval in
Pernambuco, Brazil (NYC-based photographer Jason Gardner)
*Singer Flávia Nascimento of Quebec City group Forrossanova. The group played a string of successful
shows in Toronto this past August; she brings back a number of crowd-pleasing songs from the forró
masters.
Ticket Info (UPDATED)
Tickets are available on the Uma Nota website. Festival passes are $40. Visit http://umanota.ca.
The Uma Nota Festival acknowledges the support of the Ontario Arts Council
Workshops (UPDATED)
Uma Nota announces an expanded slate of community arts workshops. The Pan American Bridges
workshop series is presented by partnering organization Dos Mundos Arts and Media, with the support of
the Toronto Arts Council, as part of the Uma Nota Festival.
By involving and reaching more communities in Brazilian, South American and North American
expressions, Dos Mundos and Uma Nota allow people to discover arts and culture from the Americas, in
a way that is interactive, participatory and fun.
Full workshop program and details:
http://umanota.ca/pan-american-bridges-workshop-series/
Workshops are Pay What You Can or free
N.B. Schedule also attached as an image
Workshop schedule added to updated program below
Participating artists and forms on the program include:
 (Mondays October 7 & 14 at 7 p.m. and Sat., Oct. 19 at 3 p.m.(rehearsal), Lula Lounge, 1585
Dundas St. W.) Carnival brass band musical forms from New Orleans, Mexico, Cuba and
Brazil with Christopher Butcher of the Heavyweights Brass Band. Butcher will lead a master
class for horn players in a number of musical styles from the street-side celebrations of Pan
American cultures. Two workshops and a rehearsal in October culminate in a performance at
the Community Cultural Fair on Sunday, October 20 at Lula Lounge. Participants must email
Chris Butcher at chris@chrisbutchermusic.com to register in advance. High school level and
up horn players. (N.B.: Still time to join startingOct. 14!)
 (Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m., Broadway Arts, 35 Golden Ave., Suite 108) Brazilian Dance
focusing on Orixá & maracatu movements with Adrianna Yanuziello of The Dance Migration.
 (Thursday, October 17 at 8 p.m., Bavia Arts Studio, 898 St. Clair Ave W.) Street
dance with
Diana Reyes (“Fly Lady Di”), highlighting the Latin influence in urban street
dance styles including house, uprock movements and breaking.
 (Saturday, October 19 at 1:30 p.m., Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W.) Colombian drum and
dance and música de gaita with Ruben Esguerra (A New Tradition) and his family.
 (Saturday, October 19 at 2:00 p.m., Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Ave.) Capoeira Regional and
related Afro-Brazilian dances with Lang Liu of Filhos de Bimba Capoeira school.
 (Saturday, October 19 at 7 p.m., Bavia Arts Studio, 898 St. Clair Ave W.) Forró dance by Goreti
Cardoso of Brazil Dance World, and an interactive history as part of the live forró
presentation at the Community Cultural Fair on Sunday, October 20 at Lula Lounge.
Workshops and talks taking place on Sunday, October 20 at Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W., as part of
the Community Cultural Fair:
 (2:30 p.m.) Panel discussion on community transformation through the arts with Chilean-born
Gilda “Fiya Bruxa” Monreal and her the Essencia Arts Collective, whose members have
worked extensively with youth groups and communities throughout Latin America as well as in
Toronto and Montreal.
 (4 p.m.) Cultural talk on public policy and the arts in Brazil with Valentine Moreno of the Koffler
Centre of the Arts.
 (4:30 p.m.) Fandango fun: son jarocho and other Mexican folkoric music and dance with
performing duo Café Con Pan.
 (4:30 p.m.) (front room) *JUST ADDED* Photos and stories from A Flower in the Mouth: The
Beauty and Burden of Carnaval in Pernambuco, Brazil (Jason Gardner)
 (6:30 p.m.) Coco de Roda, a folkloric northeastern Brazilian dance/game, with Maracatu Mar
Aberto featuring Sapo of Capoeira Camara *JUST ADDED* and Flávia Nascimento of
Quebec City group Forrossanova.
For more workshop details, please visit: http://umanota.ca/pan-american-bridges-workshop-series/.
Supported by Toronto Arts Council
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Rothman Alex Bordokas
Media and Communications Programming and Production
Uma Nota and Uma Nota Festival Uma Nota and Uma Nota Festival
416-886-5786 647-293-2266
jonathan@umanota.ca abordokas@gmail.com
http://umanota.ca http://umanota.ca
ABOUT UMA NOTA CULTURE AND THE UMA NOTA FESTIVAL
Uma Nota is a reference point for world citizens and lovers of music and culture. It is a unique
event series focusing on Afro-Brazilian, Latin, Caribbean, Funk and Soul music provided by both live acts
and DJs. From June 2007 until the first annual Uma Nota Festival in November 2011, the events took
place every two months in the Gladstone Hotel ballroom. With the expansion to a three-day festival, Uma
Nota Culture and its productions moved from a bi-monthly music showcase and party at the Gladstone
Hotel to a roving series of events.
In the two years since the first annual Uma Nota Festival, Uma Nota Culture has produced and
collaborated on a number of events, bridging communities of music, culture and arts lovers from diverse
backgrounds.
Recent co-presentations since the second annual festival in 2012 include: Os Tropies EP release
residency (four nights in February 2013); Soul Motivators CD release (March 2013); Ikebe Shakedown
(Brooklyn) show with NuFunk.ca (March 2013); Brazilian short films program at the aluCine Festival of
Latin Film and Media Arts (March/April 2013); Uma Nota: Hot Spring edition as part of Hispanic Heritage
Month with Dos Mundos Arts and Media (April 2013); Paint the Halls with Art Battle and Women’s College
Hospital Foundation (May 2013); Summer in the City reggae show with Friendlyness and the Human
Rights (May 2013); Block Party with Maracatu Mar Aberto (June 2013); Programming partner with Ritmo
y Color at Harbourfront Centre (July 2013).
Uma Nota publishes original web content. The Uma Nota Culture blog is a regular source for tropical
music, arts and culture. Highlights include interviews with local artists, cultural analysis pieces, reporting
on Brazilian music trends, travelogues from artists visiting Colombia and Brazil, background pieces on
Gilberto Gil and forró dancing, plus event previews, artists and trends to watch, tropical culture tidbits and
more.
Visit the website: http://umanota.ca.
Press quotes
"The scene that surrounds Uma Nota: A sizeable and vibrant community of Brazilians, Latinophiles,
Afrobeat aficionados, and the like. ... the parties are reliably packed ... [the Uma Nota crew] are keenly
aiming to create an experience of musical tourism — a re-creation of a displaced backpacker’s openmindedness."
Kelli Korducki, AV Club Toronto (The Onion)
"The Uma Nota Festival is where organic traditionalism collides with contemporary digitized sound, with
one aim: to make you dance.
"... More than just a showcase or feel-good party, Uma Nota Festival is also a reference point for
Canadian artists making tropical urban music."
Anupa Mistry, Toronto Standard
“'There’s this neighbourhood called Lapa,'” says Bordokas of a particularly vibrant part of Rio. “'It’s where
scoundrels, artists and intellectuals – every type of individual – come together. It’s a powder keg of
culture. These different cultural manifestations are exploding all around, and this is what were trying to
bring to Uma Nota.'”
"... Raucous performances feature at least one live, typically percussion-heavy act, including many of the
city’s Brazilian troupes, and one guest DJ playing groove-based tunes in various genres."
Lia Grainger, Metro Toronto
"Uma Nota is what happens when you pair up talented artists and groovy music."
Austin Miao, BlogTO.com
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