Community Corner
Bossa Zuzu Jams Brazilian Style at Neighborhood Congregational Church
The band played music with a bossa nova beat on Friday to help Grupo Cultural Arte Consciente in Brazil.
The golden summer sun streamed through the windows of the Friday evening as Bossa Zuzu softly played the music of Brazil. With an audience of about 30 people, the benefit concert raised money for Grupo Cultural Arte Consciente, an organization which introduces the arts to low-income youth of Salvador Bahia, a city in Brazil.
Leader of the band, Dan Reckard, grew up in Laguna Beach and then went on to study piano, saxophone and music composition at the Orange County School of the Arts and USC.
He had the chance to study abroad in Brazil, where he became influenced by bossa nova-style music. While in Salvador Bahia, he learned about Grupo Cultural Arte Consciente, and felt compelled to assist the non-profit organization.
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GCAC was created in 2003 by five men who had grown up in the neighborhood of Saramandaia. They wanted to offer alternative activities to the low-income youngsters of this "favela," or shantytown, so they began to teach circus arts, percussion, boxing, dancing and grafitti-inspired painting to local residents.
Reckard hung out with GCAC and volunteered time to get events organized. One highlight with the group was getting to play saxophone with a group of 20 samba drummers.
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"Something that's worth mentioning," said Reckard, "is in addition to helping the kids, [I am working] to show society at large that people who come from places like that can be more than criminals. There's a lot of prejudice that leans that way."
Reckard was joined at Friday's performance by guitarist/vocalist Capital, flutist/percussionist Rumi Flute and Kevin Yokota on drums and percussion.
"It's win-win for me right now," said Reckard. "I get to play music with my friends, and my heart is down there with those guys [in Saramandaia]. It's so cool what they're doing. I'm not one of those people who in high school did a million hours of community service or anything like that. But if you go down there and your heart's not touched a little bit, then you're walking around with tunnel vision."
"I am loving [the music] and the vocalist," said Neighborhood Congregational Church music director Pam Wicks. "I love Brazilian jazz. I think this is a really tight band. They've got a great sound. The whole group is fantastic and I am thoroughly enjoying it."
The band played about a dozen tunes, including a John Coltrane piece and a song which Reckard wrote titled "Zuzu's Little Samba." A silent auction, a raffle, and the sale of Brazilian food added to the total raised.
If you would like to contact Dan Reckard, click here.
