A new direction...

Our group is now being run by Great Bowden Recital Trust. This means all the organisational stuff is being looked after by some of the world's most organised people, leaving us to concentrate on THE MUSIC and questions about which outfit to wear. It means we'll be fully plugged into the local music and education scene. And it also means that we'll be directly supporting a fantastic local charity that helps more children learn and play music.

What else is new? Our name: we're calling ourselves the GBRT Carnival Drums - which sums up both what we do and the mood inwhich we do it.

Another thing: it means there's not much need for this little website anymore. From now on, you'll find the latest info about us at our new webpage on the GBRT website.

It's time to sign up for our new performance project

On Tuesday 21 September we're starting a new series of rehearsals, leading up to a performance at Christmas. This is a fantastic opportunity for both beginners and experienced drummers over the age of 14, who’d like to play samba-style percussion as part of a performance group. We’ll cover playing and performing techniques and learn a range of traditional and contemporary styles, including afoxe, samba-reggae and batucada. Rehearsals are every other Tuesday - see the diary on the left for dates. The cost is £20 for the term (half price for additional family members), which covers everything, including, venue hire, tuition, instruments and refreshments. Call or text Thomas on 07966 217538 to reserve a place, or send an email.

Arts Fresco

Arts Fresco is Harborough's annual opportunity to invite the most extremely wacky performance artists to parade our streets. So we're flattered to be asked to run a samba percussion workshop, as part of what's becoming known as the Arts Fresco Fringe. Members of the public will have the chance to learn and play some grooves - which seems to me a great way of drumming up (sorry) support for our group. It happens on the afternoon of Sunday 12 September in the Memorial Gardens. If you'd like to get involved then send me an email.

Dudu Tucci weekend in Nottingham, September 18 & 19

Soar Valley music (our instrument suppliers) are running a two day intensive percussion course for intermediate to advanced players with the Brasilian master drummer Dudu Tucci. Here's a clip of him playing timba rather well...



If you already have a bit of percussion experience then this is a rare opportunity to soup up your samba skills in the company of one of the world's best practitioners. I've already booked my place and it would be great if we could get a gang of us along. There are discounts for early bookings and groups.

Find out more

Summer Samba

Welcome to our new space on t'internet. Let me know if you've any ideas on how we can use this site best, or if you'd like to contribute a post or get involved in managing / developing it.

So, we've had three sessions now and it's all coming together. Thanks to the Market Harborough and the Bowdens Charity we have 30 brand new instruments imported from Brazil and supplied by Soar Valley Music. We're constituted as a charity and we hope to raise some money for the Great Bowden Recital Trust.

Unlike real school, Great Bowden School of Samba will be carrying on through the summer (see dates to the left). You may be away for some of the sessions, but if you're around it's a good chance to get ahead ... because in Autumn we're going to move up a gear and get ready for some performances.

We've decided to make sessions half an hour shorter, and move the start time from 7 to 7.30pm (time to have pudding with your dinner). Please try and arrive just before 7.30pm, and we'll finish promptly at 9.30pm.