Hours of Happiness

Written by Lisa Kirstistuen and Hanna Sundquist

Consistent rhytms and groovie sounds when the Brazilian Trio performed at the 505 Venue in Surry Hills Thursday the 16th of October 2014.

Relaxing music, soft rhythms and smooth atmosphere describes what we were witnessing Thursday night at the Venue 505. The Brazilian group was definitely having a good time together with the audience, and the hours we spent with the talented musicians consisted of feel-good music all the way. We were feeling the rhythms in our body, and it was impossible to stand still.

Abuka music thrives on consistent rhytms and sounds, and the Brazilian soul-jazz project is known for its dominating beats and groovie sessions.

The band
The trio consists of lead singer/guitarist and composer Tiago de Lucca, maestro (piano/keyboard/accordion) Marcello Maio and multi-percussionist Sandro Bueno. The three guys come from very different backgrounds in music, which must be one of the reasons for their chemistry on stage. The clear and deep message in one of the songs was ‘Money doesn’t bring any happiness’, and the trio received a generous applause from the audience, who clearly agreed with the content of the song.

Latino rhytms
The first part of the concert, the Trio was accompanied by a Latino lady called Juliana Areias  who performed numerous Latin-American inspired songs with a distinct and characteristic voice. Juliana invited us in to her thoughts about life in the city. She put life in perspective singing about the contrasts and challenges humans face every day.

In the second set of the performance, Abuka was on stage with a complete band consisting of five musicians. The band members constantly showed off with flawless solos, which was highly appreciated by the attendance.

Unique Brazilian energy
Throughout the concert, they kept transporting us to other dimensions with their infused grooves and divine rhytm. With their five piece formation they mesmerized the audience with bass pedal, keyboard, cajon, pandeiro and hand percussion playing together in an almost perfect harmony. Their twisted funky grooves were also accompanied by piano, triangle and double bass that evolved into a very tight and high standard performance. We definitely didn’t expect to hear such classics and original songs combined with a jazzy feel, blended in to a whole universe of Brazilian beats.

While closing our eyes, it felt like we were in the middle of Latin America dancing salsa. After every musical break the audience was hysterical and cheered loudly. We went home at night with a smile on our faces and a Brazilian energy that filled our bodies from head to toe.