Batucada Sound Machine

Fri 6th Feb, 2009 in Features

“We had a whole heap of drummers rock up and then one night an MC turned up and said, – œWhoa man, what’s that? That’s wicked, let me rap over that.’” James Hughes – one of Batucada Sound Machine’s percussionists, and band leader – says the original MC stayed with the group for eighteen months before being replaced by MC Hazaduz, (ex-Che-Fu, and The Krates): “a great rapper and a great singer as well.”

James continues down the phone line from his office in Auckland, “Suddenly a horn section turned up, The Traxedos, a star of the show in their own right. We had a guitarist and bass player wanting to jam; it was totally improvised [with] me directing everyone with a whistle and hand signals. There’s been a few changes in players but it’s stayed reasonably constant.”

Constant, yes. Boring, no. The New Zealand group were stunned, not long after their jam sessions began, when approached to play Sydney Fest: their first big gig, their first time to – œAussie’ and the first time it had occurred to any of them that they needed to, uh, write some songs.

From then on in, there was no stopping this thirteen-piece Brazillian/samba/reggae collective. “We toured the UK in 2006 and did twenty gigs in twenty-three days; Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a bunch of others.” As James and I rattle on about BSM’s future aspirations, they are “looking to go back again,” but are well aware that the logistics of such a tour are large.

With the hip pocket in mind, BSM opted to send their manager back to Europe to do some research. Lucky Scott. He headed to Womex, “the World Music Expo in Saville in Spain” where he schmoozed with “something like two thousand delegates from festivals around Europe” to suss out how well received BSM might be outside of the UK.

Scott’s report was favourable, says James. “That sort of music – in Portugal and Spain and Europe – it would just go down amazingly well. So we’re looking at touring them pretty seriously next summer.”

That’s not to say their previous sojourn to the UK wasn’t without its benefits. It was after their performance at Womad in the UK that they ran into Neil Sparkes (Transglobal Underground/Temple of Sound), who proffered his card. “I knew of his heritage – the bands he’s played with – and we ended up inviting him to New Zealand to produce the album.”

Neil had big plans for Rhythm and Rhyme, BSM’s debut studio album. “He really wanted to go to New York. He had this vision of the sound he wanted to get on the recording. This New York sound.” They didn’t muck around. It was straight into legendary Avatar Studios to work on the final mixes with Lawrence Manchester, who’s worked with everyone from Justin Timberlake and Beyonce to John Fogarty and Liza Minelli.

Since it was James’ experiences learning drumming techniques in Brazil that saw BSM crystalise in the first place, he was – œthe chosen one’ who got to book his flight to The Big Apple. “Just me and Neil. We spent two weeks straight mixing the record. Great experience, man,” he enthuses. “Amazing.”

While in the US, Neil and James explored the possibility of releasing the record there. They filled their address books, but as yet BSM are weighing up their options. After what happened in the UK, they are choosing to err on the side of caution.

“We were at a point where we were gonna sign a deal in the UK, and they would release it back in Aussie – we haven’t even released it in Aussie yet. We’re just in that process now – We were ninety-nine per cent ready to sign but the label had all sorts of internal issues. Someone stole money, something happened and at the end of the day it all fell over.” He borders on rueful before cheering up: “In hindsight, it’s a good outcome. If we had of signed, we’d probably be stuck.”

As it is, they’re not doing too badly for themselves. After being booked for the Perth International Arts Festival, BSM decided to plan a mini tour, whipping around four Australian states in as many days.

”[It’s our] first time to Perth,’ says James. – œI’m really looking forward to it. I’m fairly impressed with the lineup, there’s some great acts: Jose Gonzales. Tony Allen, who’s one of our influences, in terms of Afro-beat stuff.”

Before they hit the west side, their tour kicks off with a headline gig at The East Brunswick Club, ably supported by local fellows, The Melodics, a band recommended by their tour trombonist. “We just got on the phone and they were really into it. It’ll be interesting, an interesting mix.”

Their Sydney support are old mates Son Veneno – “Every time we see them, our jaws drop” – and then it’s to the stages of the Canberra Carnivale, before heading to W.A. Four shows – a quick run around – but a real celebration of diversity in the genre, if you could call it a genre.

“A lot of groups, I think, get caught up in trying to blend a lot of genres and they do it for the sake of it,” muses James, more commenting on his own band’s sound than that of his tour supports. For Batucada Sound Machine, he asserts, “It’s gotta be something that seems to fit. That’s been our focus: coming up with ideas that work, flow really nicely and don’t seem forced. It’s really head-nodding sort of music, the Brazillian stuff. Cuban – it’s great, I enjoy it – but for a lot of listeners it’s complicated and it’s hard to dance to. But Brazillian is, pretty much, jump up and down. People love it.”

Batucada Sound Machine rolls up to the following shows this month.

Feb 12 – The East Brunswick Club, Melbourne w/ The Melodics
Feb 13 – The Factory Theatre, Sydney w/ Son Veneno
Feb 14 – Carnivale in the City, Canberra
Feb 15 – Becks Music Box, The Perth International Arts Festival