Timucua – Brazilian Night

Terry and I went to the White House (2ooo South Summerlin Avenue) to experience some Brazilian Samba and Bossa Nova. The White House is the home of Benoit Glazer and his family. I know from past performances that he often plays with his children to start the show off. The performance space is in the Glazer living room, with its high ceilings and a spiral staircase that allows the audience many levels to watch the show from. Terry and I had a late start so we missed this opening act. When we arrived people were loading up their plates with the assortment of food in the entry. There was also a table where guests put their bottles of wine. The place was packed. I heard later that this was the highest attendance that the Benoit family had ever experienced. Terry grabbed a plate of food but I was anxious to find a place to draw from. I waited for her and when we entered the living room we could see that there were no chairs to be found. People were standing all along the walls. We made out way to the spiral staircase but Terry got a small case of vertigo and didn’t want to go up. She encouraged me to go on with out her so I climbed up to the top floor where there were only four spectators and I had a great view of the stage from the top of the landing. I started to sketch.
On the stage Edison Campos and Katherine Brodeur were working on a large portrait painting together. The painting gas of a beautiful woman and they worked very fast. The proportions were quirky yet the overall treatment was photo real. The painting was sold as soon as the show ended. Louiz Emiliano brought in two groups to play. The first group was a bit off key, but the lively beat was fun to sketch to. I finished my sketch between sets and went down the spiral staircase to see where Terry was. At the base of the staircase I bumped into Lisa Bates who told me she follows this blog. I am always shocked that there are people out there who read this stuff. Terry was close by so I introduced her to Lisa and left to get a glass of wine. I heard they had a lively conversation and had to be shushed by a woman trying to hear the music. The second group was fantastic and Terry wanted to dance. We got out on the tiny space in front of the stage with a tight crowd and let the music move us. The trumpet player was right in front of me and I could see the sweat pouring off of his brow. This is where I should have sketched from, with the music loud and clear. This sort of high energy concert in an intimate setting is what the White House is all about.