Guarana keeps the spirit of samba alive

MANILA, Philippines - Buoyant and catchy with its characteristic rhythmic lilt, it can also be compellingly seductive and romantic, conjuring images of tall, tan, young and lovely Latinas swaying sensuously in the cool tropical breeze on a moonlit night.

That’s the spirit of samba, and it’s alive and well in Manila, thanks to the efforts of the Guarana Band, one of the most ardent advocates and prolific practitioners of the well-loved musical genre.

The band just recently launched its second album, Spirit of Samba, at the Café Havana in Greenbelt 3, stirring up a Mardi Gras-inspired concert party that got the crowd dancing ‘til the wee hours of the morning.

Comprised of 10 original tracks, Guarana’s sophomore release reflects the group’s playful exuberance as it attempts to juxtapose pop-flavored melodies and horn parts atop intricate rhythmic and harmonic foundations. At first listen, the feel-good vibe brings to mind the propulsive grooves of the Miami Sound Machine (remember Gloria Estefan?), Tito Puente and other keepers of the Latin flame.

But despite keeping the samba tradition intact, the album also echoes patriotic fervor as it goes into the heart of the Pinoy psyche — singing songs of love, celebration and the ever-resilient Filipino spirit.

In a nutshell, Spirit of Samba (which is also the album’s carrier single) is homegrown fiesta music with a touch of Brazil, refreshingly provocative, sensuous and tasteful, just like the Brazilian fruit the band was named after.

“Guarana is a fruit endemic to Brazil,” explains percussionist Richie Quirino, one of the band’s founders, and also a respected jazz drummer/scholar and historian. “It looks like a coffee bean, is high in caffeine and is also an aphrodisiac. It not only tastes good, it feels good!”

Not surprisingly, that feel-good, carnivalesque spirit has struck a resonant chord within the expat community, particularly the officials of the Brazilian Embassy in the Philippines, who have always been very loyal and supportive fans. “We’re always invited to their events, like their Brazilian Day festivities where a lot of Brazilian-inspired groups perform,” Richie says. “The album is actually an offshoot of a mall tour that the Embassy offered us, and we thought that it was a great opportunity to launch an album. So, we had to work triple time to gather materials and record everything within two months.”

Thankfully, after being together for eight years, and beefing up their roster with more competent musicians, the deadline didn’t prove too much of a hurdle.

Since the band’s inception, only Richie, Eileen Sison (vocals) and Tom Marco (guitar) remain its original members. Their new lineup includes Arwin Nava (drums), Mike Guevarra (sax), Jon Abundo (trumpet), Ike Ijiran (bass) and Mike Ponce de Leon (vocals).

“With these new guys, we can run the whole gamut — hard core salsa, chacha, bolero and all the Latin-crazed dances — which give us that edge over other traditional Latin bands,” Richie adds.

Through the years, Greenbelt 3’s Café Havana has been Guarana’s homebase every Tuesday, but the group gets lots of bookings for weddings, corporate parties and island tours. There had also been offers for stints to play in music festivals in the Asian region.

Along with Richie, Guarana’s lead vocalist Eileen, who considers Brazil her second home, continues to educate audiences not just about samba and bossa nova, but the totality of Brazil’s rich cultural heritage as well.