Going into the Blue Lamp on Friday night, the bouncer underwent his normal procedures of checking IDs and collecting cover fees. Noticing my notebook, he asked, “Is this your first SambaDa show? You are not going to need a book, I can guarantee that.” Although not a book for reading, it was difficult to find a moment when I even wanted to stop to take some notes. The energy surged from the very first beat. The Band's collage of instruments was fascinating, from large gourd shakers covered in shells, to tambourines and triangles. These supplemented the bass, guitar, and overwhelming amounts of percussion instruments, which are the backbone to almost all of their songs. The audience was in

What happens when Brazilian samba, capoeira music, reggae, funk, jazz and hip-hop are combined into one energetic musical conglomeration? To satisfy your curiosity, check out the Blue Lamp Friday with SambaDa, a Santa Cruz band that has mastered the melding of genres. SambaDa was created by Brazilian native Papiba Godinho. Godinho landed in Santa Cruz in 1992, where he founded a capoeira school. Capoeira is a non-violent, community-centered martial art that fuses music with movement. Band member Marcel Menard explains that the spirit of capoeira is a fundamental aspect to SambaDa’s music. SambaDa originated in 1997 as a cover band playing popular Brazilian hits. After mastering the genre

 I was expecting chaos, crowds of procrastinating shoppers rushing about in a total frenzy. Instead, it seemed like an ordinary day at the Downtown Plaza, except with fewer stores than I remembered. With lower anxiety than anticipated, I imagined all sorts of people would be willing to let me in on their last-minute shopping adventures. Most of the people I asked were not Christmas shopping, or at least that's what they told me. With that said, I did manage to talk to a few interesting shoppers. The first people willing to share was an engaged couple, relaxing on a luxurious green velvet couch in the furniture department in Macy's. They were shopping for their parents. His dad is getting

A great idea emanating from a dream is a familiar theme. Erik Jorgensen, 32, can trace his current project, and what he describes as "the best experience of his life" to just this. Although the idea was his, the dream was his mom's. In early 2000, Jorgensen was visiting home from college. During that visit, his mom, Gale, woke up one morning unusually happy. Jorgensen inquired about her mood and she said that she had just had the best dream about him. Jorgensen's mom said that in her dream he was helping a lot of people. When he asked what he was doing, she told him that she wasn't going to tell him, but wanted him to know that this is what she wanted from him, that this is what makes her

As you go about your life on Dec. 21, take a moment to stop, reflect and consider the fact that due to the earth's tilt on its axis, you are experiencing the shortest day, and hence, the longest night of the year. Termed the "Winter Solstice," societies throughout history have ritually welcomed this astronomical phenomenon in celebration.  In modern cultures, these gatherings are still valued for emotional and spiritual comfort — giving people something to look forward to at the darkest time of the year, while also serving as a reminder to connect back to the earth’s rhythms. This is the goal of Jennifer Riley, a CMT, reiki master and certified yoga instructor who teaches eco-yoga for kid