Pedras da Rua with Quilombo de Quilombo at the Comfort Zone, June 23. Tickets: $10. Attendance: 100. Rating: NNN
it could have been a nightmare: Pedras da Rua guitarist Jake Langley, a Canadian fave who also leads jazz/pop group the Tone Poets, bailed on the group the day before their Comfort Zone gig. But the few who attended on this Pride evening didn’t seem to care, as Al Penner, a mutual friend who’s just as smooth with Latin jamming, stepped in. There was nobody on the floor as the six-piece band took the stage, but the sweet vocals of Eliana Cuevas soon seduced people to get grooving. Pedras da Rua’s funky Brazilian beats give off a positive vibe no matter how shitty you feel.
Which is probably why they’ve been getting some nice attention lately, especially after completing their debut album, Pra Você, a sweet escape into hot Latino beats with a funky Cuban edge, and getting noticed at large outdoor festivals.
The stuff’s so catchy that most people sing along to lyrics they don’t understand. And hearing David French’s expert tenor sax handling of simple yet powerful jazzy rhythms and David Gonçalves Gouveia’s potent percussion gave a nice taste of what the group can offer.
Their real power was revealed in the second set, which was cut way too short because of a late start.