Press Release :
Of all amazing bands that play at Nublu, Forro in the Dark is the one that has been packing this Lower East Side club full of sweat-covered revelers every single Wednesday for the past two and a half years. Rain, snow, shine - there 's always a line outside on a Wednesday night. Why? Because the band captures a vibe that can only be created in this part of town, in this part of the world, by the kind of musicians that come out of nublu.

Forro in the Dark - which takes its name from a song by Luis Gonzaga, the forro forefather - was born on October 16, 2002, the same date as bandleader Mauro Refosco 's birthday. It began unassumingly and casually, as many things do at the Avenue C club. Mauro called his long-time friend and nublu owner, Ilhan Ersahin, to see if he could throw a party for his birthday, inviting some friends to come and play forro, the traditional party music of northeastern Brazil. Of course Ilhan said yes. He knew the caliber of musicians Mauro (himself the percussionist of Caetano Veloso, David Byrne and Bebel Gilberto) would bring - people like guitarist Smokey Hormel (Beck and Tom Waits collaborator) and accordion player Rob Curto (Klezmatics collaborator). That Wednesday, the three musicians got together and invited more friends, and the rawest party in New York was born.

The centerpiece of the band, Mauro Refosco has the magic of always making Forro 's performances a party. Despite the fact that forro is the traditional style of music from the Northeast of Brazil, Mauro has guided the other musicians in the current line-up of the band - Smokey on baritone guitar, Guilherme Monteiro on bass, Jorge Continentino on pifano, Gilmar Gomes on percussion and Magali and Samanta Balassa on vocals - to evolve their sound into a nublu style. They extend the songs, repeat melodies, taking the rhythms throughout Brasil and Africa and back to downtown New York. They are spectacular - a band suited to fans of not only Brazilian music but anyone who has passion and soul. Their drum-driven tracks insist on movement, and their vibrant choruses demand shouts.

On record, Forro in the Dark is another kind of force, one that evinces a certain relaxed pop quality that gets in your head, sets up a lawn chair, and coolly bobs its head along with the zabumba, the triangle, and vibraphone. The worldwide debut of Forro in the Dark is a twelve-inch released by nublu records on October 25, 2005. It features vocals of Seu Jorge, the Brazilian superstar who 's most recently released the album Cru as well as starring in City of God and Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, a film in which he performed the music of David Bowie. Remixes on the album come from TruThoughts/BastardJazz artist Mawglee, Wonderwheel artist Zeb and downtown New York talent Flavinho Megabyte. Plans for a full-length are in the works.

Forro in the Dark are more than just a great Brazilian band. They represent the heart of the lower east side - with all of its diversity and passion. To hear their music is to forget everything but dancing. All problems vanish, and life becomes, for a moment, a big party - a big nublu party.