Jazz at Wonka bar

Thursday is Jazz festival in Curitiba - Fabiano invites me to join him down town for some good jazz.

Largo da Ordem is the old part of town, the historical, the original core of Curitiba. The buildings are low, colourful, with a touch of colonial feeling I would say. It is the same part of town as where the Sunday market is held - remember me telling about my first Sunday in Curitiba... That's the one. Well, I wouldn't have wondered there at night, although Fabiano tells me it is safe enough as long as you stay close to the street with the bars and clubs and don't deviate over towards São Francisco.

When we arrive the bar isn't opened yet. So going around the block we reach an open bar - the bar is inside but the people stand outside, even though the temperature is chilly. The bar bears the name of a notorious Brasilian soccer player who apparently had a tender feeling for drinking - and actually died alcoholic... Still people remember him for the great player he was before quitting and spending his money on the bottle. The bar is decorated and covered with pictures and features referring to him. A beer - a Brasilian Bavaria - and a chat, then we turn back to the jazz club.

Yeah...might look crapy but I had a quality evening here!

Wonka's is a colourful place: the walls are covered with graffiti-like paintings upstairs and huge patterns wallpaper downstairs, in the basement. Here is the stage, between heavy masonry walls and under solid vaults. More Brasilian beer - a Devassa, this time (meaning 'libertine girl'). And the concert begins. Tonight the jazz is of a nervous kind, many notes and terrific musicians eager to show off their virtuosity. The bassist is incredible! The drummer can't help some carnaval beats in his solo. The guitarist is in his own world and the keyboard player jumps off his seat from time to time while throwing a bunch of hysteric high notes at the audience. Incredible evening!

Some friends of Fabiano are there as well and I end up explaining the delightful and useful basics of Portuguese I have picked up until now: Frio da porra! for cold days, Planejamento urbano because it is always useful to be able to tell what you do in life and Senta là Claudia! for the local ones, when you want to send someone to hell (and especially if the one isn't too bright...) - I'll give a ful explanation for those who desire ;-)

Fun, nice people and great music! How much more could you desire...?