CARNAVAL DRUMMING
TESTIMONIALS
CARNAVAL DRUMMING
TESTIMONIALS
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Paul Barrett & Greg Sheehan
Marching with this vibrant, colourful group, led by "drum major" Paul Barrett, I could see the joy & excitement that the Blisstas create. First hand, Paul is an exceptional Bandleader, conducting with precision and humour! This band has a big sound, big costumes, and a big heart. I recommend this group for any occasion, be it Community Parades, Arts Festivals, Weddings, Parties anything!!! Greg Sheehan ( Australia's Rolf Harris of Percussion........A real Legend !)
Mari Takashima and Monica Lunardon The BRISBANE SAMBA GIRLS
The energy coming out from the band was enourmous that gave us the joy to Dance. We've never had such a exciting show like this that made us all happy. We are looking forward to dance with the SAMBA-BLISSTA'S again. Keep spreading your inspiration and energy! Mari Takashima/
Monica Lunardon
Surfing The Coldstream was the first ever large-scale outdoor arts/fringe festival in the Clarence Valley. The highlight of this 2-day inaugural event was a theatrical procession aimed at breaking the audience “parade” habit of simply staring and waving by allowing them to become involved as participants. This could not have happened as successfully as it did without the participation of Paul Barrett’s Samba-Blisstas. They were highly professional in their approach yet easy to work with, all wonderfully costumed and best of all they managed to intermix a wild sense of musical abandon with a high degree of awareness of crowd control and public safety. I cannot recommend them enough. There are drummers and there are drummers, but Paul Barrett’s Samba-Blisstas & Carnaval Drumming are guaranteed to take any event to the next level. Dom Ferry Director - "Surfing The Coldstream" Arts/Fringe Festival. Yamba, NSW, Australia.
Jyllie Jackson Jyllie Jackson (Lantern Queen)
This was the icing on the cake. Never had I seen a more diverse group of people, of all experience levels, age and social background come together with the sole intention of “hitting stuff and shaking it”. Some of the class had little or no rhythmic background whatsoever, as expected. Yet, over the course of six weeks Paul had every single person in the room playing a particular part in a massive, percussive symphony. It was truly amazing. Each person was given an instrument and a rhythm to play in creating the overall sound. No one was left out or behind and every part was as important as the next. This is truly a testament to Paul’s teaching techniques. He brought the whole crew together without creating a competition or “play off” for the particular parts. This was certainly a long overdue and welcome relief from so many social activities that seem to be based on how good someone is at something. There’s no doubt that we’re all better at some things than others, but what about creating something together that celebrates these differences. I think Paul Barrett has found that “something”.
"The best team building exercise I've ever done! Never been involved in a team exercise where everybody enjoyed themselves so much !!" - Sharon Frazer, Purchasing Officer "What a great team building exercise! It was so much fun learning skills we never thought we had. I still cannot believe that the 40 of us were all in time." - Naomi Egan, Accounts Payable Officer "EVERYBODY loved this activity - it was the highlight of our Conference! Thanks for a fantastic afternoon - how will we ever top it?!" - Kirsten Parker, Executive Assistant "I've been to a lot of conference events in my career, but this is the best activity I've ever participated in!! The whole team was 'buzzing' at the end of the session." - David Nash, Chief Financial Officer Australia “The Carnaval Drummer’s were the most sensational crescendo and highlight for the opening of our Retreat. –A true highlight”. The Board of Directors Gaia Retreat & Spa www.gaiaretreat.com.au "I can't emphasise enough how successful and Popular THE Jill Fenton– Events & Sponsorship Co-ordinator / ERNST & YOUNG Hi Paul, I saw you guys at JOYFEST 05, and really enjoyed the performance. Very heartening to see people displaying such blatant exhibitionism and an overdeveloped sense of the ludicrous, very good for the soul.
Dear Paul & Co, I just wanted to say a big thanks for making my experience at Bellingen Global Carnival that little bit extra special.To be part of your workshops and final parade was such an uplifting experience for me and my partner and provided an extra dimension to the Festival for us.
I'm now studying education and just wanted to say how refreshing and inspiring it was to see someone so good at what they do, yet so good at teaching to novices like myself. Claire Savage (Festival Participant/ Brisbane) www.globalcarnival.com
What an amazing revelation that was! Paul is a sheer genius with his teaching skills, and the humour and warmth he generates throughout the lesson makes it fun from the moment you enter the room. By the end of the course, Paul had managed to mould twenty novices into something that sounded really quite good. He also showed extreme sensitivity to my hearing impairment by incorporating his brilliant use of mime into the class, thus making it easier for me to “see”, rather then “hear”, his calls. We did our first public performance at the end of that course, resplendent in wild red outfits and crazy feathered headdresses, and that was the turning point for me. Being part of this high-energy band, beating their pulsating rhythms, dancing in unison with our drums, a riot of color and noise taking to the streets, the impact it brings to the public, the sheer joy exchanged between band members and the general public during a performance is incredible: I became a committed member from then on. Since then, I have watched the embryo of Paul’s idea of a “community band” grow. Each beginners course brings fresh individuals to the band, each bringing with them their own talent and creativity. We have expanded enough for other percussion sections to be incorporated, each uniquely different and equally as essential to the over-all sound of the larger band. Very few of our members have any musical background whatsoever, but with Paul’s expertise and encouragement, find themselves proficient on something. I know that my natural talent inhibits me from being anything more than “a clux banging on a drum”, but that’s OK too because it’s loads of fun doing just that. I joined the band simply for some fun; the benefits I have received have been profoundly unexpected. My health has improved enormously, my confidence and self-esteem continue to grow, and warm friendships have developed amongst members of the band. The music, the rhythms, the laughter, the dancing, the people, the SAMBA.....all of this and much more is what keeps me coming back. Thank you Paul for your friendship and encouragement, thank you every member of the Samba Blisstas team. See you next week at band practice!! Amadyin (Drummer with the Samba-Blisstas)
www.laca.com.au
Im absolutely stoked that the Samba-Blisstas where involved in the 2006 Herb Festival in Lismore NSW. You provided a true spectacle ,what a fantastic band. Ill certainly recommend that you guys be there next year, i just wanted to pass on my congratulations and say" keep up the great work" you do a fantastic job it adds so much color and excitement to whatever you do mate, yeh...congratulations.....im lost for words!
Craig Morley : Parade Co-coordinator ( HERBIE PARADE ) Lismore Herb Festival 2006 ( Message/ Testimonial, left on Message Bank !)
Hello ! My name is Tania, my two daughters and I attended your Carnaval Drumming workshop at the Yamba Arts Fringe Festival. We just want to say THANK YOU !!! We came away feeling so full of energy, so empowered by what we had just achieved in that short space of time. To you and your team.....who also made us feel welcome, thank you again. We look forward to seeing you again next year and when we visit Byron we will keep an eye out for you all. Much Appreciated.
Tania, Sara,& Breanna Johnstone Festival Participants at Surfing the Coldstream / Yamba 2006
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Contact: PAUL BARRETT (Musical Director) 0417 969743
We've danced with the Samba-Blisstas at the exciting charity party "Latino NIght" at the Ewingsdale hall. It was so much fun to dance with your unique Australian-style Samba (especially when i saw the wobble board, it cracked me up).
To Whom It May Concern
"Samba Blisstas have been a major part of the award winning Lismore Lantern Parade since they arrived on the Northern Rivers in 2003. They are brilliant, professional and wonderful to work with. The dynamic energy of Samba Blisstas adds magic to an event, taking it from great to fantastic. We love 'em!" 
I
first came in contact with Paul about two years ago, when he’d just
moved to Byron Bay. He appeared on my Friday radio show, “Who’s
Ear?” on Bay FM to promote his Carnaval Drumming Workshops and talk
about his Samba Ensemble –
“The Samba Blisstas”.
What struck me about Paul was his sheer passion and excitement about
these projects. His enthusiasm was irrepressible, and that was just
on the radio. After many brief meetings and much evidence throughout
the community of his excellent work, I finally made the time to
embark on one of Paul’s workshops. 
I joined the Samba Blisstas to regain my sense of fun. I had never heard of them, or seen them before, but a friend was a member and she encouraged me to give it a try, despite the fact that I have no musical ability at all. My ongoing battles with major depression over the years have left me withdrawn and reclusive, so joining a “group” to do anything was quite a daunting prospect for me. I have also been severely hearing impaired since the age of 18. I cannot detect the differences in musical notes at all, but I figured I should be able to “bang a drum”, so gathered all my courage and headed off to Paul’s beginners class.