{"id":4476,"date":"2012-04-12T12:44:16","date_gmt":"2012-04-12T11:44:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonschoolofsamba.co.uk\/?page_id=4476"},"modified":"2021-11-02T10:22:47","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T10:22:47","slug":"pato-fuentes-obituary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/archive.londonschoolofsamba.co.uk\/?page_id=4476","title":{"rendered":"Pato Fuentes – Obituary"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Pato<\/h4>\n

Obituary<\/h4>\n

Founder member of G.R.E.S. Unidos de Londres (London School of Samba)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“A legendary Sambista and teacher in his own life time”
\nPato Fuentes, one of the founding members of the London School of Samba<\/a>
\ndied on 1st April 2002. He was the Musical Director of the LSS from late
\n1986 until 1989. Born in Chile, along with his brother Carlos, he was
\nforced to flee the country after the US brought down the democratically
\nelected government of Salvador Allende and installed the Pinochet regime
\nin 1973. Like many other Chileans, they came to live in the UK in 1977 and
\nsettled in London.<\/p>\n

The early history of the London School of Samba<\/h3>\n

In October 2001, l spoke to Pato at his home in Camberwell about the early
\nhistory of the LSS. He told me that when Alan Hayman decided to form the
\nfirst Samba School in Britain in late 1983, some of it’s first members –
\nsuch as Gerry Hunt and Carlos, were also members of the now famous Grand
\nUnion Orchestra.<\/p>\n

He said that Alan had first asked Carlos and Gerry to
\nhelp form the London School of Samba along with Bosco de Oliveira, the schools first Musical
\nDirector. He said that it was through Carlos, that he was first approached
\nto join the LSS in early 1984. He told me that the basic aim of the LSS was
\nto:<\/p>\n

Bringing people together through music<\/h4>\n

\u201cBring together people with a common interest in Brazilian music. Not all
\nthe founders were percussionists, but all had a shared interest in
\nBrazilian music.\u201d<\/p>\n

First ever LSS Bateria rehearsal was in Hackney 1984<\/h2>\n

The first LSS Bateria rehearsal was at the house of Dawson Miller in
\nHackney in the spring of 1984 with around 10-15 drummers, including
\nanother Chilean exile, German Santana. According to Pato, this was very
\ninformal, just a jam \u2013 bring your own instrument sort of thing.<\/p>\n

Eventually, it was decided to find a proper rehearsal place and get
\ntogether more often. As a lot of the early members of the LSS lived in
\nHackney area in east London, the first proper rehearsal centre was the
\nJenako Arts Centre in Balls Pond Road in Hackney.<\/p>\n

London School of Samba Bateria lead by Bosco<\/h4>\n

At first, the Bateria led by Bosco just concentrated on rehearsals and
\ngetting a set together. When more people heard about it, they began to
\nreceive offers to play local festivals. Around about June 1984, the
\nLSS started playing it’s first gigs. Pato told me that one he
\nremembered well was the first of several performances in Victoria Park in
\nHackney (although when l spoke to the dancers, they were sure it was an
\nevent in Covent Garden).<\/p>\n

The gig was on a nice warm day, and when
\nsome Brazilians who were there on a picnic heard the drumming, they came
\nover to talk to Bosco and Alan. Pato said that these were Brazilians who
\nmainly worked and lived in London. They included Mina Shimizu and Mari
\nHaberli who told them that they would love to be involved, but didn’t play
\ndrums. As this was some three months before the Notting Hill Carnival, the
\nobvious choice, according to Pato, was to ask them to help organise the
\ndancers for the first parade.<\/p>\n

London School of Samba first Notting Hill Carnival 1984<\/h4>\n

Thus in August 1984, the LSS made it’s first appearance in the Notting<\/a>
\nHill Carnival<\/a>, with the theme of “Homage to Mocidade and Padre Miquel”. It
\nwas an historic occasion: the LSS had introduced Brazilian Carnival and
\nRio-style Samba not only to the parade in Notting Hill, but also the UK.<\/p>\n

In it’s early years, the LSS was able to introduce Samba to hundreds of
\npeople through a series of free workshops held in the Covent Garden piazza
\nin 1984 and 1985. Pato said that one of the most memorable moments of the
\nearly LSS was in 1986, when they were washed out by rain at the Notting
\nHill Carnival, but still did really well, because a lot of the parading
\nbands didn\u2019t perform because of the bad weather.<\/p>\n

The formation of the LSS would later inspire the creation of numerous
\nother Samba Schools and Bloco’s throughout the UK, something Pato told me
\nhe was really proud of. The LSS have also inspired many people
\nthroughout Europe. \u00c5ke Persson, from Sweden, who first joined the LSS in
\nthe 1985 Carnival said:<\/p>\n

Pato was such a great person and such a great musician. He took good care
\nof me and others when joining the LSS in the mid eighties. I remember with
\njoy and pride when Pato, as a deputy mestre for the LSS, contributed in
\nmaking the 1986 Encontro in Uppsala, Sweden a success. As in Turkku, Finland in 1988
\nand the London Encontro in 1989.<\/p>\n

To me and many Swedish sambistas who got
\nin touch with Pato, Pato was a legendary sambista and teacher in his own
\nlife time. And I\u00b4m sure that that legend will remain. We will always
\nremember Pato as one of the greatest guys in the European samba scene.<\/p>\n

He took over from Bosco as Musical Director in later 1986 and led the LSS
\nat three Carnivals: 1987 (Black Brazil), 1988 (Gods of Freedom) and 1989
\n(Fire in the Forest).<\/p>\n

After he stepped down as Mestre following the 1989 Carnival, he continued
\nhis close involvement with the LSS, playing at every Carnival with the LSS
\nuntil 2000, and at numerous gigs, notably our first gig at the Royal
\nAlbert Hall in 1999. He also continued doing monthly drum workshops at
\nWaterloo until early 2001. Another early member of the LSS, Mike Ryden,
\ncommented:<\/p>\n

“Pato was an extraordinary and inspirational personality. Many people
\nattempt to teach, few do it well, but Pato was a supreme teacher, an
\neffortless and charismatic communicator, yet modest, patient and entirely
\nunspoiled by the admiration and affection of those around him. Whether
\nPato was training new players or leading the Bateria on stage, he was not
\nonly the centre of people’s attention, he was the centre of their
\nemotions.<\/p>\n

Each time you looked into Pato’s wry-smiling face, you knew he
\nhad a special gift and teaching Samba was only part of what was happening
\namong you. He created for each person an atmosphere of fun, friendship,
\nrespect, of expectations at just the right level. If we can keep that
\nspirit alive in our hearts, Pato’s gift will still be there, safe with
\nus”.<\/p>\n

Despite his worsening illness, he came and saw the LSS off from it’s
\nBarracao at Maxilla Gardens just before the parade started for the Notting
\nHill Carnival in 2001. Pato was overjoyed when he heard the news that the
\nLSS had won 2nd place, it’s highest placement, following coming 3rd in 1990.<\/p>\n

And when the ex-dictator Pinochet was arrested on charges of mass murder
\nin the UK in 2000, Pato was there with many other members of the Chilean
\ncommunity playing percussion on demonstrations in London that were held in
\nsupport of attempts to put him on trial here in the UK.<\/p>\n

Pato also studied Afro-Cuban percussion at the Cuban Music Institute
\n“Ingnacio Cervantes” in Havana, Cuba and was the Musical Director for
\ncombined European Brazilian Percussion Ensemble which had approximately
\nfour hundred musicians. Pato worked extensively as a Samba teacher
\nthroughout the UK, Ireland, Italy and other countries in Europe and also
\nplayed in numerous other Latin groups such as Grupo Folio.<\/p>\n

He will be greatly missed by many people throughout the world – as soon as
\nthe news came in of his death, tributes came into to us from people in
\nBrazil, Turkey, France and Sweden amongst others. He will always be a
\ninspiration to everyone in the LSS and the world of Samba.<\/p>\n

Mestre Mags
\nApril 2002<\/p>\n

Honouring the past members of the London School of Samba<\/h3>\n

Below we are honouring the past members of the\u00a0London School of Samba<\/a>\u00a0and we say farewell to so many wonderful friends.\u00a0 Everyone past and present at this Samba School sends their love and condolences to your families and thank you for enriching our lives.<\/p>\n