Anje West

Greetings Music Lovers, Fans and Friends, and welcome to The View From Madeleine's Couch 

Pozible campaign.  We're making a record with Brazilian drumming legend Marcio Bahia!

For 21 years, award-winning OzBrazilian band The View From Madeleine's Couch, has  forged a glorious and lush sonic path through Brazilian jazz and bossa nova.  Led by acclaimed vibes player Kym Ambrose, and featuring the gorgeous vocals of Anje West, the band has remained a unique musical entity in Australia, playing Brazilian music with respect and integrity,  and composing original Ozbrazilian music wrapped in their distinct style and sound.

In May 2019, the band is doing something extraordinary: recording an album with one of Brazil's most respected and revered musicians, drummer Marcio Bahia, who has played, toured and recorded with most of the giants of Brazilian music, including Hermeto Pascoal, Hamilton de Holanda,  Joao Bosco, Baden Powell, Joyce Moreno, Leila Pinheiro, Vittor Santos, Marcos Valle, Eliane Elias, Ivan Lins, Maria Bethania and Roberto Menescal.  

For Australian musicians to have the opportunity to record an album alongside an absolute master and legend of Brazilian music is incredible.  Featuring brand new music, along with some of the beautiful and classic Brazilian songs that have inspired  and shaped the band's journey over the past two decades, this album will be a ground-breaking legacy - not just for the band, but for Brazilian, jazz and world music in Australia.

“Marcio is like the international reference for the Brazilian jazz canon; he is consistently and widely 

regarded as one of the best drummers in the world”.   Jan Dumee, Nederlands

“Marcio Bahia ...is a phenomenon”  Geoff Winston, London Jazz News

“ I would venture to say that some of the greatest drummers alive today are from Brazil. 

Guys like Marcio Bahia....”  Adam Osmianski, That Drum Blog

Marcio has twice visited Brisbane to conduct masterclasses, and appeared as a special guest for two shows at the Brisbane Jazz Club.  During the summer of 2012-13, Marcio officialy joined the band as their drummer on their 11 date Brazilian tour, culminating in a day spent in a Niteroi studio where the band recored three songs as a memento of the tour. It's been five years since these musicians and friends have seen each other, and with Marcio in town to conduct some masterclasses and workshops, what better time to make something awesome happen than right now?!

Marcio with the band at the Brisbane Jazz Club, 2012

The Band & the Creative Team: 

Anje West: voice, percussion (and catering!)

Kym Ambrose: vibraphone, percussion

OJ Newcomb: bass, backing vocals

Bruce Woodward: guitar

Marcio Bahia: drums, percussion

Lachlan Hawkins: drums, percussion, handpan.

Paulie B: engineer

Donna Gee Design: CD + vinyl L.P. artwork and design

This is going to be a gorgeous album; something that we can be proud of, and that you will love to listen to time and time again. Thank you for taking the time to read about our project; your contribution means that you'll be part of making Madcouch, and Australian, music history.

With love and gratitude,

Anje, Kym, OJ, Bruce, Lachlan & Marcio

Every person who pledges to support our project will receive a thank you on our 

website's dedicated Pozible campaign page:  Reasons To Be Cheerful , as well

as a shout-out on our social media pages.

The plan was to record an album in 2020, but the stars aligned for Marcio to be here at this particular time, so with your help and support, we are going to make this happen right now! With $5000 already saved, we're raising another $8000 for the project.  If we hit the total before the close of our campaign, any extra funds will help pay award rates for our musicians (instead of mates rates...thank you, amazing mates!), and contribute to documenting the recording process, extra costs for vinyl L.P. proudction, and to promoting and marketing the album and assisting in covering venue hire and associated costs for the album launch.

We are producing CDs and a limited edition vinyl L.P, (wait until you see the awesome artwork!!), and if your preference is digital-only, we have you sorted, too.  If you choose to contribute more than the cost of a CD, we have have some lovely, personal rewards to share with you, including hand-written postcards from our own collection from Brazil, an exclusive pre-launch listening party in the Wawahine Lounge  and packs of Anje's beautiful hand-made cards.

                                                                          The Wawahine Lounge

The Budget:

Recording: $3850 (Yama-Nui Studio on the Sunshine Coast)

Mixing and mastering: $2400

Artwork and design for CD and Vinyl covers: $800

Musician's fees:$2000 (these are mates rates)

Catering: $250 

Amcos fees (approx): $300

CD printing: $1400

Vinyl printing: $2000 (it's actually closer to $3K, but anyway...!)

Total: $13,000

Our Target: $8,000 

The main recording room at Yama-Nui Studio