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ABOUT GANZÁ

Ganzá Entertainment, is a producer and promoter of Brazilian music and culture in the United States. Since 1997, Ganzá has produced several events featuring Brazilian Popular Music, jazz, world music, carnival and capoeira (Brazilian martial arts) with shows in New England, Florida, Washington DC and California. Ganzá has also promoted Latin and Caribbean events in Orlando and Los Angeles.

In 1998, Ganzá created a party theme FunFarra®. The use of FunFarra was to put a focus on Brazilian culture and music in Hartford adding more diversity to Hartford’s nightlife with Brazilian-style fun, music and dance. The theme has also been used at conventions in Orlando and St. Louis.

Ganzá has presented events and artists at international conventions, theaters, festivals, clubs, universities and most recently at the Club BB King at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Ganzá has also managed tours of several top Brazilian musicians with concerts at jazz clubs, theaters, universities, and at the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage in Washington, DC. (Please see Past Events).

The name Ganzá (gahn-zah), or chocalho, comes from the Portuguese word for a tubular metal shaker similar to a maraca. This Brazilian percussion instrument is of African origin and is fundamental to any samba or batucada group. The Ganzá name was inspired by the song “Festa para um Rei Negro” (Party for a Black King) by Zuzuca, also called Pega no Ganzá of Acadęmicos do Salgueiro Samba School, champion of Rio’s Carnaval in 1971.

Background

Ganzá was founded by Brazilian-born Alzi Platts a former dentist in Brazil. After moving to the United States in 1975, she made a career transition to a scientific-technical foreign language translator and event producer. Having always been inspired by Brazilian music and dance, she started Ganzá in 1997 with her husband Jim, an engineer and former Peace Corps Volunteer in Săo Paulo, Brazil, and their two sons Jeffrey and Derek. Jeffrey, also known as DJ Funky J, works in entertainment and international marketing in Washington DC and worked at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington DC. Derek works in International TV production at ESPN International in Connecticut.