Walking through the old town of Pelourinho or experiencing carnival is an unforgettable musical experience.
Visit Pelourinho on a Tuesday or a Sunday evening to see and hear Olodum play. A short walk from one bar and you hear music coming from the next. The famous band of Olodum started here in the 1980ies as a carnival option for the inhabitants of Pelourinho, then a much neclected area.
Every Tuesday night the drumming troup of Olodum are launching their impressive and innovative powerhouse of percussion and big colorfull drums. Previously Olodum has been playing with names such as Paul Simon, Michael Jackson and Branford Marsalis. The entrance fee is around 10 USD.
Another option is listning to Dadá, founded by Neguinho do Samba, after he had directed Oludum. The group is made up of women and plays similar tunes to that of Oludum. They rehearse on Friday nights at 20.00 in Pelourinho.
Ilé Aiyê is just as much known for its socio-political profile as its musicality. Established in Liberdade, the largest suburb of Salvador, Ilé Aiyê is a cultural group dedicated to perserve African tradition, Rehearsals take place midweek in the part of the city called Boca de Rio and on Saturday nights at Ladeira do Curuzu in Liberdade, in front of their headquarters.
Araketu comes from the Periperi suburb in the Lower City. Once a purely percussion band, Araketu has travelled widely and borrowed on various tunes (samba, candomblé, soukous etc) to become a major carnival attraction and one of the most susccesful bands in Bahia. Rehearsals tale place on Avenida Contorno. Tickets can be bought in advance from Avenida Oceânica 683, Barra Centro Comercial.
A band that sticks to the traditions is Filho de Gandhi, which is the original African drumming group and the largest. It was formed in 1949 and has the afoxé rythm that is one of the most emotive of Bahia's carnival.
World famous musician Carlinhos Brown is not only one of the most influencial composers in Brazil, but also a local hero and founder of the popular percussion band Timbalada. Timbalda rehearse every Sunday night at 18.30 from September to March. The entrance fee is around 10 USD. The rest of the year the carnival blocos can be contacted to get to the rehearsals.
Other popular musicians and artists are Daniela Mercury, Margareth Menezes, Ivete Sangalo, Joâo Gilberto, Gil Gilberto just to name a few. |
