Promotes multicultural dissemination between both countries, Mexico and Brazil, through musical dissemination. Expressing our art through samba school bateria originating in Rio De Janeiro with  young Mexicans, incorporating our roots and Mexican culture, taking the concept of Day of the  Dead traditions as a way of showing our culture, carrying with great respect this tradition of our ancestors that makes us completely unique, represents and identifies us worldwide.

Musically, Groove e Rimshot is a project directed and focused on the reorganization of the batucada concept in our country, taking the bases of a samba school drummer that is currently represented in the largest carnival in the world, in RdJ e SP.

Our objective is to influence these Mexico based musical groups (batucadas) in our country with the good technique and rhythmic knowledge that have evolved over the years in Brazil. The primary task of the project is to make known all these musical transformations that continue to emerge so that in turn that they can develop rhythmically and musically to avoid that musical stagnation that has persisted in our country over the years.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/LZw3nCwNQDma6QBR/

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/KrVZQMnHYLdzckeB/

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/uMXQaBKB7t4xQgVD/

Diego de Oliveira was Born and raised in Nilópolis. Since he was very young, Diego has lived in the world of samba. He has been a Mestre sala, was part of the Kids bateria  and is currently a bateria director at the Beija-Flor samba school in Nilópolis. In the late 90s and early 2000s, he paraded as a passista. In 2003, it was his first year as Mestre sala, he won a Estandarte de Ouro "revelation of carnival". In 2011, he joined the bateria of Beija-Flor, popularly known as "bateria soberana". The following year he began playing the REPIQUE MOR where he gained great prominence inside and outside of Brazil.

In 2017, Diego wrote his first samba enredo.  Unfortunately, he came second. But in 2018, he won the samba-enredo competition and Beija Flor ended up winning that year. 

In 2019, he won his second title in the samba-enredo competition. This year, Beija-Flor held the samba-enredo contest for the 2023 carnival and, once again, Diego and his partnership were the champions. In the year of (2021), he became a bateria director at Beija-Flor de Nilópolis.

Currently, Diego has a WORKSHOP project called WORKSHOP TOQUE DE BAMBA. He takes this project to different countries outside of Brazil, the countries and states were: Spain, Turkey, Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde, China, Argentina, Gabon, Portugal, France, Germany, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Brasília etc. Its main objective is to show the culture of our country and make people feel closer to brazilian culture.

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/diegooliveirard?igsh=OW0yYmZhbnB0bzAw&utm_source=qr

Youtube
https://youtube.com/@diegooliveira2311?si=E0ZZnXHR-lJxVSb8

Chicago area listeners!
Check out Silvia’s next live show!
https://www.oldtownschool.org/concerts/2024/01-10-2024-wmw-silvia-manrique-with-marcel-bonfim/

Robert Lopez

Bio:
Robert Lopez is a percussionist and educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His background in various types of music such as folkloric traditions of Brazil, Ghana and Cuba, alongside contemporary chamber music and free improvisation, allow him to maintain a malleable approach to sharing musical ideas. He holds a Bachelors of Music from Cal State University Long Beach and a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Improvisation from Mills College. Since 2011, he has been an active member of the Bay Area music community working with groups SO AR, the Oakland Active Orchestra, Quattour Elephantis, Grex and Jordan Glenn’s BEAK among others. He has been a dance accompanist at Mills College, UC Berkeley, ODC and Sonoma State. Since 2014 he has maintained a close relationship with master drummer Jorge Alabê. This partnership has led to awards from the Fulbright US Student Program for projects “Cultural Transmission through the Music of Candomblé” (2022) and “Investigating the Language of Candomblé Drumming” (2020), a grant from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (2018) and first-place in the Brazilian category with Grupo Samba Rio in San Francisco’s Carnaval (2018 and 2019). He currently teaches drum set and hand percussion at the San Francisco Community Music Center and the San Francisco Waldorf High School.

Links:
media - @bohbbylolo

San Francisco Community Music Center - https://sfcmc.org/support/donate/

Iuri Passos Master’s Thesis - https://repositorio.ufba.br/handle/ri/31383

2020 Fulbright story - https://www.kqed.org/arts/13878162/how-coronavirus-derailed-a-fulbright-fellows-musicological-research-in-brazil

FICA Studio in Oakland - https://www.ficaoakland.com/

Silvia Manrique’s video:
https://youtu.be/A7VVDJYX0gA?si=nmtq5Nh5uQDWiPDs

Robert Lopez and Jorge Alabe

Creative Encounters

Freddie the Skinny pig!

San Francisco Carnaval

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bjuRxPEnvOM

Bio:

Mestres of Acadêmicos do Salgueiro Bateria Furiosa. Guilherme Oliveira and Gustavo Oliveira are local to Salgueiro having been raised on the same street as the quadra, Rua Silva Teles, the brothers have always had strong roots with the school. The love for percussion arose through contact with the instruments at the escola mirim Aprendizes do Salgueiro.

Since then, both have collected experiences in the musical world. Their curriculum is vast, the mestres have played with great artists, such as Ludmilla and Xamã. Their talent and love for the Samba School eventually led them to the role and responsibility of commanding Bateria Furiosa do Salgueiro.

As mestres, they seek to immortalize a legacy. The two toured with the “Furiosa pelo mundo” project, where they took Salgueiro’s musical culture to other countries, passing through Europe and South America. They most recently visited us this past August at California Brazil camp.

Links:

Mestre Guilherme
https://www.instagram.com/guilloliveira/

Mestre Gustavo
https://www.instagram.com/gustavoliveira_91/

Acadêmicos do Salgueiro
https://www.instagram.com/salgueirooriginal/

https://www.facebook.com/salgueirooriginal

Sabrina Ginga of Salgueiro Samba School and Mestre Curtis of Casa Samba

Watch the episode here!

Mestre Curtis’ letter that he wrote over 3 decades ago and was finally able to deliver to Sabrina Ginga the Ambassador of Salgueiro Samba School!

Bio:
Sabrina Ginga, 34 years old, is a Social Scientist, Movement Director, creator of digital content, impacting the world with her independent art and activism. She is a defender of human rights and her agenda involves gender and racial issues. Sabrina’s career includes participation in Heavy Baile in addition to years as a Funk Carioca and Afrovibe Danceworkout teacher. Recently, he shook global structures in her Ginga Tour Workshop, which was attended by more than 9 countries. Additionally, Sabrina also teaches group dynamics and Team Building activities in corporate environments. Recently awarded the title of Ambassador of Acadêmicos do Salgueiro, a traditional samba school in Rio de Janeiro. The position was created to create an international community, to build partnerships and build bridges to demonstrate the value and culture exchange created by samba schools. 

Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrinaginga/

Sabrina Ginga

Bio:
Mestre Curtis can be classified as possibly the only American in the United States who has reached his level as a Master in Brasilian cultures meaning that he is the first person in this country to be recognized as a master of Capoeira the first original African martial art to leave Africa and a master of Brazilian percussion and the first to bring Master Brasilian teachers to New Orleans in the early ’90s. This is known by only a handful of people in the United States. Mestre Curtis has dedicated his life to his African roots of culture which he found in Brazil after 37 years ago.

Mestre Curtis Pierre is the founder and director of Casa Samba, the first School of Samba in Louisiana and the Southern Region. Pierre is also known as "The Samba Man" of New Orleans. He has studied Brazilian music and dance for over 30 years. 

Casa Samba is located at 800 Race Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. The school offers: 

• Capoeira

• Brazilian percussion

• Dance

• Culture

• Afro-Brasilian dance and drum classes

Pierre also sponsors a community group called Samba Kids. 

Casa Samba's performances combine traditional music and vocals. The group is directed by Pierre and Brazilian master drummer, Jorge "Alabe" Bezerra. 

Links:
Website: https://www.mestrecurtispierre.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealsambaman/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curtis.pierre.18

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2Mx-2m86bPUuLVvWl_yIA/about

Check out Silvia Manrique’s new EP on Spotify!
open.spotify.com/album/5qOYOPvLppzyujWGh0aDnU?si=-f4KLURHTMeVhk-nCC2GpQ

Photo by Nelson Malfacini www.instagram.com/nelsonmalfacini/

Gustavo Perez, nicknamed Nômade, is originally from São Paulo, where he originally learned to play samba. He played with many samba schools as a youth. He eventually moved to Rio where he joined the samba scene and built quite a reputation as a killer tamborim player. He is the tamborim director at the current carnaval champion Samba school, Imperatriz Leopoldinense.

He also plays at many many other samba schools and music projects as well as teaches private lessons and runs a bloco in Copacabana. 

Links:

Instagram

Bloco Cultural Saideira

Youtube video with Thalita Santos.

Imperatriz Leopoldinense Samba School

Photo by Nelson Malfacini www.instagram.com/nelsonmalfacini/

Nômade and Courtney lining up with Imperatriz Leopoldinense before the parade of champions 2023.

Bio:

About Silvia Manrique
Silvia Manrique is a Chicago-based Brazilian and Latin Jazz vocalist. She has performed at respected venues and festivals like the Old Town School of Folk Music, the Logan Square Arts Festival, the Chicago World Music Festival, the Chicago Latino Film Festival and the Millennium Park Summer Music festival at the beautiful Pritzker Pavilion. In 2016, she participated in the album ‘Aquarela,’ a compilation of children’s songs arranged and produced by the incomparable Paulinho Garcia who says she “carries a song with mastery, both melodically and rhythmically.” Silvia is also plays percussion focused on the Brazilian tamborim, completing studies with Carnaval-style samba percussion masters like Mestre Ailton Nunes of the Mangueira Samba School, Dudu Fuentes of Monobloco and Bangalafumenga, Jorge Alabe and Mestre Jonas of Mocidade Independente.

About Fabiana Cozza
Fabiana Cozza has been heralded by critics and the public as a leading performer in contemporary Brazilian music. In September 2020, “Dos Santos” was born, her eighth and latest album, a contemporary work that is a tribute to the cultural universe of Brazilian Afro-native religions. In 2017, she published her first book of poems, Álbum Duplo, by the editor Pedra Papel Tesoura.Fabiana has taken Brazilian music to festivals in Israel, Germany, France, Canada, USA, Bulgaria, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Cuba, Moçambique, Cape Verde and worked with celebrated artists including Sadao Watanabe, HR Big Band (Germany), Mú Mbana (Guiné Bissau) and Omara Portuondo (Cuba).

About Fi Maróstica
Fi Maróstica is an upright and electric bass player, born in the city of Ourinhos (SP), who has shared the stage with many renowned artists including Hermeto Pascoal, Toquinho, Miucha, Elza Soares, Hamilton de Holanda, Rosa Passos, Maria Gadu, among others. In addition to concerts in Brazil with several of these names, Fi has already toured several countries, passing through South America, North America, Europe and Asia. He also received several awards at renowned festivals in Brazil, such as best instrumentalist (Festival Botucanto - 2010 and Festival de Música de Sorocaba - 2013), in addition to being a finalist in this category for the Brazilian Professional Music Awards in 2017 and 2018, the year in which who was also won in the

Contact: [email protected]

Chicago Jazz Artist Silvia Manrique Releases Debut EP ‘Sonho’ Featuring Collaborations with Renowned Brazilian Artists

Chicago-based jazz artist Silvia Manrique releases her Latin/Brazilian jazz solo debut EP titled ‘Sonho’ available now. Recorded at São Paulo's prestigious Estúdio Arsis and musically directed by award-winning Brazilian musical artist Fabiana Cozza, this 4-song EP serves as an introduction to Manrique’s delicate delivery and unique blend of Latin and Brazilian jazz and contemporary sounds.

A fixture in the Chicago Brazilian jazz and samba scene for many years, Silvia is a three-time performer for Chicago’s World Music Festival. Described by music critic Peter Margasak as “a natural, delivering sophisticated melodies with ease and sensuality,” Silvia has opened for world music artists like Dona Onete, Céu and Luisa Maita and recorded vocals for national advertisements for brands including State Farm and McDonald’s. In 2016, she recorded the full-length ‘Aquarela’ with the critically acclaimed Paulinho Garcia under the GLP label featuring Brazilian classics designed to introduce children to the Brazilian Portuguese language. A bout with breast cancer in 2020 led her to refocus on her artistic career and this EP commemorates her official return to music.

“This release is titled ‘Sonho’ because it means dream in Portuguese – and this EP is exactly that, the realization of a deep desire to record music not only for pleasure but also for posterity,” said Silvia, who began vocal training with Fabiana Cozza while undergoing chemotherapy as a way to release stress. “Fabiana really encouraged me to stop thinking of singing as a hobby or a pastime – it really is a vocation that I have to nurture every day for the wellbeing of my body and soul.”

‘Sonho’ features covers of classic world jazz songs by Rosa Passos, Joyce Moreno, Henri Salvador, as well as a bolero by legendary Cuban composer Frank Dominguez, a nod to Silvia’s Latin American (Mexican) heritage. Cozza, a force in Brazilian music and two-time winner of the Prêmio da Música Brasileira, the Brazilian equivalent of a Grammy award, produced and had a hand in selecting repertoire and instrumentation. The songs were carefully arranged by acclaimed bassist and creative musician Fi Maróstica, known for his innovative style that brings bass to the forefront of the musical mix. Rounding out the musical performance are two young stars of the vibrant São Paulo jazz scene, Nichollas Maia on piano and Matheus Marinho on drums.

Track listing for ‘Sonho’ includes:
● Dunas (Passos)
● Tú Me Acostumbraste (Dominguez)
● E Vamos Lá (Moreno)
● Dans Mon Île (Salvador)

The EP is available now on all streaming platforms. For more information about Silvia Manrique and her music, please visit www.silviamusic.com.

PORTUGUESE VERSION
Contato de imprensa: [email protected]
Silvia Manrique, artista de jazz de Chicago, lança EP de estreia ‘Sonho’ com colaborações com Artistas Brasileiros Renomados

CHICAGO (26 de maio de 2023) – Silvia Manrique, artista de jazz de Chicago, lança seu EP solo de jazz latino/brasileiro intitulado ‘Sonho’, disponível hoje. Gravado no prestigioso Estúdio Arsis de São Paulo e dirigido musicalmente pela premiada artista musical brasileira Fabiana Cozza, este EP de 4 canções serve como uma introdução à entrega delicada de Manrique e à mistura única de jazz latino e brasileiro e sons contemporâneos.

Uma figura fixa na cena brasileira de jazz e samba de Chicago por muitos anos, Silvia já se apresentou três vezes no Chicago World Music Festival. Descrita pelo crítico musical Peter Margasak como “um talento natural, entregando melodias sofisticadas com facilidade e sensualidade,” Silvia abriu para artistas da world music como Dona Onete, Céu e Luisa Maita e gravou vocais para publicidades nacionais de marcas como State Farm e McDonald's. Em 2016, ela gravou o longa 'Aquarela' com o aclamado Paulinho Garcia sob o selo GLP com clássicos brasileiros com o fim de introduzir as crianças ao idioma português brasileiro. Uma luta contra o câncer de mama em 2020 a levou a retomar a sua carreira artística e este EP comemora seu retorno oficial à música.

“Este lançamento se chama 'Sonho' porque este EP é exatamente isso, a concretização de uma vontade profunda de gravar música não só para o prazer, mas também para a posteridade," disse Silvia, que iniciou o treinamento vocal com Fabiana Cozza durante a quimioterapia como forma de liberar o estresse. “Fabiana me encorajou muito a parar de pensar em cantar como um hobby ou passatempo – realmente é uma vocação que tenho que cultivar todos os dias para o bem-estar do meu corpo e alma.”

'Sonho' apresenta covers de canções clássicas do jazz mundial de Rosa Passos, Joyce Moreno, Henri Salvador, bem como um bolero do lendário compositor cubano Frank Dominguez, uma homenagem à herança latino-americana (mexicana) de Silvia. Cozza, uma força da música brasileira e duas vezes vencedora do Prêmio da Música Brasileira, o equivalente brasileiro ao Grammy, produziu e participou da seleção de repertório e instrumentação. As músicas foram cuidadosamente arranjadas pelo aclamado baixista e músico criativo Fi Maróstica, conhecido por seu estilo inovador que traz o baixo para o primeiro plano da mixagem musical. Completando a apresentação musical estão duas jovens estrelas do jazz paulistano, Nichollas Maia no piano e Matheus Marinho na bateria. A lista de faixas de ‘Sonho’ inclui: Dunas (Passos) Tú Me Acostumbraste (Dominguez) E Vamos Lá (Moreno) Dans Mon Île (Salvador) O EP já está disponível em todas as plataformas de streaming.

Para mais informações sobre Silvia Manrique e sua música, visite www.silviamusic.com

Links:
Silvia Manrique: https://www.instagram.com/silvia_music and silviamusic.com

Silvia Manrique’s video:
https://youtu.be/A7VVDJYX0gA?si=nmtq5Nh5uQDWiPDs

Fi Marostica: https://linktr.ee/fimarostica

Nichollas Maia: https://www.instagram.com/_nichollass/

Matheus Marinho: https://tratore.ffm.to/vinticinco and https://www.instagram.com/marinho2o

Fabiana Cozza: https://www.fabianacozza.com.br and https://www.instagram.com/fabianacozza

Bio:

Laísa Lima was born into samba, as the daughter of samba legend,  Laíla, and samba performer Elaine, and granddaughter of ala director, Jurema. She grew up seeing her family take part in Carnaval, and wanted to be a part of it. It is only natural that she continues this family legacy.

She has been involved in Carnaval since she was eight years old at the school of her heart, Beija-Flor de Nilopolis. At age 11, She paraded for the first time at the Bateria Soberana and became tamborim director at 16.

Laísa is co-director of tamborims at Beija-Flor de Nilópolis and  Acadêmicos de Vigário Geral. She has been a mestra with escolas such as Ìmperio de Nova Iguaçu and Acadêmicos de Jacarepaguá.  It was recently announced that she is the new Mestra da Bateria at Leão da Nova Iguaçu. In addition to many other roles in carnaval she is also Mestra da Bateria at Academicos do Engenho da Rainha and a member of the sound truck at Botafogo Samba Clube

She has paraded with other escolas as a ritimista, such as  Unidos de Vila Isabel, Paraiso do Tuiuti, Porto da Pedra, Academicos do Grande Rio, Em Cima da Hora, Academicos do Sossego (Now Acadêmicos do Niterói) and Unidos da Ponte, Other projects that she is part of, or has been a part of: Percussion Instructor in Nilopolis; Tamborim Instructor in Vigario Geral; Band member of Os Carnavarizados do Samba (project for Youtube); as well as online tamborim lessons.

Links:
Instagram

YouTube

Bio:
Renan Gohan

Started in samba at the age of 13 with Barriga, a bloco in Cordovil, the neighborhood where he was raised. At 15 he became part of the bateria and has played in baterias ever since. He began at Imperatriz Leopodinense in 2006 as a percussionist on caixa. In 2008 he moved to third surdo, and in 2009 he was invited to be a bateria director for the third surdo. He stayed at Imperatriz until 2011.
In 2013 he was invited to be bateria director at Porto da Pedra, in 2014 he was bateria director at União da Ilha, in 2015 he was a bateria director at Grande Rio, where he stayed until 2018. In 2016 he returned to Imperatriz as a percussionist and in 2020 he returned to bateria director, where he is until today. 

He is currently also a bateria director at Unidos de Bangu and Flamanguaça, he is also the bateria mestre at Bloco Urubuzada since 2014.
He has been part of Batuque Digital performing group since 2013. 

He has also been a bateria director at Rocinha in 2019 and 2020,  Renascer de Jacarepaguá 2019,
He has also paraded as a percussionist in Unidos da Tijuca, São Clemente, Estácio de Sá, Portela, Viradouro among others.

 
Renan says:
Imperatriz and samba have given me many good things, in addition to life experience, I have been fortunate to visit many countries in South America, Europe and to several states in Brazil. These were all important moments in my life. I love Carnival and I want to be able to learn more and more and pass on a little of what I learned to other people.

Links:

Facebook
Instagram