Brazil has a population with a wide range of different ethnic backgrounds, which
influenced each other in the course of time, especially in the area of religion and music. The African roots are particularly embedded in the music. Therefore the rhythms played in
Edson Gomes' Workshops are Afro-Brazilian.
One of the rhythms is Samba, a word derived from the
Angolan "semba", which is an African circle dance. Samba evolved in the 20th.
century in Rio de Janeiro and become the music of the carnaval. There are many different
styles of Samba.
Originating from Bahia, a few hundred miles north from Rio, are the Afoxé and the Samba
Reggae.
Afoxé found his origins in the ritual dance
and music of the Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion.
Samba Reggae is a fairly new rhythm that was
influenced by the Jamaican Reggae en the Afoxé.
Other rhythms from the Northeast are the Maracatú
en the Baião.
Maracatú is a stir up, typical Afro-Indian
rhythm with a long tradition. Baião is
traditional folk music, it is a mix of the Maracatú and the Fado from Portugal.