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.