Continuing this little samba unit, here are some warmups for a samba groove with a right hand move to the floor tom on 2, for a surdo effect. It’s another place to go, it’s nice […]
Category: Brazil
Partido alto grooves
Partido alto is the name of a genre of samba music, and of a Brazilian rhythm, and also of— as we are doing here— a type of Brazilian fusion drum set groove. It seems to […]
Groove o’ the day: Samba in 7
Here’s a bright samba groove in 7/4, played by Airto on Misturada, by the group Quarteto Novo. These are excerpts from the drum solo, starting at 0:49. Tempo is about quarter note = 220. I […]
Bossa warmups
Five pretty-easy Syncopation systems for getting warmed up with some bossa materials. And for getting it together in the first place, if you’re just learning the style. Use with pp. 38-45 in Syncopation. Play all […]
Subtractive method: EZ bossa system
A simple thing that works shockingly well for creating a functional bossa groove that breathes. You’ll recall that this “subtractive method” is a way of revoicing the rhythms in Syncopation, based on how they line […]
Batucada styles
Just did a gig playing all samba and bossa nova, so I’ve got Brazilian music on the brain. Here’s an old record offering a little round up of styles in Brazilian percussion: Batucada, by Paulinho […]
Groove o’ the day: Linha da Passe
Bright samba groove from one of my favorite Brazilian drummers, Milton Banana, who was most active in the 60s/70s. The tune is Linha da Passe, which you’re most likely find on Banana’s compilation album Sambas […]
First page of Bossa Nova
Working on this with a couple of students, I couldn’t find a simple straightforward page of Bossa Nova rhythms, with all the parts written out. Seems like a basic thing that should exist somewhere. I […]
Subtractive method: batucada
This developing subtractive method is becoming really interesting. It makes it much easier to write and communicate more complex orchestrations than in the past— which is not an end in itself, it just makes it […]
Groove o’ the day: Airto – Street Vendors D’Jmbo
A baiao-type drum set groove from Airto— actually I don’t know what to call this. I’m not hearing obvious markers of a particular style. Maybe Airto’s just playing. Someone who really knows their berimbau rhythms […]