Grupo Samba Rio with Jorge Alabê

Sunday, August 14, 2011 | Castellano Latin Stage | 12pm

In the Bay Area, Jorge Alabê established and directs Grupo Samba Rio, which performs authentic samba rhythms and dance in the style of Carnaval in Rio, and participates in San Francisco’s yearly Carnaval parade and festival. Grupo Samba Rio also presents a samba ensemble style called pagode, which includes percussion, guitar, cavaquinho, and songs as played in the bars and backyards of Rio.

Master drummer Jorge Alabê grew up in Rio de Janeiro immersed in the rich musical culture of Brazil, becoming a master in samba percussion as well as in the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition of candomblé. He is an “Alabê” connected with the oldest candomblé house established in Brazil, Casa Branca. The title of “Alabê” means that he has achieved the highest level of proficiency in drumming and the leading of rituals in the candomblé religion. Further, it signifies deep experience and authority. Jorge played percussion with the best samba groups in Rio and was the rhythm director of Minas Gerais Samba School in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

He became percussion director of the group Oba Oba in 1980, touring for 15 years through Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States. Since 1993, Jorge has conducted workshops on samba and candomblé in the U.S. at schools and universities. Since then, he has continued to perform and teach across the country, and has been a strong influence on the development of samba as a mentor to the many performing groups and musicians who have studied with him. He has been the samba director at California Brazil Camp since its inception in 1997, and has participated in recording projects in the U.S., most notably as lead singer on the highly regarded CD Bata Ketu (1996), which combined Brazilian and Cuban music traditions.

gruposambario.com
myspace.com/sambario