• Batalá
  • About Us
    • History
    • Drums
    • Mundo Batalá
    • In The News
    • Join Batalá
    • Meet the Batalettes
  • Media
    • Music
    • Videos
    • Photos
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Book Us
  • Blog

Leave a Comment

Interview with Bahian Music Artist Rafael Pondé

Bahian music artist, Rafael Pondé talks DJ Soul Rebel about Bahia and the world sounds of Brazilian music on Roots Rock Reggae radio show at Takoma Park Radio, 94.3 FM.

Interview, Part 1

Watch part 2 of the interview here.

Also, check out one of his recent releases, a collaboration with Batalá Washington, Jah Innocence.

It's only fair to share...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on email
Email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Leave a Comment

Gilberto Gil

Born Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira in Salvador, Bahia, Gilberto Gil began playing music professionally as a teenager when he joined his first band. Although he grew up listening to the forró music of his native northeast region, he started out making music in the Bossa Nova music genre. He later became a pioneer in the Tropicália and Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) musical movements that emerged in the 1960s when he started to focus the lyrics of his songs on politics and social awareness. While exiled to London by Brazil’s military government in 1969, Gil became exposed to Jamaican reggae. Upon returning back to Salvador in 1972, Afro-Bahian afoxé groups and the samba-reggae sounds were emerging and Gil joined the Filhos de Gandhi afoxé. He later worked with Jamaican reggae artist, Jimmy Cliff, who he had encountered earlier in London, to recreate the classic Bob Marley song, “No Woman No Cry,” which introduced reggae to Brazil. He is a classic timeless, musician who has had a long career, perhaps, because he is well-known for his musical adaptability and diversity with his ability to blend music styles.

While maintaining a full-time music career, Gilberto Gil was also actively working the political scene to advocating for environmental protection. In 2003, under the Lula da Silva administration, he was appointed Brazil’s Minister of Culture, becoming only the second black person to serve in the nation’s cabinet.

It's only fair to share...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on email
Email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Leave a Comment

Axé Music

Axé (pronounced ah-SHAY) music is a pop music genre originating in Salvador, Bahia around the mid 1980s out of the samba-reggae sound of the afro-blocos and trio elétricos of Carnaval. It mixes different Afro-Caribbean genres such as reggae, calypso, merengue, and marcha with Brazilian sounds such as forró, frevo, afoxé, and carixada. Some of the most important musicians of this genre that have taken axé music all over the world are Carlinhos Brown, Luiz Caldas, Chiclete com Banana, Ivete Sangalo, Daniela Mercury, Claudia Leitte, and Margareth Menezes to name just a few. The word “axé” comes from a Yoruba religious greeting used in the Candomblé and Umbanda religions that can loosely translate to mean “soul”, “light”, “spirit” or “good vibration”.
It's only fair to share...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on email
Email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Leave a Comment

Samba-Reggae

Samba-Reggae is a music genre that was created in Salvador, Bahia by Afro-Brazilians during the 1970s and 80s as an extension of the Black Pride movement. Through a mixture of Jamaican reggae and Brazilian samba, samba-reggae was born. The first bloco-afro to showcase samba-reggae was Ilê Aiyê, which was created in 1974 and was significant in returning samba to its African roots and identity while establishing a carnival parade in Salvador that Afro-Brazilians could call their own since Black Brazilians were not allowed to participate in many of the Rio samba schools for carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

In 1979, the second bloco, Olodum, was led by Mestre Neguinho do Samba. Mestre Neguinho do Samba was also a former drum leader of Ilê Aiyê and he he eliminated the old-style hand and stick style of playing the repinique drum which now plays fast beats with two sticks like the style played in the Afro-Brazilian religion of Candomblé. Following Olodum was Timbalada, which is a bloco-afro-that was directed by Carlinhos Brown who brought back the playing of the timbal drum, which was nearly extinct.

Because of these three groups, samba reggae bands such as Didá, Cortejo Afro, of course Batalá, and many others came into existence and created their own samba-reggae rhythms. Through samba-reggae (also known as Afro-Reggae), music genres such as Axé came along and until this very day samba-reggae inspires many people to create, live, and love.

Listen to the sounds and watch the images in this documentary about the birth of samba-reggae. There are no English subtitles, but the music speaks for itself.

It's only fair to share...Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on linkedin
Linkedin
Share on email
Email

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Categories

  • Bahian Culture
  • Bahian Food
  • Bahian Women
  • Candomblé
  • Cultural Activism
  • Dance
  • Festas / Holidays
  • History
  • Music

Tags

Afro afro-bahia Afro-Bahian afro-brazilian afro-feminist axe bahia Baianas Black Black Consciousness Month black movement blocos Candomble Carnaval Cortejo Afro cuisine Culture dance female Festas festival film food History Iemanja iyalorixa mae de santo movimento negro music Olodum Omolu orixa orixas recipe recipes Reconcavo reggae religion roda Salvador Samba samba reggae social resistance women Yemanja

Like Us on Facebook

WordPress booking

Join Our Mailing List

Join Our Mailing List For Info On Performances & Rehearsals!

Show your Bata-love and donate!

Follow Us On Instagram

Hey DC! We’ve got a busy weekend ahead and we’ Hey DC! We’ve got a busy weekend ahead and we’re so excited for it! Join us for any or all of our performances! Saturday 12p: Afro-Atlantic Histories Festival @ngadc 3:30p: Mt Pleasant family show @dcpl Sunday 5pm: Season Opener halftime show @washingtonspirit
Hi friends! Be sure to catch us at our next show w Hi friends! Be sure to catch us at our next show when we play at the Afro-Atlantic Histories Festival @ngadc National Gallery of Art on April 30th at 12pm.
Also, check out this great exhibition that opens tomorrow. 
#braziliandrumming #afrobrazilian #batala #washingtondc
Another @runrocknroll in the books! Congrats to al Another @runrocknroll in the books! Congrats to all the runners! Also, shout out to all the race staff, volunteers, and city employees that make it all happen! 👟🥁 #batalahey
International Women’s Day - Celebrated annually International Women’s Day - Celebrated annually on March 8. Is a day that commemorates the social, political and economic achievements of women. Women in different parts of the world use this day to come together to celebrate one another and rally for equal treatment and representation. Batala Hey to all the wonderful women of the world! 🎉❤️💃🏽🎶🥁
#batalahey #womeninmusic #womendrummers #internationalwomensday
We had a fabulous time celebrating Mardi Gras yest We had a fabulous time celebrating Mardi Gras yesterday with everyone that came out to @thewharfdc for the parade! #mardigras #bataláhey ⚜️💚💜❤️🥁 

🎥 @4romeros
Looking for something fun to do this coming Saturd Looking for something fun to do this coming Saturday? Batalá Washington will be participating at this year’s Mardi Grass Parade at The Wharf. Festivities start at 3pm. February 26 at 3pm. Hope to see you there! 

#mardigrassdc #washingtondc #thewharfdc
Happy Black History Month from Batalá Washington! Happy Black History Month from Batalá Washington!
Batalá Washington’s mission is to empower women through music and drumming and to expose our DC community to the Afro-Brazilian, most specifically to the Afro-Bahian, music and culture. We celebrate and honor all the Afro-Brazilian artists and musicians who inspire us every day.
#blackhistorymonth #afrobrazilianculture #afrobrazilianmusic #afrobahia #sambareggae
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022 to our Batala DC Familia. Wish HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022 to our Batala DC Familia. Wishing the new year brings much happiness, health and samba reggae and funk beats to all. Feliz Ano Novo. Batala Hey!.
🎶🥁🎉💃🏽
#batalahey #happynewyear
We had an amazing (& chilly) morning playing for a We had an amazing (& chilly) morning playing for all the runners of the @runrocknroll half marathon! Thanks to all the runners, staff, volunteers, first responders and crowd for a great race! 👟🥁
Follow on Instagram
  • Batalá
  • About Us
  • Media
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Book Us
  • Blog

BatalaWashington.com © 2007–2023 All Rights Reserved.

No photos, graphics, videos, or content in general of this website may be reproduced without Batala Washington's express consent.


Handcrafted with by District Creative Studio | Powered by Genesis Framework.