Os Sambistas

In Cardiff, during the summer of 2004, Os Sambistas started as a group of friends who got together to play Choro. A Brazilian style formed in the late 19th century, choro fuses European harmony taken by the Portuguese colonialists with African rhythm brought by the slaves, and is a pre cursor to Samba. Choro masters of old would be virtuoso players, with sessions lasting sometimes all night long in the houses of Tias (aunts), of Rio de Janeiro. There they would improvise (or wail, where the genre gets its name), helping shape the rich musical journey that is Brazil’s own. The style remains popular in Rio still. As well as choro, the band added popular samba, baiao and frevo tunes to the set, and took a regular spot in a restaurant venue. Soon performances at bars, clubs and art centres followed, and the Sambistas were getting a reputation for attracting good audiences. This led to the director of a theatre in Brecon asking the band to do a tour of venues across Wales in early 2007, funded by the Welsh Arts Council. The band jumped at it the opportunity, excited by the prospect of working with the wonderful Bosco De Oliveira, a Brazilian singer and percussionist who appeared on the tour as special guest. Working with Bosco was great for the band, his constantly giving in-sight into the music, as well as the fascinating culture that created it, was inspiring. The band are all the better for it-growing in repertoire and skill with Bosco’s tutelage. The tour was very successful, getting good attendances throughout, even selling out a few. A similar tour with the same theatre management is proposed for next year. Just before the tour started, the band put the finishing touches to their debut CD. Recorded at Dylan Fowler’s studio in Abergavenny, it captures the group performing some of their favourite choros and sambas, all Brazilian classics, and is now available.