Samba is coming to the Wallendbeen for the long weekend on Saturday 30th September 2023

Music starting at 6.30pm till late!

The Wallendbeen Community Association is again bringing Australia’s very own samba band Bateria61 to town this coming long weekend.

Samba music’s origin goes back to African drumming.

When people were transported to Brazil from Africa to be enslaved in the mines and sugar plantations, they brought aspects of their musical culture with them. In the US this lead to the evolution of gospel, blues and jazz. In Brazil samba was created.

Samba style developed in the 1950s in the favelas and includes layering syncopated rhythms on multiple percussion instruments. Samba has many similarities to African drumming music such as polyrhythms and use of call and response.

Bateria61 is a mini “united nations” of music with members from Brazil, Columbia, Argentina, France, Poland UK, Japan, and Australia. There will be approximately 40 members playing on the night. A Samba bateria has a number of different types of drums. Large bass drum like surdos, snare drum like caixas, tamborins, various bells and of course the high pitched cuica singing over the top. Each different drum had a role and provides a layer to the rhythms.  There will be a workshop locals interested in giving it a try on the Saturday afternoon before the show.

Many of the players coming to Wallendbeen have performed in the famous annual samba parade known as Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro. 

In addition to Bateria61 other South American music plus some local acts will be performing.

Association President and samba player Greg Quirk said

We see this as another step on the journey towards Wallendbeen and Rio de Janeiro  becoming sister cities!!!!”

A not to be missed opportunity to see world music performed live in our district.

It will be L-O-U-D