Last May 2012, Tony Allen and his band was touring in Brazil. After their concert
in Rio at Circo Voador, Tony Allen, his musicians and the Abayomy crew ended
up in a studio in Santa Teresa for a stellar recording session. After two hours of
music jam, they recorded live the famous Jorge Ben Jorʼs song Meus Filhos to
celebrate the meeting between Africa and Brazil.
“I felt like I was a tree replanted and able to flourish” – Gilberto Gil after
meeting Fela Kuti in Lagos, Nigeria
Afrobeat rhythms have been a percolating influence in Brazilian music for
decades, The last few years have found afrobeat becoming an integral
component in the sound of a new generation of Brazilian musicians, working its
way into the grooves of hip-hop artists Curumin and Criolo and afrobeat
orchestras like Abayomy, Saravah Soul and Bixiga 70. Perhaps this shouldnʼt
comes as a surprise, as the roots of the current Afrobeat movement were planted
in Brazil long ago. Brazil is home to the largest population of African diaspora in
the world and the musical traditions of Brazilʼs African descendants have been
surprisingly well preserved through the rituals of the Afro-Brazilian religion
