Repertoire: Slow Samba Batucada

Overview

This is our usual, opening piece. It starts with a Repenique solo, playing the Tamborim rhythm on the metal with the left hand playing quarter notes. After a short cue, the ensemble responds with three notes. The call and response continues, until a different cue launches the groove.

The Tamborims come in dramatically, raising the instrument, creating a crescendo with triplet patterns. It then settles into the groove. Skilled players can perform the Carreteiro, which includes the flip.

For Slow Samba, the Agogô pattern is high and then low. For Fast Samba, it's low and then high.

The first break is indicated with four fingers. The ensemble plays one hit, then two, three, and four and they yell, "Hey!" After another series of one, two, three, and four hits, we return to the groove.

The second break is indicated with two fingers. The Repenique plays a fast series of single hits, followed by a pattern that is similar, but not the same as the Corchi pattern. The Surdos then repeat that pattern twice, while the other instruments play the groove. Then the Surdos return to the groove.

The ending is indicated with a long whistle. The Repenique plays the pattern that started the groove in the intro, and we all play the last two notes and stop.