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Bahia is a center for the structuring and learning of a rhythmic
style of music
and certainly in Salvador we see the result in a music rooted
in its African origins, unique, important and very well established.
All of the songs played by Orkestra Rumpilezz are originals,
melodies and arrangements that we created.
The music of Rumpilezz is based upon an understanding that I have developed
about the universe of claves and rhythms that form the foundation of the music of bahia,
I spend a great deal of my time teaching classes about this concept, which
I call the "Universo Percussivo Baiano" (Bahia Percussion Universe),
teaching how to incorporate these claves into contemporary music,
how you play these rhythms on a bass, piano and other instruments.
When I am doing an arrangement for Ivete (Sangalo) or Olodum or
Daniela Mercury, or other popular artists with whom I work,
I focus attention on this detail -- I learned percussion first as a foundation
to creating arrangements, and do this with all the songs I arrange.
I believe the raw materials for this music that has been popular beginning
in the 1980's is the same base that we display in Rumpilezz.
Analyze the song "Faraó" for its structure you see it is perfect
in its expression of the clave.
This is the system that is found in African music, Cuban music and
North American music, in all the styles that is come from the African source,
generally a consequence of the African Diaspora experience.
Much of the awareness and notoriety of Rumpilezz comes from our experiences
with the social network MySpace. That is where we were introduced to many
people and where we opened a dialogue with the world outside Brazil.
As a modern musician you need to understand the possibilities
of communicating with musicians from all over the world,
including in the actual creation process.
I think the time of the solitary genius has its days numbered.
We are in a moment of working collectively, that with more and more
communication we are able to work together with people in various different places.
Learning about and incorporating their music, but without losing your own cultural identity.
And I want to send a shout out to LocoMotiva, and to say we are in an digital era,
so lets exit the time of coal, also of diesel;
perhaps we'll move to an age of a plasma fueled locomotive.
This locomotive plasma will move so fast we won't even
be able to see -- it will pass by just like a dream.