What do samba bands play? Part 4: What is samba reggae?

In this post, we will find out about samba reggae. You can visit earlier posts to find out about other samba styles including candomble arrangements, afoxe, maracatu and batucada. 

Samba reggae began in the Brazilian state of Bahia in the 1970s. It combines characteristics of early samba with those of the reggae music of Jamaica and is played at a medium-speed unlike the faster samba of Rio.

The key characteristics of samba reggae are a low surdo note on the second and fourth beats of each group of four, a pattern featuring rolling (repeated) notes on the high surdos, and off-beat accents from the caixa (snare drums). The inclusion of timba in bateria such as Worldwise Samba Drummers is due mainly to their use in samba reggae playing. 

Some samba reggae groups have four or even five surdo parts. Worldwise Samba Drummers stick to our usual three surdo sections. In groups like ours, the lowest surdos will play on the second and fourth of each group of four beats, the medium surdos play on the first and third beats, and the highest surdos add the rolling patterns.

Alongside the caixa - usually playing off-beat accents - some samba reggae groups also have a repenique section with the drums being played using a pair of wooden or plastic sticks rather than a single stick and hand as in earlier styles of samba. The repenique section might play variations on the caixa pattern or add other clave such as the son or bossa. Worldwise Samba Drummers keep to a single repenique and, instead of a repenique section, make use of our tamborim section, something that isn’t typical for samba reggae bands.

One influential samba reggae group was Olodum best known to many people as the group that featured on ‘The Obvious Child’ by Paul Simon. Worldwise Samba Drummers have played a samba reggae piece, known to us as ‘Olodum’, that was inspired by the percussion used in this song. Sometimes we even brought in a microphone and PA so individuals and small groups could sing ‘The Obvious Child’ with full bateria accompaniment.

Worldwise Samba Drummers have, over the years, played several other samba reggae patterns taught to us by Leon Patel of Global Grooves, visiting artist Jon Hardeman, sometime former leaders Ryan Dixon and Simon Thorpe and current leader Jon Aveyard. Samba reggae pieces are often amongst our favourites to play.

Please check out the other blog posts and get in contact using the Contact Us or Join Us links if you would like further information about the Worldwise Samba Drummers.