Samba: A Symbol of Brazil, Part 2 of 2

In the 1980s, other samba genres appeared in the eastern state of Bahia. Olodum is an African-Brazilian percussion group. One of their most popular performances, “They Don’t Care About Us,” was recorded in 1996, with the king of pop, Michael Jackson.

There are four main characteristics of samba music – the heavy drums’ ensemble called bateria, the steady, hypnotic rhythms, the repetitive simple cord emphasis on melody and rhythm, and finally the call and response style of vocals.

Various kinds of drums make up the main instruments in samba. Surdo is a large-double headed bass drum, normally about 40 X 65cm in size. The caixa’s role is to control the feel or groove as well as the rhythmic sound of the band. The pandeiro, or hand frame drum, is held in one hand and struck by the palm of the other hand. The cuíca, is a sound box, or friction drum, with one end covered and the other end open. Brazilian music also utilizes small steel-stringed guitars called cavaquinho, which are used especially in samba and choro music.

During the four days of the Rio carnival, the entire city is filled with smiles and happy faces. Visitors from all over the world come to enjoy the excitement and glorious atmosphere of the annual party that has become Brazil's symbol of national identity.

The elements of Samba movements can also be found in Capoeira; a unique art form that blends dance, music and martial arts. Many people now play Capoeira as a game, usually within a roda, or a circle. The tempo and the style are set to music and singing, led by the berimbau, a single-string percussion instrument originating from Africa. In November 2014, Capoeira was enlisted as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Samba music is widely featured in international television and media broadcasts, and many commercials use samba rhythms as background music because of how easy its fast and simple rhythm can attract the viewers’ attention.