Sunday, August 11, 2013

Maracatu NY Drum Up Baque Do Brooklyn


Despite sounding as if they've come straight from Carnivale, percussionist Scott Kettner is based in New York and has been studying drumming since his days at university. Little did he expect his studies and love of percussion to lead him to Northeastern Brazil to learn about maracatu drumming but thanks to legendary drummer Billy Hart that's exactly what happened.

Under the guise of Maracatu NY, Kettner has created a band and an album that's a stroke of percussive genius. Baque Do Brooklyn is the very definition of percussive music and while it's led with plenty of horns the album is truly all about the drums. This is the sound of Carnivale moving through the streets and is so rhythmic that it's perfect for marching. Baque Do Brooklyn blends Brazilian maracatu with New Orleans rhythms, funk, and blues. It's a globe trotting record that's all about movement, energy, and the simple joys of beats and brass.

If you love drums and percussion it truly doesn't get any better than this. Baque Do Brooklyn is simply a brilliant record filled with all kinds of rhythms and sounds that creates movement. It's rare to hear drums up front and taking center stage but it does here thanks to Maracatu NY and it's energetic and fun. Baque Do Brooklyn is so authentic that if it had whistles and lines of dancers to accompany it, it would be a street party.

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