Berimbau: Sounds of Resilience

Producing an entire concert dedicated to the berimbau is no small feat. It requires weaving together the historical and musical threads that connect Angola to Brazil, slavery to resistance, and capoeira to funk, bossa nova, Latin jazz—even hip hop. Thankfully, producers Dexter Story, Wyldeflower, and Todd Simon were up to the task.

Backed by 12 elite instrumentalists (many of whom played with Sérgio Mendes) and a five-person vocal ensemble, the expansive three-part set spanned centuries of Brazilian culture. Tropical grooves kept the crowd dancing all night, while capoeiristas of all ages elevated the performance with sacred martial arts ciphers. Parallels to breakdancing were clear—and with DJs Cut Chemist and Gaslamp Killer cutting over the live band, the program pulsed with an electricity that helped bridge generations.

It was a night of movement, education, community, joy and resilience. Revisit it all on our YouTube page.

Livestream Part 1

Livestream Part 2