Album blends percussion and strings from Carimbó to Chamamé

Album brings together Edu Ribeiro, Ari Colares and Ensemble SP to reinterpret Brazilian rhythms from carimbó to chamamé.

The album “Do Carimbó ao Chamamé” will be released on digital platforms on November 27. The project unites percussionists Edu Ribeiro and Ari Colares with the string quartet Ensemble SP, creating a fusion between Brazilian rhythmic diversity and the tradition of European chamber music.

The concept highlights percussion as an ancestral element, initially linked to human survival. Over time, the body and objects became instruments, producing sounds that shaped distinct cultural codes. In Brazil, this diversity expanded through the convergence of European, Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous traditions.

The project explores rhythms from various regions of the country. From the carimbó of Pará to the chamamé of southern Brazil, the sextet presents a musical portrait that honors traditional roots while reimagining them with contemporary arrangements.

The work is supported by ProAC Editais and produced by the Secretariat of Culture, Economy and Creative Industries of the State of São Paulo, in collaboration with the Aldir Blanc National Culture Funding Policy of the Federal Government.

More than an album, the release offers an immersion into Brazil’s cultural diversity. Original compositions explore traditional rhythms and introduce unexpected combinations that broaden the country’s musical language.

Drummer Edu Ribeiro, winner of two Grammy Awards, has a solid international career and works as an educator and coordinator at EMESP.

Percussionist Ari Colares has researched Brazilian popular rhythms for more than 40 years. He coordinates graduate studies at Faculdade Santa Marcelina and takes part in cultural exchange programs with countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The Ensemble SP features leading Brazilian chamber musicians: Marcelo Jaffé, Betina Stegmann, Nelson Rios and Rafael Cesário. The group performs in major festivals and institutions in Brazil and abroad.