Dona Onete brings her joyous stage persona and intoxicating blend of Amazonian, Afro-Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms to London.
Flying in from Brazil, Dona Onete - ‘the grande dame of Amazonian song’ - brings with her tales from the river Amazon after 2016 saw the release of her second album, Banzeiro.
Banzeiro is defined by Onete’s honest reflections on life, love and sex, as well as her delight in the everyday pleasures of life in the Amazon. Formerly a history teacher, folklore researcher, union representative, culture secretary and children’s author, Onete recorded her debut album Feitiço Caboclo at 73. A cult figure in Brazil and an ambassador for Amazonian culture, the music she sings is a unique mix of rhythms from native Brazilians, African slaves and the Caribbean.
With Banzeiro, Onete again proves that age is nothing but a number as she ramps up the tempo with tracks such as the high-octane banguê (an Amazonian-ska) title track plus party-starting carimbó ‘Faceira’, amongst others. Gilles Peterson named her track “No Meio do Pitiu” as his top track from around the globe in 2017.
Banzeiro is the wave created by boats as they pass through the river, and considering that in just a few years Onete has gone from playing small bars in her hometown to thousand capacity shows across Brazil and some of Europe’s most respected festivals, Onete certainly seems to be riding the crest of this wave…
Pio Lobato - Dona Onete’s musical director - is also from Belém and recognised as one of the key forces in guitarrada - Amazonian ‘surf’ guitar music. Alongside the other musicians from Onete’s band, he will perform an instrumental warm up set featuring his experiments in the huge variety of musical genres from the Amazon.
Saulo Duarte, a musician and composer from the Northern Brazilian state of Pará, will also be playing in support! Now based in São Paulo his music combines regional and urban influences - a touch of Carimbó, a touch of Guitarrada and plenty of soul.
Doors 8PM
Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA
£10 Early bird / £12 Advance / £15 Door
Date
Tuesday 17th July 2018
Tuesday 17th July 2018