Samba Reggae

About the song
Percussion-only piece (could be used as backing for many sung reggae numbers) based on rhythms from Salvador

After writing this I came across the Wikipedia entry: Samba Reggae

Video and Audio +

Here's the whole thing (with Son Clavé)

Instrumentation +

The use of instruments differ from the Rio Batucada-style samba.

Surdo
These are grouped as

Fundo - the base/back of the rhythm. These are the lowest pitched
There have Primeira and Segundo but the distinction between which is played when is pretty loose in practice - any bim/bom or bom/bim will do as long as it's steady.

Drobra - the pattern on top of the bim/bom. These are higher pitched than the Fundos, but lower than S.O.'s terceiras.
Again two variants: Primeira and Segundo fairly interchangeable

Caixa
These tick away filling in the sixteenths with an emphasis on the off-beat

Timbau
Often taking the lead, playing variations on some established patterns and/or extemporising

Repinique
There are usually a fair number of these adding colour to the whole thing.
They place a heavy emphasis on off-beat, and/or the clavé of the number being played
They may 'solo' - individually or as a section - taking the position occupied by the tamborim in Batucada samba, but louder!
They are played with slightly flexible plastic 'whippy sticks' rather than wooden sticks.
The technique requires 32ths (and more) to be played in separate hits - no rolling, which gives a distinctive sound.

Shaker
Some groups occasionally use shakers, often in the sparse style associated with Shakere (gourd with beads) played in Maracatù.

There are not usually tamborims nor agogôs.

Filhos de Gandhy use agogos, but largely playing their own rhythms, only dipping into normal samba reggae a little.

Basic Patterns +

Main patterns

count

Caixas

Repinique

Dobra 1

Dobra 2

Fundo 1

Fundo 2

Here's the whole thing (with Son Clavé)

Breaks +

All breaks are cued with a count down (4,3,2,1) on fingers - with the eight bars of the basic pattern - the last being the longer pattern of 16ths.

Entrada +

Samba Reggae numbers are introduced with a call-and-response. Here is what we'll be using here:

Entrada 1 - rep roll into:

count	1	2	3	4	2	2	3	4	3	2	3	4	4	2	3	4
Repinique	X	X	&	X	2	e	w	w	X	X	&	X	4	e	w	w
Surdos	1	e	&	r	X	e	&	r	3	e	&	r	X

Entrada 1 - second

count	1	2	3	4	2	2	3	4	3	2	3	4	4	2	3	4	5	2	3	4	6	2	3	4	7	2	3	4	8	2	3	4
Repinique	X	X	X	r	X	e	X	X	3	e	&	r	4	e	w	w	X	X	X	r	X	e	X	X
Surdos	1	e	&	r	2	e	&	r	X	X	&	X	X	e	&	r	5	e	&	r	6	e	&	r	X	X	&	X	X	e

Entrada 1 - final

count

Repinique

Dobras (main pattern starts)

Fundos

Break: Two by Four and Finish +

Both a quick break and a way of ending neatly

Cues:

Two by Four - two fingers, followed by four fingers
Finish - traditional patting head
Signal: count down on fingers

2x4: this three times; FINISH: this once

count

Repinique

all others

followed by

count

Repinique

all others

Two by Four clip:

Finish clip:

Break: Watch +

Cue: Point to/look at watch
Signal: count down on fingers

A call and response between repiniques and surdos

pattersn:

count

don't

lieve

just

watch

don't

lieve

just

watch

Repinique (call)

Terceira

Segunda

Primeira

followed by

count

don't

lieve

just

watch

don't

lieve

just

watch

Terceira (call)

Repinique

Segunda

Primeira

Clip: Watch break

Break: Call and Response +

Cue: Indicate 'Me' and 'You' repeatedly

Signal: count down on fingers

This has its own chamada to introduce it and end it.

| | | | | | |
blue ber ry blue ber ry pie BOOM
blue ber ry blue ber ry pie BOOM
blue ber ry blue ber ry blue - ber - ry - pie - BOOM - BOOM - BOOM
(Different spacing from above)

count

Repinique

Surdos

The body of the break :
Primeira and Segunda maintain the beat (may choose to swap around between them and terceira for variety)
Repeatedly . . .

Call: Arbitrary pattern from the repinique (two clavé patterns-worth unless indicate otherwise )
Response: eveyone mimics the call

Ending signalled by the chamada again

Clip: Call and Response break

Break: Olodum +

Cue: Wave an 'O' in air (or CND signl if abitious)

Signal: count down on fingers

first:

count	1	2	3	4	2	2	3	4	3	2	3	4	4	2	3	4	5	2	3	4	6	2	3	4	7	2	3	4	8	2	3	4	9	2	3	4	10	2	3	4	11	2	3	4	12	2	3	4
Repinique	1	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	4	w	x	r	5	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	8	w	x	r	9	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	12	w	x	r
Others	1	e	&	r	2	e	&	r	3	e	&	r	4	e	&	r	5	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	8	w	x	r	9	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	12	w	x	r

then

count	1	2	3	4	2	2	3	4	3	2	3	4	4	2	3	4	5	2	3	4	6	2	3	4	7	2	3	4	8	2	3	4
Repinique	1	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	4	w	w	w	x	e	x	r	6	w	w	w	x	e	x	r	8	w	w	w
Others	1	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	x	x	&	x	4	w	w	w	x	e	&	r	6	w	w	w	x	e	&	r	8	w	w	w

Clip: Olodum break

This is complex - details to follow

Break: Wobble +

In this the surdos continuously beat out the sixteenths - with a bit of feel.
The signal is a wobbly hand, which may carry on throughout the break (could cue then signal with countdown if preferred)

Repeat ad infinitum-ish
It's brought to an end by a signal, either

Ending 1. wo downward waves of one hand. Here's maestrina Elem Silva teaching it to her meninos band: working on the repiniques closing it

Ending 1

count

and

ONE

Repinique

Surdos

Clip: Wobble with ending 1

or Ending 2.

Two downward waves, one of each hand - as used for Ker-Chunk

Should, but may not, start at 6:45s
Ivan doesn't do the ker-chunk hand signal here

FINISH +

Cue: Indicate 'Pat the head

Signal: count down on fingers