Carlinhos Brown

Antonio Carlos Santos de Freitas, alias Carlinhos Brown, was born in the Candeal favela (slum) in Salvador do Bahia, (Brazil) during the 60s. He learnt to play the candomble rhythms (of the Afro-Brazilian religion) with the musicians from the poor neighbourhood where he lived. He left school early, teaching himself music and composing his poetry in the street. Once he had become a well-known percussionist, he formed a group for the carnival. The music of "Timbalada", the band formed in his neighbourhood, is essentially based on the rhythmic element. Their instruments are made out of saucepans, PVC tubes and other recycled material. While the group became a reference at Rio's carnival, Carlinhos continued working on his solo career. In 1989, Caetano Veloso (also from Bahia) recorded "Meia Lua Inteira", a song written by Carlinhos. It was an immediate hit in Brazil. Carlinhos Brown was soon the favourite composer of some of Brazil's major artists (Gal Costa, Marisa Monte, Paralamas do Sucesso, Cassia Eller, Sepultura, Daniela Mercury, etc.). He then recorded his first solo album "Alfagamabetizado", launched simultaneously in Europe, the USA and Brazil. Not longer after, he released his second album "Omelete man", produced by Marisa Monte, also co-author of certain tracks.
Carlinhos Brown thinks of himself as a citizen of the world, writing and singing in French and in English. But he always ends up back in Candeal. With a bubbly and generous personality, he willingly shares his good fortune and "his musical gift from God", as he calls it, with his community. He founded a school so that the children could learn to play and formed several groups (Lactomia, Zarabe, Bolacha Maria, etc.) in which the children get musical training allowing them to become professional. Alongside all of that, he also has community projects to improve the conditions of those living in the neighbourhood...
With a totally personal poetical rhythm, he is a word percussionist. Building himself a fantastic universe in which words have different, constantly changing, meanings, he clothes them in various styles, from sweet songs to hip hop or any other transcendental influence picked up on his planetary antennae.

Marushka

Artist website