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WELCOME TO THE
BRAZILIAN RHYTHM WORKSHOP
An educational project created by Brazilian drummer Samuel Martinelli, that provides a clear, organized, and gradual path for you to express yourself creatively, authentically, and freely within Brazil's rich and vibrant musical language.
Brazilian Rhythm Workshop is a project created to help you in the path of learning how to play Brazilian music. The goal is to provide you pratical instructions, concepts, and ideas that will improve your playing and understanding of Brazil's different music genres.
Samuel Martinelli, creator of this platform, is a drummer based in NYC with a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies by City University of New York - Queens College. He has shared the stage and studio with great names in Brazilian music and jazz, names like Claudio Roditi, Alcione, Hendrik Meurkens, Marcus McLaurine, Ken Peplowski, Russell Malone, Kenia, Itaiguara Brandão, Helio Alves, to name a few.
No matter if you are just starting or have been playing Brazilian music for some time, here you will find all the material and support to learn how to play freely and authentically -
and it all starts with the rhythm.
learn more about Samuel Martinelli
" Samuel Martinelli is one of the most talented musicians to come out of Brazil in recent times. His taste playing drums is impeccable, either playing Brazilian music or American jazz."
Claudio Roditi (Multi Grammy-nominated / Dizzy Gillespie / Paquito D'Rivera / McCoy Tyner)
"... a master drummer and an extraordinary musician."
Dennis Mackrel ( Count Basie / Village Vanguard Orchestra / Hank Jones / Queens College Faculty)
"Samuel is one of the up and coming young musicians/composers on the New York scene ... he has a very bright future ahead."
Marcus McLaurine (Clark Terry / Count Basie Big Band / William Paterson University Faculty)
Latest Lesson
MAY 2023 - PARTIDO ALTO: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO PLAY
Originally Partido Alto was a form of samba that would be sung in a party by musicians and regular people from the community, where the sambista, the singer or composer of sambas, would improvise lyrics and melodies over a sequence of chords and percussion. These improvised samba verses would be sung in between a repeated verse sung by the community around the sambista. The Partido Alto groove is a rhythm pattern derived from the samba played in that context. It is a breakdown of samba patterns, where a particular pattern became prevalent, pattern that we know today today as the Partido Alto Groove. On this video you will learn about the origins of this style, the groove, and learn how to play it.
Play-Along Series
Learn some of the most iconic songs from the Brazilian music repertoire with the assistance of some of the most accomplished Brazilian musicians of the present time. You can access a variety of free resources, including charts, audio files, and more.
'Rapaz De Bem' by Johnny Alf
First Bossa Nova Composition
Played by Helio Alves on piano, Itaigura Brandão on bass, Marcio Philomena on guitar.
'Amazonas' by João Donato
Partido Alto and Samba Grooves
Played by Cassio Coutinho on keys, Itaigura Brandão on bass, Marcio Philomena on guitar.