Sound of the Drum and the Maestro (2014)

A gifted percussionist originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Maninho Costa is artistic director of the Toronto-based musical group Batucada Carioca. Following this compelling character are Anglo-Canadians who want to learn the samba from its source and transplanted immigrants, Brazilian and otherwise, who have found in Batucada a means towards social adaptation as well as a map of their own identity. The samba band produces some of the most powerful sounds in Toronto's Latin music scene, injecting a welcome dose of Afro-Brazilian oomph into the city's performance world while fostering belonging and wellness among migrants. When they are invited to be the opening act for Brazilian Day Canada, Batucada members rise to the occasion working out pedagogical challenges and intercultural differences.