The Art of Percussion: Experimental and Contemporary in Brazilian Music

(Chico Castro Jr. - Jornal A Tarde - 01/26/2016)

It’s an old saying: every ending implies a new beginning. It’s there, in the ancestral representation of the serpent biting its own tail (ouroboros). For drummer Thiago Trad, it’s no different. As the longest-standing member of Cascadura (aside from its founder, Fábio Cascadura), which disbanded last month, Thiago has dedicated the last 16 years to the band in multiple lineups, with the only constants being the vocalist and himself. Now that the band has ended, he finds himself surprised to realize that he hasn’t taken much time to reflect on the end: “I haven’t paused to feel that absence,” he admits. With various activities planned until the end of the year, Thiago will now focus full-time on projects that he had already been pursuing alongside the old band. The main one, perhaps, is what he (re)presents to the public this Thursday at Bahia Experimental.

Accompanied by five percussionists of different backgrounds and a band featuring Ian Cardoso (guitar), Cadinho Almeida (bass), and Pedro Degaut (trombone), Thiago wants to explore the limits of percussive thinking, a research area he has been delving into since he graduated in Symphonic Percussion from the School of Music at the Federal University of Bahia. “The show doesn’t have a fixed repertoire; it’s more about themes that guide the entire session. It’s a succession of improvisations and exchanges. Each musician brings their own universe, which is why I chose them based on each one’s research,” he explains.

“Japa System is from the electronic scene and plays with BaianaSystem. Gabi Guedes, from Orkestra Rumpilezz, is a master, the Hendrix of the atabaque,” he says. “Mário Pam, from Ilê Aiyê, is another incredible researcher who brings the language of the Afro blocos. Gil Santiago, from Osba, is extremely versatile and will play vibraphone. And Jorge Dubman, drummer for IFÁ Afrobeat, is a rhythm creator, a thinker of Afrobeat,” describes Thiago.

Shall we make some music?

Together, this entire group will celebrate the first year of the Bahia Experimental project, a concept created by Thiago characterized by its versatility in adapting to different situations. “After I graduated, many musical opportunities opened up. I spent three months in New York, where I saw a lot in the underground scene—jazz, rock, and contemporary music. That inspired me to create a project with the freedom to explore other instruments that I've been researching,” he shares. “So, I created this project, Bahia Experimental, which reflects the Bahia I live in, the places I go. I'm very much a street person; I go to a lot of samba, jazz, and hip-hop shows. I want to see everything that’s happening. Despite the stereotypes, Bahia is very broad and diverse,” he asserts.

After his debut show in January 2015, Thiago took his project to other cities, including São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. “I traveled alone, and wherever I went, I would recruit musicians. It’s a project that I can take anywhere. The most interesting part is the freedom to improvise anywhere without needing large setups,” he notes. Bailinho, workshops, solo... In addition to BE, Thiago still has plenty to keep him busy this year (and in the years to come). Another audience-favorite project, the band Bailinho de Quinta, will perform on Sunday at the Clube Espanhol. “And during Carnival, we’ll be playing in Pelô with Marcela Bellas and the Pará native Filipe Cordeiro,” he says.

After Carnival, he will kick off a series of four Bahia Experimental workshops: two in Salvador, one in Santo Amaro, and another in Juazeiro. “It’s through a grant from SecultBA that I was awarded. There will always be invitations and presentations to show the public the results of the workshops. We will open registrations in February.” In the second half of the year, Thiago plans to release his first solo album, an instrumental disc. “I’ve already recorded piano, percussion, and drums. I’ve been composing for a good while. I recorded part of it with Stefano Cortese, an Italian conductor who lives in Vale do Capão, and in Salvador, with Tadeu Mascarenhas,” he shares.As if that weren’t enough, Thiago is also considering the possibility of accompanying guitarist Martin Mendonça (from Pitty, formerly of Cascadura) on a tour through the Northeast. “We did a show in December at Dubliner’s, with Cadinho on bass, and it was really great. We’re looking into the dates, but everything indicates that it will happen. There’s a lot going on in 2016,” he says. God willing.