Three artists exploring global traditions of percussive and vocal music, including a tribute to a Brazilian Jazz great, bullerengue rhythms of Colombia's Caribbean coast and Portugese polyphonic choirs.

Adriano Adewale Itaúna - Echoes of Naná - 14.00 - 15.00

Widely regarded as one of the most influential percussionists of the twentieth century, Naná Vasconcelos transformed the role of percussion in contemporary music, bringing voice, body and percussion together, drawing on Afro-Brazilian traditions, improvisation and contemporary jazz.


Adriano Adewale Itaúna is an Afro-Brazilian percussionist and composer who has been deeply inspired by Naná’s work. Ten years after Naná’s passing, his artistic vision continues to inspire musicians around the world.

Rather than recreating Naná Vasconcelos' music, Adriano explores the artistic philosophy that shaped his work. Rooted in improvisation, the performance unfolds each time differently, creating a unique encounter between musicians, audience and the living legacy of Naná Vasconcelos.

Akolá Tambó - 16.00 - 17.00

London-based Akolá Tambó shares the ancestral rhythms of bullerengue, a drum-fueled Afro-Colombian music and dance tradition born from resistance. Their trance-inducing performances inspire radical joy and connection, inviting audiences to rediscover our common roots through the heartbeat of the drum. The name Akolá Tambó - meaning ‘remember the drum’ - reflects their mission to honour tradition and the transformative power of rhythm. Highlights include performances at renowned venues and festivals across the UK and Europe, as well as at the María la Baja Bullerengue Festival in Colombia.

amarilis - 18.00 - 19.00

amarílis is a new London-based Portuguese polyphonic singing women choir, honouring the legacy of the mondadeiras: women who traditionally sang together while working in the fields across rural regions of Portugal. amarílis grows from ongoing work in Portugal, extending it into a London context with the aim of expanding the reach of these nearly lost folk songs.


Singers: 

Inês Loubet (Musical Director)

Cláudia Marques (Assistant MD & Producer)  

Ana Bernardo 

Ana De Llor  

Inês Nunes  

Joana Faneco  

Julia Garcia  

Manuela Alegria 

Margarida Sousa

Mónica Pereira