Orkestra Rumpilezz: reinventing the Bahian percussion universe

Abstract

This article considers representation, identity, perception, reception, and musical appropriation, within the so-called Bahian Percussive Universe in Salvador, Bahia, through the lens of Orkestra Rumpilezz. Rumpilezz is a relatively new big band from Salvador that specializes in the mixture of local rhythms (particularly from candomblé) with jazz. This orchestra portrays, constructs, and reinvents the local musical culture as centered in percussion and rhythm, engaging local and global discourses about the nature of African-derived musics. Based on ethnographic research, music analysis, and recent approaches to the study of music in society, here I discuss possible reasons for Rumpilezz's positive reception in Salvador.