Matuto

“These engaging Brazilian Forró rockers borrow from jazz and funk in their lively sets.”—New York Times

“’Bumpkin’ in Brazilian slang, this band aims for the heights of world-music sophistication.”—Chicago Sun Times.

The New York City–based band Matuto presents Forró music, a tradition from the Northeast of Brazil dating to the late 1800s and brought into modern times by the great composer, singer, and accordionist Luiz Gonzaga. Matuto celebrates this rocking dance music with the idiomatic forró instrumentation: accordion, zabumba, triangle, and cavaquinho. With up-tempo songs in Portuguese, the music of Matuto speaks of romance, music, hard times, and the resilience of the people of the sertão, the dry interior region of northeastern Brazil.

Recently, Matuto have performed as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. State Department in countries as diverse as Ghana, Senegal, Spain, Malta, Kuwait, and Oman. This spring they will be participating in the Musical Connections program through Carnegie Hall while maintaining a busy touring schedule in the US and abroad.

Click HERE to hear their music!