ISAIAS ALVES drums/lead, TBA
The drums resonate like voices from elsewhere: powerful, deep, ancestral. They call out, bring people together, and open up a space of freedom where anything can happen. This is where Ancestral Drums – Jazz from Maranhão and Brazil begins: an explosive jam led by Isaías Alves. Born in São Luís, in northeastern Brazil, Isaías is a percussionist and composer shaped by the popular traditions of Maranhão. He grew up to the rhythm of street drums, processions, and celebrations before carrying his sounds all the way to Europe. With him, tradition meets improvisation, jazz takes root in a territory, and rhythm becomes a language. Inspired by the greats of Maranhão – Tânia Maria, João do Vale, Papete, Josias Sobrinho, César Teixeira – and by giants of the Nordeste such as Letieres Leite, Sivuca, Hermeto Pascoal, and Naná Vasconcelos, Isaías builds bridges between memory and invention. Here, every jam is unique. It is a living celebration, a collective playground, a moment where sounds move, ignite, and meet. Jazz from Maranhão asserts itself as a genre in its own right — hybrid, inventive, and deeply rooted. Come listen, feel the rhythm, improvise, and let yourself be surprised. The drums have already begun to speak.
Source: paris.fr — photo: Ville de Paris