Bixiga 70

Formed in São Paulo in 2010, Bixiga 70 is a Brazilian ten-piece instrumental collective whose seamless amalgamation of MPB with jazz, funk, and afrobeat put them at the head of Brazil’s avant-garde movement. Composed of Décio 7 (drums), Marcelo Dworecki (bass), Cris Scabello (guitar), Mauricio Fleury (keyboards and guitar), Rômulo Nardes (percussion), Gustavo Cék (percussion), Cuca Ferreira (baritone sax and flute), Daniel Nogueira (tenor sax), Douglas Antunes (trombone), and Daniel Gralha (trumpet), the group’s shows became famous throughout the city due to their intensity and ritualistic overtones. The buzz around the band culminated in the release of their eponymous debut in 2011, which was co-produced and mixed by the influential ska and reggae musician Victor Rice. The album made it to several Best Albums of the Year lists, and was nominated for A Contigo Award in 2012. That same year, they performed at some of the city’s most famous festivals, and made their international debut at the Felabration festival in Amsterdam, where they played alongside Afrobeat legend Tony Allen. A second eponymous album ensued in 2013, paving the way for an European tour, featuring a performance at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival. They followed up with Ocupai (2014), which earned them a Prêmio da Música Brasileira award for Best Revelation, and Quebra Cabeça (2018), their second album for German label Glitterbeat Records.