Carlos Ferreira comes from Vila Isabel, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) which is to samba what old New Orleans is to jazz. He is (as they say in Rio) a "Carioca da Gema" - a genuine Carioca.. (Only people born in Vila Isabel are considered to be "Carioca da Gema"). Carlos started playing the "drums" (old tins he and his childhood friends used to collect from the streets of Vila Isabel and Grajau in the 50's) at the age of six. Later he developed his style playing samba drums in some of Rio's most important Samba Schools. His great passions are his beloved G.R.E.S. Estação Primeira de Mangueira and G.R.E.S. Estácio de Sá. Carlos is a "ritmista" (drummer) with G.R.E.S. Estácio de Sá (RJ) - O Berço do Samba - Brazil's first Samba School (and very proud to be part of this fantastic family). Carlos has also paraded with G.R.E.S. Alegria da Zona Sul (RJ). He travels constantly to Rio to rehearse and parades at Sambodrome during the Carnival season. Carlos is a staunch fan of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (Brazil's most passionate football club with over 30 million supporters nationwide). From 1965, he started playing percussion with major Flamengo's "torcidas" (cheer squad) in Maracana stadium in Rio). In 1969 he started playing with Torcida Flamante.

Since arriving in Australia in 1985, he has become one of Melbourne's most exciting and innovative interpreters of Samba Jazz and other Brazilian rhythms. His bands have included Brazjaz Ensemble (Samba Jazz quartet, Suingue Brazuca, Carioca da Gema and MelSamba . Most of Brazjaz's repertoire has been composed by himself . Brazjaz was personally chosen by Barry Humphries ( Mega Star of the Milenium) and Paulo Coelho (acclaimed Brazilian writer) to perform at their book launches (Melbourne). In 1988, Carlos founded Australia's oldest Samba School: The Melbourne Samba School aka MelSamba (G.R.E.S. Unidos de Melbourne), an exciting samba percussion ensemble which plays genuine Rio's street carnival music. our MelSamba page on Facebook!!

He has performed with his bands in many festivals around Australia and all major jazz venues in Melbourne including the Melbourne International Festival, Melbourne Spoleto Festival, Apollo Bay Music Festival, Montsalvat International Jazz Festival, St. Kilda Festival, Brunswick St. Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Stir Fry Jazz Festival (Hobart), All Ears World Music Festival (Hobart), Melbourne Concert Hall, Limerick Arms Hotel, OZCAT, Dr. Jazz, Victorian Arts Centre, Miettas (Creative Music Series - recorded by ABC radio), Paris Cat Jazz Club, The Malthouse, Jazz Lane, The Ritz, Vineyard, Dizzy's and Bennetts Lane, Jambalaya Festival New Zealand), The Cave 2 (Edinburgh), The Rag Jazz Club (Kyoto, Japan), Papa Blues (Bonn, Germany), Munich Town Hall (Germany), Tsuen Wan Town Hall (Hong Kong), Yuen Long Theatre (Hong Kong), Guanabara (London) and Wellington International Jazz Festival (New Zealand) just to name a few. Carlos has established Australia's first smoke-free jazz club (OZCAT - April 1999). His initiative was very successful and as a consequence, other jazz clubs in Melbourne adopted the same healthy policy. His push for smoke-free clubs was backed by Vic Health and QUIT.

Carlos has been producing Brazilian events in Australia and overseas for over 20 years., including the Rio, Red & Black Carnival Party, an annual Brazilian club carnival party he started in 1993 and which attracts hundreds of guests every year since then. For more information visit Brazilian Parties Melbourne. Carlos has given Brazilian Percussion Workshops at a range of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions at both national and international levels.

In 2008 he trained and performed with 150 students of the Caulfield Grammar School at the Melbourne Concert Hall for their end-of-year concert. He has also extensively travelled overseas where he both performed and organised workshops. Carlos specializes in training large Samba School "baterias" in creative arrangements with the authentic Rio de Janeiro feel. In 2004 he conducted several "baterias" around the world, including 400 UK percussionists in Cornwall, England, 100-plus percussionists at the Cuba Street Festival Grand Finale in Wellington, New Zealand, 150-plus UK percussionists at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.

in 2005 Carlos has been invited by Russian rock superband BI-2 to write the Portuguese lyrics for (and sing on ) their piece "Flamenco" which is on one of their CDs. In 2007 he performed in several concerts in Rio with Velha Guarda Musical de Vila Isabel. In 2008 he was invited to produce a sound track for NINTENDO's video game BLOB. He recorded two tracks: a full samba bateria (where he plays all percussion instruments - around 40 - one by one) and all the percussion for a Pagode track. Carlos has extensively travelled overseas where he both performed and organised workshops. Countries visited include Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, England, Scotland, Sweden, Slovenia, Iceland, Japan, USA, Germany and Switzerland. He has conducted several major workshops, including:

- 2011 Sambanistas, Bloco do Norte & Bassonovas Workshop - Perth, Australia - 2011 London School of Samba Workshop - UK - 2011 Manchester School of Samba Workshop - UK - 2011 Querschlaeger Workshop - Paderborn, Germany - 2011 Maravilha do Samba - Uppsala, Sweden - 2011 Sao Miguel - Uppsala, Sweden - 2011 St Stephen's School, Carramar (WA) - 2010 Wellington Batucada Workshops, Wellington, New Zealand - 2010 St Stephen's School, Carramar (WA) - 2009 London School of Samba Workshop - UK - 2009 Manchester School of Samba Workshop - UK - 2009 Unidos Workshop - Isle of Wight, UK - 2009 Querschlaeger Workshop - Paderborn, Germany

- 2009 Bloco Tortura Workshop - Paderborn, Germany - 2009 St Stephen's School, Carramar (WA) - 2009 New Zealand Tour & Cuba Street Festival (Sponsored by the Brazilian Embassy in New Zealand) - 2008 Wellington Batucada Workshops, Wellington, New Zealand - 2008 AK Samba Workshops, Auckland, New Zealand - 2008 Rotorua Samba Workshops, Rotorua, New Zealand - 2008 Tauranga Samba Workshops, Tauranga, New Zealand - 2008 Wanaka Samba Workshops, Wanaka, New Zealand - 2008 Mt Aspiring College, Wanaka, New Zealand - 2008 Caulfield Grammar School Workshops and Performance - Concert Hall, Melbourne  - 2008 Darebin Music Feast  - 2008 St Stephen's School, Carramar (WA) - 2007 Samba Workshops for Beleza (Fremantle)  - 2007 Samba Workshops for Brisamba (Brisbane)

- 2007 St Stephen's School, Carramar (WA) - 2006 Hong Kong Academy For Performing Arts - 2006 Workshop for 1000 Primary & Secondary students - Tsuen Wan Town Hall - Hong Kong - 2006 Workshops for 1000 Primary & Secondary students - Ko Shan Theatre - Hong Kong - 2006 Kids Workshop at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre - 2006 St Stephen's School, Carramar (WA) - 2006 Masterclass - Hong Kong Culural Centre - 2006 Devonport Jazz Festival - 2006 Monash University Multicultural Week - 2006 Edinburgh Samba School (Scotland) - 2006 Isle of Wight (England) - 2005 Monash University Multicultural Week - 2004 Birmingham Music Conservatoire (England) - 2004 Carnival Encounter (Brighton, England) - 2004 Braincroft Lodge Workshops (Scotland) - 2004 Bristol Samba School (England) - 2004 Sol Samba (Oxford, England) - 2004 Edinburgh Samba School (Scotland) - 2004 Isle of Wight (England) - 2004 Uniao do Samba (Stockholm - Sweden)

- 2004 Tónlistarskóla FÍH Music School, Reikjavik (Iceland) 2004 Jambalaya Festival (New Zealand) - 2004 Training/Directing 180 plus UK percusionists at Edinburgh Festival (Music Director for the Edinburgh Samba School Cavalcade) - 2004 Directing 400-plus percussionists for the Guinness Book Of Records, Encontro Atlantico - St. Ives, Cornwall, England - 2003 NMIT Collingwood - Music Department - 2003 Jambalaya Festival (New Zealand ) - 2003 Wellington International Jazz Festival l- 2003 Caulfield Grammar School - Percussion & Voice Workshop for 400 students - Junior Assembly - 2001 National Conference Of Kodaly Musical Education Institute Of Australia - 2001 School of Creative and Performing Arts (University of Auckland.

ONE MAN BATERIA AUDIO

Carlos plays all the Brazilian percussion on this track. Recorded and mixed by Carlos Ferreira at his home studio.

On this video, Carlos replaces the original poor quality audio track by one recorded entirely by him: 8 tamborins, 2 caixas, 1 repinique, 3 surdos (Marcacao, Corte e Resposta) and 2 reco-recos..