Mestre Boneco

Mestre Boneco formed in the Liberdade neighborhood of Salvador, Brazil, around founder Jorge Conceição da Silva, who goes by the same name. The group's sound draws from traditional African rhythms, particularly the berimbau, which gives their 1996 track 'Berimbau Tocou Sem Parar' its distinctive pulse. That song helped bring them wider attention.

Their music often gets called samba reggae, though that label came with some early skepticism about blending those styles. They've worked with artists like Gilberto Gil and Carlinhos Brown, and put out albums including 'Samba Reggae' in 1996 and 'Resistência' a decade later. Another song, 'Bamba na Capoeira', shows their continued focus on Brazilian percussion traditions.

The core lineup has included vocalist Anderson Costa, guitarist Adriano Ribeiro, bassist Fábio Jerônimo, and keyboardist Alexandre Vasconcelos alongside Mestre Boneco on percussion. Their recordings aim to balance those traditional roots with more contemporary arrangements, which has sometimes drawn debate about cultural preservation versus adaptation.