Djangada is a piano trio playing lively funk-infused grooves with a jazz aesthetic, drawing inspiration from Bahia, the home of Afro-Brazilian music and culture. This unique trio brings this traditional sound into the modern era with tight ensemble interplay and improvisation that comes from years of playing together.

The name Djangada comes from the word Jangada, a fishing boat found in the north-east of Brazil. “Vol. 1: Caymmi” revisits and reinvents the repertoire of the great songwriter Dorival Caymmi and his songs about the north-east. Characterised by catchy melodies with an uplifting atmosphere, Caymmi wrote many songs about fishing and life in Bahia (for example Pescaria and O Bem do Mar) and was one of the first Brazilian songwriters to achieve international fame.

Taking these long established classics as a starting point, Djangada reinvents and reinvigorates them. Just as the great jazz trios of Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans reworked the standards of the day and as improvisational vehicles, Djangada applies this approach to Caymmi’s compositions, giving them a new life as exciting piano trio arrangements filled with funky basslines and energetic band breaks, all the while retaining the joyous exuberance and accessibility of Caymmi’s own style - in itself a tribute to the versatility of his music.

As with the name of the band and the music, there is a strong connection to the sea in the band’s visual imagery, collaborating with Salvador artist NOVA on their album artwork and design to create a visual identity for the band inspired by the same themes, updated and reimagined for today.

Members Sam Watts (piano), Matheus Nova (bass) and Marcinho Pereira (drums) are long established as the backbone of the Brazilian music scene. Matheus and Marcinho were born in Brazil, while Sam has spent a long time there playing and assimilating the music and speaks Portuguese fluently, giving the trio an authenticity that is hard to find outside of Brazil. Their long relationship playing together as the rhythm section for many projects over the years has led to an incredibly tight-knit groove and sense of subtle ensemble communication. Between them have worked with artists including Elza Soares, Alcione, Ed Motta and Filo Machado, as well as jazz stars such as Jean Toussaint, Jason Marsalis and Judi Jackson.