Os Clavelitos, an American Samba band based in New York City is known for creating original music that combines traditional Brazilian rhythms (baiao, bossa Nova, and frevo), with English lyrics. The six-piece ensemble features members from Brazil, Japan, the U.S. and celebrates Brazil’s rich musical history while incorporating their diverse performing backgrounds in Latin, indie, jazz and pop. The band’s three composers/lyricists, Anthony Lanni (Detroit, MI – band leader, guitarist, and producer), Dan Kendall (Detroit, MI – multi-instrumentalist and co-producer), and Chieko Honda (Osaka, Japan – lead vocalist), craft distinctive pieces showcasing Os Clavelitos’ (“Little Carnations” in English) dynamic percussion, harmonic nuance, and Chieko’s sensual, open-hearted vocals; sharing tales of romance, melancholy, and conceptual whimsy. Uka Gameiro (Recife Brazil) and Arei Sekoguchi (Tokyo Japan) provide the propulsive, finely textured percussion. Uka, a published scholar on Brazilian rhythms (Modern Drummer Percussive Notes Drumhead), has a unique folkloric approach with the drum kit. He adapts rhythms from his village. Arei is an accomplished specialist in Afro-Brazilian/carnival style hand percussion, having studied with Jorge Alabe and performed accompaniment to Quenia Ribiero’s Afro-Brazilian Dance Class at Alvin Ailey. Livio Almeida, a flute and saxophonist from Brazil, has been a part of The O’Farrill Brother’s Band, Monika Oliveira and other top-notch ensembles. His melodic inventions and dramatic focus are key to the band’s sound. Os Clavelitos is about sharing culture and influences. It creates an inviting vista of sounds that welcomes all. http://osclavelitos.com
