On June 7, 2008, The World Music Institute will present Brasil Fest! An exhilarating program of samba will be performed by the dynamic 20-member Berço do Samba de São Mateus in it US debut. The community-based group from São Mateus has built a solid reputation for maintaining the roots of old-style sambas while creating new works.

The group is more than 20 years old and has become an important reference for samba—one of Brazil’s most popular musical styles—not only in the region but also throughout Brazil and the world. The collective composes and performs its own songs and offers the music and culture from its particular neighborhood to the world, highlighting both the geographical diversity of samba and the essential connection between samba and local communities in Brazil this is traditional samba that has rarely been seen in the US.

The group’s debut recording is on the SESC SP label, and features such special guests as Beth Carvalho.