New York, NY. (Top 40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) - Nation Beat's 'Legends of the Preacher' (July 15/ Modiba) achieves the impressive feat of combining several different American musical styles with maracatu, forro, and other northeastern Brazilian rhythms into a completely unique sound. But it was a legendary jazz musician, Billy Hart, who planted the seed that eventually became this rare cultural hybrid.
In 2000, when NB founder Scott Kettner was a student at The New School, he asked his teacher Hart about lesser-known Brazilian rhythms. Hart replied 'well, there's this rhythm from northeastern Brazil called maracatu. I don't know how to play it, but it's a badass rhythm and you gotta go learn it so you can teach it to me!'
Thus inspired, Kettner studied the style for a year in Recife, Brazil with maracatu master Jorge Martins. One night as they were playing records for each other- Kettner his bluegrass, zydeco, and jazz discs, and Martins his maracatu and forro albums- they were struck by the similarity between the music of the American South and the Northeast of Brazil: the stringed instruments, accordions, African-influenced rhythms, and more. With that, they decided to 'join the Mississippi and Capibaribe' (the river that runs through Recife), and the idea of Nation beat was born.
The result has been a major success: NPR music critic Banning Eyre raves that 'Nation Beat's blends and segues flow so smoothly and satisfyingly. 'Nago Nago' is part Allman Brothers, part Little Feet, and all thumping Brazilian maracatu. 'De Repente No Repente' starts out like an old-time guitar ballad with a Brazilian twist, and winds up as transcultural country boogie. And [Hank] Williams's 'I'm So Lonesome I could Cry' gets a brilliant treatment that touches on all the band's strong suits.'
Fans can experience this musical melange in person as they tour this summer- see below for a complete list of current dates:
Nation Beat 2008 Summer Tour
June 27, 2008 / Pittsburgh, PA / PUMP Stay & Play Fridays
June 28, 2008 / Pittsburgh, PA / Shadow Lounge Block Party
July 2, 2008 / Montreal, Canada / Montreal Jazz Fest
July 5, 2008 / Dayton, OH / City Folk Festival
July 6, 2008 / Harrisburg, PA / American Music Fest (= Park)
July 9, 2008 / Philadelphia, PA / World Cafe Live
July 15, 2008 / Manhattan, NY / S.O.Bs
July 18/19, 2008 / Trumansburg, NY / Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival
July 20, 2008 / New York, NY / Summer on the Hudson Acoustic Sundays
July 26, 2008 / Floyd, VA / Floyd Fest (Hill Holler Stage)
July 31, 2008 / Cambridge, MA / Regatta bar
August 2, 2008 / Oneonta, NY / City of the Hills Festival
August 4, 2008 / Utica, NY / Utica Monday Night
