Group of people playing drums and dancing in colorful clothing

Baque de Axé

Band, London

Baque de Axé is a London based band, led by experienced percussionist Sam Alexander. We bring the spirit of North-East Brazil to the UK with live performances featuring a community of passionate percussionists and dancers. Prepare for an authentic experience of Brazilian Carnival and expect an explosion of rhythm and energy.

baquedeaxe@gmail.com
+44 (0)7913 181 174

Maracatu!

Baque de Axé perform a style of Maracatu called ‘Maracatu de Baque Virado’ Portuguese for ‘Maracatu of the turning beat', reflecting the syncopation and interaction of the beats. This traditional form of carnival parading, percussion and dance has deep roots in Afro-Brazilian traditions and is a major form of carnival in North East Brazil.

Previous performances include

Notting Hill and Hackney Carnivals

Carnival at the Royal Albert Hall

Lambeth Country Show

Movimientos at Hootenanny Brixton and at the Fox and Firkin London

Jungle Creations Party at Studio 92-94

Royal Academy of Arts

Love Carnival at the CLF Art Cafe Bussey Building

Regents Street Parade

Emergency Exit Arts Parades

Brazilica Festival Liverpool

Drum ensemble performing on a stage in a grand theater with arched balconies and illuminated ceiling lights.

A group of dancers in traditional, colorful dresses perform in a lavishly decorated room with ornate chandeliers and a high ceiling. The audience is seated around the room, observing and taking photos.

Crowd at a colorful festival parade on a street with banners and large art pieces.

Indoor concert with drummers on stage, a large crowd watching, and colorful lighting.

Colorfully dressed musicians and dancers perform in a street parade, playing traditional instruments and wearing vibrant costumes.

We can tailor a presentation to match your event, whether in London or around the UK.

The types of events at which we can perform include:

Full Band
Our full band includes the band leader, a percussion ensemble of around 20-40 members, including gonguê (bell), ganzá (mineiro/shaker), agbê (shekerê), alfaia (base drum), caixa (snare drum), and atabaque (hand drum), as well as dancers, singers, and extra costumed performers. Suitable for large outdoor events including carnivals, festivals, summer fairs, weddings, and large indoor events.

Small to Medium Band
Smaller events will involve a select number of our key percussion performers from the full group. Suitable for small street festivals, carnival expositions, community events, party nights, and other indoor events such as exhibition openings or closings.

Professional Band
Our professional band can be available during the weekday/working hours at short notice. It is comprised of professional performers including drummers, dancers, singers, guitars, and brass, (depending on event requirements). Suitable for professional stage shows, music venues, clubs, promotional events, and corporate performances.

Percussion Workshops
We offer a programme of workshops for organisations, from corporate groups, to schools and youth clubs. Workshops can include drumming, dancing, instrument making, and costume making. Our team building workshops are very popular with corporate and social organisations, and use the fun of learning the skills of Maracatu to enhance team performance.

“Witnessing a performance by Baque de Axé is much more than attending a musical show; it's being transported to the pulsating heart of Recife's Carnival, immersed in a torrent of ancestral rhythms and a contagious energy. From the very first touch of the alfaias, the visceral and profound sound reverberates, not just in the ears, but in every fiber of your being. Baque de Axé is also a rich and impactful visual experience with vibrant colours and dance movements creating a spectacle that nourishes the soul. More than just a show, Baque de Axé offers a genuine celebration of music as a powerful and joyful form of expression. If you are looking for a musical experience that transcends the ordinary, that makes you vibrate, dance, and feel the strength of tradition in every beat, don't miss the opportunity to experience Baque de Axé. It's an unforgettable encounter with the soul of Brazil, an explosion of axé that will certainly leave a lasting mark. It's simply unmissable."

Odila Giunta , Samba de Bamba UK director
"To celebrate our ‘Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism’ exhibition, we had the pleasure of collaborating with Baque de Axé to create two drawing-focused evening events inspired by music, performance, and costume. From developing the workshops to set-up and delivery, they’ve been a wonderful team to work with. Their passion and creativity made the workshops unforgettable, attracting over 400 attendees. It was a fantastic evening, my favourite workshop we have done by far! Thank you so much to Baque de Axé for making it so enjoyable and bringing such great energy and atmosphere to the Royal Academy of Arts London."

Anna Smallman, Royal Academy of Arts London
"For the last 10 years I've had the pleasure of working with Baque de Axé at Hackney and Notting Hill Carnivals (which I am involved in directing). Their vibrant performances are always well presented and a crowd-pleaser, bringing the traditional sounds and culture of Pernambuco, NE Brazil, to Europe, and filling the space with incredible energy. They're not only talented but also a joy to collaborate with. Highly recommended!"

Pax Nindi FRSA CEO Global Carnivalz (UK) and World Carnival Commission (Canada)
"Baque de Axé has been an incredible partner in our CarnivALL community project for over six years, and we are so grateful for their continued collaboration! Their support has been essential in making our public performances lively and engaging, while also bringing the rich sounds and culture of Brazil to our local audiences. Beyond that, Baque de Axé gives our participants the confidence to perform publicly, empowering them to shine in front of the crowd. The success of our CarnivALL parade wouldn't be the same without them, and we look forward to many more years of working together!"

Julia Evangelista, Founder and Director at SeeThrough Theatre Company
"Baque de Axé put on a dynamic and vibrant Maracatu performance at an exhibition launch in the Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint Martins. The positive energy and unity of the band got the whole audience in the gallery dancing in rhythm with the music, together with the dancers in traditional dress. Band members also held an engaging Maracatu drumming workshop where participants learnt to play a maracatu rhythm on traditional instruments and were invited to perform with the band in the gallery. It was an uplifting and memorable evening; highly recommended!"

Stephanie Romig-Orr, University of the Arts London
"Sam Alexander is an original pioneer of Brazilian music in the UK. A hugely talented and generous artist and director, having lived in Brazil as a practicing musician, he has a unique position in the world of Afro-Brazilian carnival and its music in the UK. Much less well known and understood in the UK than Samba, Maracatu represents a tradition very deeply rooted in the Afro-Brazilian cultural and spiritual world in the North-east of Brazil. Sam's achievements in creating and developing Baque de Axé has been very successful, culminating in 3rd and 2nd in Brazilian music awards in the Notting Hill Carnival."

Daniel Bernstein CEO at Emergency Exit Arts
"Baque de Axé created a fantastic atmosphere at the Advertising Week Europe Closing party - the live carnival drumming really added to the party energy!"

Matt Scheckner, President, Advertising Week
"Baque de Axé's live carnival drumming made the Jungle Creations party really special and got everyone in the mood to party and celebrate - definitely recommended!!"

Mel Chapman, CEO, Jungle Creations
"Baque de Axé are an inspiring Maracatu group that have built an important community around their work. As a proud regular collaborator and promoter with Movimientos, the band have brought joy to hundreds of dancers at our events over the years and have always been never less than professional in all areas of their work."

Callum Simpson (AKA DJ Cal Jader), Founder and Director at Movimientos events