CAPOEIRA INSTRUMENTS BY MESTRE NEGÃO

BERIMBAUS CASADOS & BATERIAS CASAMENTO

We can't tell you how happy we are to be able to offer you these instruments in our shop! Capoeiristas - this is a real treat! Beautiful hand-made, 'married' berimbaus and berimbau trios - also casados, have just arrived fresh from Brazil and are waiting to find their way in a new home.

Not only for capoeiristas, but also for percussionists who like playing spiritual Candomblê rhythms on traditional drums - we have now two atabaque treasures in different sizes directly from Mestre Negão's hands.

HANDMADE TREASURES

Berimbaus casados & baterias casamento
Capoeira people know how difficult they are to find: married berimbaus are especially precious and always unique pieces of high value, elaborately manufactured with hand-picked matching components. A bateria casamento consists of 3 complete berimbaus (viola, médio and gunga). Bateria casada means, not only is each of berimbaus casado, but also the complete trio matches perfectly. In order to find a beautifully sounding combination, a long search is necessary and despite having much experience, it is inevitable to try out many combinations before having success in finding the perfect match. This is why it is called ‚the wedding’, when finally all parts go together meaning that each berimbau has a verga matching its very own cabaça. The position of the cabaça is marked on the verga so you can easily find the place for the best sound. Each berimbau comes with a caxixi, a baqueta and a pedra.

TREASURES FROM A SMALL WORKSHOP IN SÃO PAULO

Historically a berimbau is a musical bow with a peculiar sound which you will find in every Roda de Capoeira. The instrument has developed from a bow and arrow and is known as one of the first string instruments ever.

TRADITIONAL ATABAQUES WITH ROPE TUNING

Beautiful, hand worked unique pieces made of solid wood planks and sisal ropes. Atabaques are Brazilian hand drums with a rich tradition and African roots. In Brazil atabques are played in Capoeira and ritual Candomblê music. The rope tuning system is especially popular amongst capoeiristas. You can tune the drum by knocking in or loosening the wooden wedges held by a metal hoop. The body is built in traditional barrel style and is boardered by several iron hoops on different levels.
The atabaques are made one by one, lovely high quality and solid artinsan work by Mestre Negão who manufactures them in his small workshop in São Paulo. Mestre Negão is Capoeirista and instrument builder making exceptional skills. In no more than a small room of his house he creates a lovely selection of beautiful instruments. The atabaques have hand picked, partly shaven skins, solid bodies and a wooden stand with rubber edge that goes with the drum.

Mestre Negão from São Paulo
Eduardo Rodrigues, well known in the Capoeira scene as Mestre Negão from São Paulo, has become one of the very important characters in Capoeira, mainly through his Capoeira event ‚Vadeia Samba’, but also with his high-grade artisanal instruments and his very kind personality. He constantly tries to connect capoeiristas from differnet styles and groups. He has his workshop in São Paulo - no more than a single room in a small house, this is where he makes his instruments.
His atabaques are of exstremely good quality and his artisanal skills create demanding and beautiful instruments with traditional rope tuning systems.