Samba is the national musical-dance genre of Brazil, born in the early 20th century in the poor districts of Rio de Janeiro from a fusion of African rhythms (brought by the descendants of slaves) with urban song. Its defining feature is an infectious, syncopated duple rhythm that irresistibly calls to dance.
Samba is inseparably linked to the Brazilian carnival: enormous “samba schools” bring thousands of drummer-musicians (the bateria) and dancers onto the streets of Rio each year in a dazzling spectacle. There are many varieties — from the turbulent carnival samba-enredo to the tender, lyrical samba-canção. Samba became a world symbol of Brazil and gave rise to many other genres, notably the refined bossa nova. It is music of joy, of the body, and of irrepressible vital force.
