Recife, February 13-22 - The U.S. Consulate in Recife’s 10-day American Roots Music Tour reached over 8,000 people in NE Brazil through six music clinics and four concerts.  Kids, ages 8-18, in Recife’s favelas danced, sang, and played along with NYC-based Clay Ross Band, where they learned bluegrass, Cajun, and blues rhythms at clinics in public schools and community centers.

During the clinics, the Clay Ross Band demonstrated the similarities between NE Brazilian music and American roots music, thus bridging the cultural gap and reinforcing the cultural connections between the Brazil and the United States. 
The Clay Ross Band is composed of Clay Ross (vocals, guitar), Rob Curto (accordion), Richie Barshay (drums) and Edward Perez (bass). Clay and Richie are former State Department Jazz Ambassadors. 

Students of Cícero Dias public school on the stage with the musicians

One of the clinics was held at Cícero Dias Public School, where a 2009 Youth Ambassador used to study. Wagner Rocha participated in the clinic with 80 other students and presented a PowerPoint of pictures of his YA tour.  His enthusiasm motivated his colleagues to ask questions about how they, too, could participate of the program.

Another clinic gathered 60 public school students, which are participants of the school’s Frevo-style marching band. The four musicians divided the band into separate sections and taught them how to play New Orleans "second line" blues.  After the rehearsal, the band performed with the Clay Ross Band, and one young trumpet player was so inspired that he spontaneously broke into an improv solo, which delighted over 50 other students who were watching the clinic from the outdoor basketball court.  The NY band motivated the students to discover more about jazz and blues as they learned  how New Orleans celebrates Carnival with “second line” blues music.

New Orleans "second line" blues was introduced to marching band’s repertoire

Fifty participants of the Consulate’s English Access Scholarship Program  also  participated in another clinic: they enjoyed the music and had the chance to practice their English by posing questions to the musicians. For the students, like José Carlos, the impact of the clinic was immediate. “After this workshop I can tell you that my future is music. I was in doubt but now, I know that I really want this career to me.”

Students from Consulate’s English Access Scholarship Program had the chance to ask questions to the musicians

At a community center in the heart of a favela, Clay and his group engaged a similar group of children ranging in age from 8-18.  In all the clinics, Public Affairs Officer Kate Bentley introduced the musical group by giving a brief overview of what the children would hear. She told the audiences that they would hear songs that showed both the African and Irish roots of American music, showcasing jazz and blues as well as bluegrass, country, and gospel music.  Kate also drew the comparison of how the African influence in Brazilian and American music had manifested itself in distinctly different ways.  In the U.S. that influence led to blues, gospel, and jazz, while in Brazil it lead to samba, maracatu, and many other musical genres.

The band interacted with youngsters of several community centers of Recife