»“The dancehall experiment that turned into a monster.” « Songlines

»“Retro Samba from Rio´s funkiest big-band retro revivalists.”« Mojo

»“Samba Supreme! Brazil´s old-school rhythms are casting their spell on a new generation.” « The Times

With Brazil’s recent musical export, baile funk, now fully embraced by the UK club scene, it’s quite another kind of dance music which has since taken Rio by storm. The dancehall venues of yesteryear are now packed with young Cariocas who have discovered a new love for retro samba.

It all started a few summers ago when a group of friends from Rio’s various music scenes found they shared a dream - to be part of a traditional Brazilian big band orchestra playing classic gafieira dancehall samba, with a twist. At the heart of the project is the enigmatic artist Kassin, one of Brazil’s most sought after producers whose manifold successes include production for MPB stars, cult Game-Boy beats outfit Artificial and the acclaimed + 2 album Futurismo. Orquestra Imperial was born as a 22 piece band featuring some of the best-known names in Brazilian rock, pop and electronica. The line-up includes Kassin, Domenico Lancellotti and Moreno Veloso [+2], award-winning actress and singer Thalma de Freitas, vocalist Rodrigo Amarante [of pop giants Los Hermanos], guitar ace Pedro Sá [co-producer of Caetano Veloso’s latest album Cê] and veteran samba legend Wilson das Neves [Os Ipanemas, Chico Buarque, Elis Regina, Elsa Soares].

Orquestra Imperial kicked off with a series of pre-carnival shows at the historic Rio concert hall Circo Voador. With five vocalists, three guitars, flute, horns, percussion, and surprise guests such as Seu Jorge and Caetano Veloso, their repertoire consisted of vintage sambas, boleros and mambos. ‘On the first night’, laughs Kassin, ‘there were more people on stage than in the audience’. That soon changed, with spectacular reviews and a growing buzz within weeks the shows became a huge hit, and now attract thousands. Just as the band dreamed, old-school samba dances have become genuinely popular again.

The group has played at major festivals in the US and in Portugal, and were a highlight at London’s Barbican Tropicalia festival in 2006, playing with special guests Gruff Rhys [Super Furry Animals], The Bees, and Sean O’Hagan [High Llamas], a show described by The Independent as ‘a sublime delight’. Orquestra Imperial also features on Bebel Gilberto’s recently released album Momento, on the track Tranquilo, written by Kassin.

Carnaval Só Ano Que Vem, the group’s debut album, was recorded in Rio with the entire band together in one studio. It was produced by Kassin & Berna Ceppas with Mario Caldato, who has produced and worked with Beck, Jack Johnson, Seu Jorge, Beastie Boys, Bjork and many more. The album opens with three long-lost samba classics from the 40s and 50s, all other tracks were written by the band especially for this release, and in the spirit of the dancehall era which originally inspired them. On record and in concert, Orquestra Imperial is extraordinarily fluid – continually swapping lead vocals, roles and instruments. On stage while Thalma sings, Moreno and Nina dance then Domenico takes the drummer’s seat left by Wilson who moves forward to take lead vocals, and so on until dawn. With so many members being stars in their own right Orquestra Imperial offers a panoramic snap-shot of Brazil’s new generation of creative talent. Their collective take on golden-age samba is not sepia toned or nostalgic – it’s kaleidoscopic and energised with a kind of nonchalant euphoria. Orquestra Imperial are true inheritors of Brazil’s incredible musical heritage and with them, it not only lives, it moves.