Os Zagueiros taps into the funkier side of Brazil, with a repertoire dug from the crates of rare 70s Brazilian funk and soul grooves, as well as samba-rock, a sub-genre of samba influenced by early American rock, jazz, and soul.

At the height of the Black Power movement in the U.S., Brazil was ruled by a brutal military dictatorship. Black Brazilians in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, who identified with the civil rights activism and black music of the U.S., created a movement that became known as Black Soul, or more generically “música black”. The result was a fantastic fusion of samba rhythms with funk, soul, and early rock, as well as a mix of Portuguese peppered with American slang and style, with artists like Tim Maia, Jorge Ben, and Banda Black Rio being key players in the scene.  Just as this mixing of Brazilian and American culture took place in Brazil, Os Zagueiros brings samba soul back to America, interpreted in the context of Los Angeles’ rich cultural soundscape.  Get ready for the funky samba soul party of Os Zagueiros!