In this the second installment of our Conga Chops Masterclass series we’ll dive deep into the art of building grooves featuring the one and only Gilmar Gomes! Gilmar has been a mainstay in the pop, world, and jazz music scene for over 20 years now, having worked extensively with diverse artists from Richard Bona, Meshell Ndegeocello and Jason Lindner, to megastars Enrique Iglesias, Daniela Mercury, and Carlinhos Brown, just to name few.

In the Interview portion of this Masterclass we’ll learn about Gilmar’s upbringing in Salvador, Brazil, coming up in the street samba scene, and how he developed his unique skillset, approach, and percussion orchestration chops while working with numerous world-renowned artists in various genres over the years. Gilmar’s approach is not only informed by the fact that he’s a percussionist who plays a harmonic instrument, but also by the sensibilities he has developed over the course of an amazing career as well studying the sounds of the streets of his native Bahía while having a curiosity and appreciation for the sounds of nature, which have allowed him to learn to express himself with a truly unique voice no matter what he plays.

Although this Masterclass is not specifically focused on conga, bongó or timbal, the grooves, concepts, and sensibilities that we discuss are something you can apply to making music, no matter what you’re playing. You’ll get some great insights on how to orchestrate rhythms using various instruments in a percussion ensemble, as we listen to how Gilmar’s creative freedom exemplifies groove, musicianship, and brings beautiful energy with each new layer.

Get ready to take some notes and witness a true master in the Art of Building Grooves!

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