Maracatu New York is New York’s first and only Maracatu ensemble dedicated to the performance and knowledge of traditional Maracatu de Baque Virado and other musical styles from the Northeast of Brazil, while fusing these rhythms with New Orleans Second Line rhythms. Upon returning to New York after an extended study of Folkloric northeastern Brazilian music, Scott Kettner founded Maracatu NY in the hopes of exposing the community to a rhythm outside of the popularly known music of Brazil such as Samba and Bossa Nova. With his experience and contacts, Scott developed the goal of capturing this folk art with its traditional rhythms and presenting them to the New York community through weekly Maracatu percussion workshops and performances. Kettner received an artist grant from The Brooklyn Arts Council in February 2003 and 2005 for this project. In 2005 Maracatu NY was the first and only United States Maracatu group to travel to Recife, Brazil where they studied with Corpos Percussivos and Jorge Martins and performed in Carnaval. In 2008 Maracatu NY led a two-week immersion study program to Recife's Carnaval, where members studied and played with Corpos Percussivos, Galeria do Ritmo samba school, Estrela Brilhante maracatu nation, and Dona Cila do Coco.
Maracatu NY has been offering classes and workshops at the Gowanus Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY since the fall of 2002. Weekly percussion workshops continue to explore the elements of Maracau de Baque Virado, including the rhythms, dances, songs and history. Maracatu NY and Scott Kettner also host an annual cultural exchange program between Recife, Brazil and New York City with Jorge Matins and Corpos Percussivos.
As the classes and the group’s reputation grew, the opportunities for the group to perform and do workshops increased. Maracatu New York has performed at various festivals and venues throughout NYC and Brazil including:
• 2008 Carnaval in Recife, Brazil
• Peter Gabriel's Witness Benefit concert
• 2007 Prospect Park's Celebrate Brooklyn
• 2005 Carnaval in Recife, Brazil
• 2005 Central Park Summer Stage
• Atlantic Antic, 2003 and 2004
• Greenwich Village Halloween Parade
• Lincoln Center Out of Doors
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Ghouls & Gourds Halloween Festival
• Chile Pepper festival
• Columbia University
• Knitting Factory
• Joe’s Pub
• SOB’s
• DROM
Maracatu NY have also recorded with Frank London’s Klezmer All Star Brass Band, The Nation Beat and Cyro Baptista’s Beat The Donkey.
