Epi 112 Robert Lopez

Epi 112 Robert Lopez

Author: Courtney Danley & Dianna Ramirez December 9, 2023 Duration: 1:58:34

Robert Lopez

Epi 112 Robert Lopez Dianna Ramirez & Courtney Danley Download

Bio:
Robert Lopez is a percussionist and educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His background in various types of music such as folkloric traditions of Brazil, Ghana and Cuba, alongside contemporary chamber music and free improvisation, allow him to maintain a malleable approach to sharing musical ideas. He holds a Bachelors of Music from Cal State University Long Beach and a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Improvisation from Mills College. Since 2011, he has been an active member of the Bay Area music community working with groups SO AR, the Oakland Active Orchestra, Quattour Elephantis, Grex and Jordan Glenn’s BEAK among others. He has been a dance accompanist at Mills College, UC Berkeley, ODC and Sonoma State. Since 2014 he has maintained a close relationship with master drummer Jorge Alabê. This partnership has led to awards from the Fulbright US Student Program for projects “Cultural Transmission through the Music of Candomblé” (2022) and “Investigating the Language of Candomblé Drumming” (2020), a grant from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program (2018) and first-place in the Brazilian category with Grupo Samba Rio in San Francisco’s Carnaval (2018 and 2019). He currently teaches drum set and hand percussion at the San Francisco Community Music Center and the San Francisco Waldorf High School.

Links:
media - @bohbbylolo

San Francisco Community Music Center - https://sfcmc.org/support/donate/

Iuri Passos Master’s Thesis - https://repositorio.ufba.br/handle/ri/31383

2020 Fulbright story - https://www.kqed.org/arts/13878162/how-coronavirus-derailed-a-fulbright-fellows-musicological-research-in-brazil

FICA Studio in Oakland - https://www.ficaoakland.com/

Silvia Manrique’s video:
https://youtu.be/A7VVDJYX0gA?si=nmtq5Nh5uQDWiPDs

Robert Lopez and Jorge Alabe

Creative Encounters

Freddie the Skinny pig!

San Francisco Carnaval


Hosted by Courtney Danley and Dianna Ramirez, The Brazilian Beat is a podcast that moves to the rhythm of its people. This isn't a broad survey of genres, but a focused, intimate journey into the heart of the Brazilian percussion community. Each conversation is a doorway into a different world-from the master craftsmen who build the instruments to the legendary players who give them a voice, and the community organizers who keep the traditions alive in cities across the globe. You'll hear the stories behind the surdo, the tamborim, and the agogô, learning how these instruments are more than just tools for music; they are vessels of history and identity. Courtney and Dianna guide these discussions with genuine curiosity and deep respect, allowing every guest to share not just their technical expertise, but their personal connection to the beat. Listening to this podcast feels like pulling up a chair in a roda de samba, surrounded by the warmth and complexity of a living culture. It's about the hands that shape the wood and skin, the collective energy of a bateria, and the lifelong dedication required to master a single rhythm. For anyone fascinated by the power of percussion, the social fabric of music-making, or the rich cultural tapestry of Brazil, The Brazilian Beat offers an authentic, ground-level perspective you won't find anywhere else.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Brazilian Beat
Podcast Episodes
Episode 53 Dudu Fuentes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 52 Kleber Komká founder of Batuque Digital [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 51 Serrinha Raiz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 49 Kahlil Cummings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 48 Sounds of CBC 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 47 Creating a non-profit with Dev Nambi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Photo credit Eric Crawford Episode 47 creating a non-profit with Dev Nambi Courtney Danley & Dianna Ramirez Download Dev’s been playing drums since 1993, in symphonic band, marching band, jazz band, and various musicals.…
Episode 46 Douglas Jorge, Portela Samba School Bateria Director. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Episode 46 Douglas Jorge, Portela director and professional percussionist Courtney Danley & Dianna Ramirez Download Douglas Jorge is a descendent of samba royalty! He is the Grandson of Alcides Gregorio, who was one of t…
Episode 45 Pato Irie from TDot Batu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 44 Jakub Škrha from Ritmo Factory in Czech Republic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode 44 Jakub Škrha from Ritmo Factory Courtney Danley and Dianna Ramirez Download This episode is sponsored by GoSamba.net Brazilian drum store in North America BioJakub Škrha is a percussionist focusing mainly on Br…