Letieres Leite (1959-2021) established the Orkestra Rumpilezz, a percussion and brass ensemble, in 2006. The group’s initial release garnered the Bravo! Award for Best Popular Album of the Year 2010 and the Brazilian Music Award in the categories of Best New Artist and Best Instrumental Group.
The Orkestra Rumpilezz’s style fuses ancestral Bahian music with contemporary harmonic arrangements, African-rooted percussion, and modern jazz influences. Compositions and arrangements draw from the rhythmic patterns of Bahia’s percussive universe, inspired by notable associations like Ile Aiye, Olodum, Sambas Recôncavo, among others, and Candomblé.
The Orchestra comprises five percussionists (playing drums, timbau, agogo, tambourine, and caxixi) and 14 wind instrument players (four trumpets, four trombones, two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones, a baritone saxophone, and a tuba).
(headline image: Letieres Leite with Orkestra Rumpilezz – Photo by João Atala)
Discography:
Letieres Leite & Orkestra Rumpilezz (2009)
A Saga Da Travessia (2016)
Moacir de Todos Os Santos (2022)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.