August First Friday: Nation Beat

Pounded by calloused hands; blasted by tightened lips. It calls across time and continents—with a visceral response from hips and feet. It’s the force that blew through Louis Armstrong in the ’20s. It’s the power that gets Brazilians swinging in the streets for carnival. It is jazz you can dance to.

What makes Nation Beat so special is that it offers no simple answers. When band leader Scott Kettner looks at a map, he sees a direct line that connects the rivers of northeastern Brazil to the parishes of New Orleans and the streets of NYC. A master percussionist, composer and educator, Kettner is the guiding force behind Nation Beat and has been tracing the similarities between the music and culture of northeastern Brazil and the American South for two decades, through recordings and performances as well as educational and community outreach programs.

In Nation Beat’s latest musical odyssey, traditional Brazilian rhythms intertwine with the soulful grooves of New Orleans, funk, and jazz to create a dynamic tapestry that spans continents and centuries. Each track is a testament to the power of music to transcend