Olayá: Power Flutes and Grooves
International Concert Series 2024-25
Thursday, 14th October 2024
Picture Gallery, Founder’s Building
with
Mafalda Ramos flutes, vocals
Rachel Hayter flutes, vocals
Inês Loubet vocals, percussion
Julio de Castro electric bass, vocals
Jansen Santana percussion, vocals
EVENT
OVERVIEW
TheNortheastofBrazilishome toanincrediblearrayofstyles, fromthedance-tasticforróto carnavalfrevo,swingingsamba derodaandcircledanceciranda.
Estimated finish time: 9.15pm
Please no flash photography or visual/audio recording throughout the event.
For news about our future events, please visit royalholloway.ac.uk/music/events
Inadditiontooriginal compositions by Olayá, basked in thetraditionsandstylesfromthe NortheastofBrazil,you'llbe hearingandexperiencingnew anduniquearrangementsof well-knownclassicsfrom BrazilianlegendssuchasLuiz Gonzada,Djavan,Edmilsondo PífanoandCarlosMalta.
OUR PERFORMERS
Olayá is a female-led flute and percussion band inspired by Northeastern Brazilian Bandas de Pifanos (bamboo flutes), with the elemental force of flutes, rich vocal harmonies, driving percussion and bass. Olayá’s music is heavily rhythmic and contagiously fun, a fresh take on a traditional Brazilian sound never before heardintheUK.
United by their passion for Brazilian music and exploring sounds, Olayá formed in 2022. Aftertheirsold-outdebutgigin May 2023, they were quickly approached by bookers across the country and have since headlined at festivals including Jaminaround, Basket of Light, the Magpie’s Nest & Leeds Summer Festival as well as sellingoutmultipleLondongigs and being snapped up by Latin music promoter Movimientos. Their sets contain danceable rootsy Brazilian forró tunes as well as lush contemplative
numbers, moving audiences in everyway.
Olayá’s musicians have long been at the forefront of London’sBrazilianmusicscene. They have played in festivals andvenuesinternationallywith a plethora of artists including Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil, Alvorada and Antonio Forcione and have appeared on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM, Worldwide FMandtheWestEndstage.
Mafalda Ramos is a Portuguese flautist. She studied Historical PerformanceattheRoyalCollege ofMusicLondon(BMus(hons)and MMus), where shewas a scholar. She happily embraces flutes of different times and origins, playing a number of simple system, traditional and modern flutes,aswellasrecorders.Sheis especially interested in Brazilian Music, performing various styles in myriad contexts, from samba to forró, choro, samba-jazz and bossa nova. She regularly works with Mario Bakuna, Felippe Oliveira and Beloved George amongst other prominent
musicians in the Brazilian Music sceneintheUK.
RachelHayter (flutes,vocals)isa flautistandcomposerspecialising inBrazilianmusic.AfteranMAat Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Rachel lived and studied music in Brazil with flute/piano legendsAlexandreRodriguesand Carlos Malta & performed with manyBrazilianmusicians suchas NailorProveta,EduNeves,Jaque Falcheti. She plays with awardwinning choro quintet Alvorada and her music appears on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM and Resonance FM.RachelhasledBrazilianmusic courses in both SOAS University andKingsCollegeLondon.
Inês Loubet (vocals, percussion) is one of London’s most exciting vocalists and multiinstrumentalists. Her original compositions navigate through the influences of Jazz, Brazilian music and her native language, Portuguese. Loubet’s musical ventureshavebeenpraisedbythe likes of Gilles Peterson and The LineofBestFit,aswellasearned her several international tours, radio appearances at Jazz FM, WorldwideFM&BBCRadio3,and performances at The Union Chapel, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire&BBCLateProms.
Julio de Castro (electric bass, vocals) is a Brazilian vocalist, bassist, musical producer, arranger & collaborator. Notable artists he has featured with includeGalCosta,RacionaisMc’s, Marina Lima, Só Pra Contrariar, Negritude Jr, Carlos Da Fé & Apocalipse 16. He shares album credits with Abe Laboriel, Dean Parks, Tony Peluso (The Carpenters), Cuca Teixeira, Edu Martins, Sandro Haick, Tatiana ParraandPauloCalazanstoname afew.
Jansen Santana (percussion, vocals)isindemandgloballyasa multi-instrumentalist and producer. He is dedicated to showcasing the musical knowledge he has collected and researched from the streets of Salvador de Bahia, Northeast Brazil, where he was born and raised. Jansen collaborates with independent artists such as Antonio Forccione, Lucca BoscaginandLuizMorais,aswell asleadinghisownprojects.