Biography

Olodum is a cultural activism group created with the objectives of fighting racial discrimination and socioeconomic inequality They have recorded ten LPsCDs and have worked with Wayne Shorter Jimmy Cliff Herbie Hancock Michael Jackson Paul Simon and Spike Lee The group draws 4000 people to parade in the bloco which has about 200 musicians at Salvador BA carnival gives lectures on social and political issues and publishes a monthly news journal Bantu Nag The group also runs a factory for clothes and musical instruments sold to the public and a school for Salvadors poor children Olodum was created in Salvador BA in April 25 1979 Olodum takes its name from the Yoruba deity Olodumar God of Gods in Yoruba language Originally a bloco afro a Bahian Carnival association devoted to research and the celebratation of black culture the group drew 800 people to the streets in their first Carnival 1980 In the next year they already had 2000 affiliates In 1983 the group constituted the Grupo Cultural Olodum Neguinho do Samba joined the group that year as mestre master and is the figure responsible for the winning combination of samba and reggae that characterizes the groups musical approach In 1984 Olodum was acknowledged as a state public utility organization had 3000 people parading in their bloco was featured in the documentary Carnival Bahia In 1987 their first LP Egito Madagascar made a hit with Fara by Luciano Gomes dos Santos and sold more than 50000 copies Two years later the group did their first performances in Europe and in the next year played again in Europe and in Japan Argentina and Chile In 1990 1992 1993 and 1994 they were awarded with the Sharp prize for Best Regional Group In 1988 the group was recorded by Paul Simon on his The Rhythm of the Saints album and toured with him The video clip of that song was exhibited in 140 countries leading to the first US tour in 1991 which reached an apex in a Central Park concert with Paul Simon which gathered 750000 fans The Ford Foundation invited Olodums president to Atlanta where was given honorary citizenship Their 1992 LP A Msica do Olodum made the hit Nossa Gente Roque Carvalho which was re-recorded by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil on their CD Tropiclia 2 They toured South America and Europe in that year with their European tour representing the longest ever by a Brazilian band in Europe The 1993 O Movimento had the hit Requebra Pierre OnassisNego selling over 100000 copies and receiving a gold record The 1994 Children of the Sun sold more than 250000 copies and earned a platinum record The band performed several times in the US most notably in the 1994 World Cup soccer final games in which Brazil was victorious for the fourth time In that year the enterprise branched into publishing realizing the first book telling the Olodum saga written by Marcelo Dantas In 1995 they recorded Sol e Mar live at the Montreux Jazz Festival They have performed in 18 countries including Cuba Senegal and Angola Alvaro Neder All Music Guide