AJAH-YO

AJAH-YO is a collaborative group that is the leading entity in educating the American public about Afro-Brazilian culture through traditional Afro-Brazilian music and dance.  Our goal is to promote awareness of and appreciation for Afro-Brazilian culture in America through performances, workshops and various outreach opportunities.  We seek to educate, but also to entertain.

 
AJAH-YO was founded in 2008 by percussionist and social activist Carlos de Oliveira to perform Afro-Brazilian music. The name "AJAH-YO" comes from the call used by the Brazilian Afoxe group Filhos de Gandhy to bring its members to attention, and draws its inspiration from that group, which was founded in 1949, and which in turn pays homage to the life and work of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi for peace and nonviolence.

 
Most songs are sung in the old Yoruba language, kept alive in Brazil by candomble practitioners. In addition to afoxe, AJAH-YO plays samba de roda, samba-afro, samba-reggae, and samba batucada, Rio de Janeiro style.   AJAH-YO strives to bring the vibrant and vivacious music of Brazil to our audiences with world-class performances by musicians who have decades of experience.  However, along with our performances comes an aspect of social progress and self-awareness.  We encourage every person who attends our performances to examine his or her own culture and to become involved in their communities to affect positive change within their own world.