Banda Raizes

Banda Raizes is a Boston-based quintet that plays forro, sertanejo, and other Brazilian dance music.

While samba and bossa nova are better known internationally, forro and sertanejo are two of the most popular styles in Brazil today. Born in the countryside, centered around soaring vocals and driving accordion grooves, both styles pack the dance halls for joyous, all-night festas.

Banda Raizes hopes to bring the amazing spirit of these sounds and rhythms to America and beyond. The band is led by Jatir Vieira, a singer with years of experience in both his native Brazil and his adopted home of New England. Born in the large central state of Minas Gerais, he absorbed all styles of Brazilian music as a child. He began performing professionally in the 1990's and traveled throughout Brazil with the band Talisma.

After moving to Boston in 1997 Jatir formed Banda Raizes as the first full band to play forro and sertanejo in the northeastern United States. A weekly residency at a Somerville nightclub proved that there was an enthusiastic audience for this kind of music, and the band quickly became one of the most popular acts in the Brazilian immigrant community, playing more than 1000 shows throughout New England from 2000-2007. Jatir helped transform the Boston-based Brazilian music scene into the thriving community it is today, with dozens of performers and venues, and tens of thousands of dancers and concert-goers.

Jatir re-formed the band in late 2014 after meeting Ken Hiatt, an American accordionist with a deep love of Brazilian music. The band now consists of a mix of American and Brazilian musicians. They pride themselves on their live performances, with nearly 100 shows throughout 2015 and an even faster pace in 2016. The group also hopes to bring its music to an even wider audience. The joyful rhythms and beautiful harmonies speak to music lovers of all nationalities, and the infectious energy of this musical community is just waiting to be shared with the world.