Carlos “Caco” de Oliveira was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and
brought up in the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition, where he
first began playing percussion at age six. At 14 he began to
practice capoeira and play pandeiro (tambourine)
and berimbau in rodas, or capoeira circles.
When Caco turned 18, he began studying psychology while
simultaneously studying notation and rhythm theory with pianist
Vally Hasengbauer, and drumming with renowned drummer Pascoal
Meirelles at the Calouste Goulbenkian Educational Foundation in Rio
de Janeiro. After ending his study of psychology, he continued to
pursue his musical interests at the University of Rio de Janeiro as
a major in art education with a concentration in music.
While completing his research on percussion instruments brought
by Africans to the interior regions of Rio de Janeiro, Minas
Gerais, Espirito Santo, and Bahia during the 17th and 18th
centuries, Caco joined the percussion group Vissungo. He
also conducted several workshops and constructed several new types
of percussion instruments.
Caco founded the first all-female Afro-Brazilian percussion
orchestra Meninas do Rio (Girls from Rio) and helped found
and arranged the percussion ensembles for essential groups in
Afro-Brazilian communities in Rio de Janeiro (Agbara Dudu, Oju
Oba Axe, Orunmila, Lemi Ayo). He also founded and directed
Cristal Eventos, a company dedicated to the production and
commercial representation of Afro-Brazilian culture.
Among Caco’s other musical credits are his participation in the
soundtrack for the film Chico Rei by Walter Lima Jr., and playing
with internationally recognized Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento
on the song “Entradas e Bandeiras” on the singer’s self-titled
album. Caco has also played percussion with celebrated sambistas
and singers Martinho da Vila, Serginho Meriti, Luis Melodia, and
others.
Caco has produced sound effects for theatrical productions by
Grupo de Teatro em Black e Preto (Theater Group in Black
and Black), which included the talents of the Nova Geração de
Artistas Negros (The New Generation of Black Artists). Caco
also produced and coordinated the 50th anniversary celebration of
the Teatro Experimental do Negro (The Black Experimental
Theater) at the Museu da Imagem e do Som (Museum of Image
and Sound) with Abdias do Nascimento and Ruth da Souza.
In the area of social development, Mr. Oliveira served as
Department Coordinator for the Rio de Janeiro State Department of
Culture in charge of event promotion at the Museu da Imagem e
do Som, working under journalist Arthur Poerner. While working
for Rio de Janeiro’s Municipal Department of Social Development
Caco evaluated the quality of several children’s group homes and
favela (shantytown) daycare centers, and organized and administered
courses for group home and daycare teachers and workers. Oliveira
was also among the first to work as a liaison between the community
and government, cultivating cultural awareness and exchange when
Rio de Janeiro State undertook its pioneering public education
project, Centros Integrados de Ensino Publico/CIEP
(Integrated Centers for Public Education).
Caco arrived in the U.S. in July 2000 and dedicated himself to
the study of the American English language and spreading Brazilian
language and culture. During his time here he has worked steadily
as a percussionist, producer, arranger, and recording artist. He
performed at BAM Café with singer DK Dyson and recorded on Mount
Moriah Baptist Church’s latest CD. In June 2001 he began teaching
Brazilian percussion to women and founded Ya’ Bella Samba,
women’s percussion group in Brooklyn. In December 2001 Caco
introduced himself as an actor in Roots of Brazil’s interactive
showcase, “Brazilian Heat” at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
That same month he was a featured percussionist in the Harlem
School of Arts’ production, “The African Nutcracker: a Harvest
Sojourn.” In May 2002 Caco served as Musical Director for Long
Island University’s Brooklyn Campus Department of Communication
Studies, Performance Studies, and Theater production “The
Mosquito’s Bed.” In addition to his other professional productions,
Oliveira has conducted a number of percussion workshops including
one at the First Brazilian Baptist Church in Astoria, Queens, and
one for kids at the Atlantic Branch of the Brooklyn Public
Library.
Mr. Oliveira is currently the volunteer Music and Project
Director of the Samba School for Social Justice Project (3SJP), for
which he also teaches samba percussion. He also plays with his
band, Nação do Samba, and produces events for his company, Samba
Nation Productions LLC.