Carlinhos Brown
- Origin
- Salvador, BA
- Years active
- 1979
- Genres
- axé music, samba-reggae, MPB, brazilian pop, percussion
- Instruments
- percussion, timbau, voice, berimbau, acoustic guitar
Biography
Antônio Carlos Santos de Freitas, known worldwide as Carlinhos Brown, is one of the most central and innovative figures in contemporary Brazilian music. Born in Candeal Pequeno de Brotas, in Salvador, Brown began his trajectory in percussion under the tutelage of Mestre Pintado do Bongô, developing a sound that unites the roots of Candomblé with elements of pop and funk. His rise began in the 1980s, collaborating with Luiz Caldas in the movement that would give rise to axé music and participating in Caetano Veloso's band, for whom he composed the hit "Meia Lua Inteira".\n\nIn the 1990s, Brown revolutionized the musical scene by founding Timbalada, a percussive movement that revitalized the use of the timbau and promoted a profound social and urban transformation in his home community. His capacity as a songwriter is vast, being responsible for hits recorded by artists such as Ivete Sangalo, Daniela Mercury and the band Sepultura. In 1996, he began an acclaimed solo career with the album "Alfagamabetizado", consolidating himself as a sonic experimenter who moves between the avant-garde and the popular.\n\nOne of the most significant moments of his career was the formation of the trio Tribalistas, in 2002, alongside Marisa Monte and Arnaldo Antunes, a project that achieved enormous commercial and critical success in several countries. Brown also has a solid international career, having been nominated for an Oscar for the song "Real in Rio" in partnership with Sérgio Mendes. Besides being a musician, he is recognized for his work as an art educator and social activist, using music as a tool for inclusion through the Associação Pracatum.