top of page

About Us

Who are Batala?

Batala is an international samba reggae music project based in Salvador de Bahia in northeastern Brazil.

Founded in Paris in 1997 by Giba Gonçalves, a notable Brazilian percussionist. Today, Batala celebrates over 46 groups in 17 countries and a worldwide membership of over 1,500 percussionists.

Opening Opportunities

Batala offers band members an educational drumming and music program based on the samba-reggae compositions of Giba Gonçalves. Every band is open to individuals of all races, cultures, genders, sexuality and religions, regardless of their musical background or drumming experience. 

Batala Mersey

 

Batala Mersey was founded in January 2015 and now has now grown to over 60 members. The band’s diverse line-up features a dynamic and passionate group of community musicians based in Merseyside but performing all over the world. We are run entirely by volunteers and any proceeds from gigs go back into running the band to pay for things like costumes, drums & rehearsal space.

Batala Mersey performs regularly around the City, many may have seen us at Brazilica, Light Night or at sporting events around the Liverpool City Region. These performances delight locals and visitors with our upbeat samba rhythm and powerful sound, turning the local streets into dance floors. Many spectators sign up to join the band!

Batala Music

We have a wide repertoire of tunes and continually build on this with new material written by Giba, allowing us to keep our sound fresh and to be able to provide sets for all occasions. We rehearse every week of the year to ensure we perform to a high standard for sound and choreography. 

Community Interest Company

We are proud of our Brazilian roots and heritage that unites people from across the region. To celebrate this strong community we became a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2020. A CIC is a way for community projects to operate on a not for profit basis. This means that we do not distribute any profits we make to individual band members, but retain them within the band for use by the band.

Batala's Mission

Batala's mission is to create bonds through the spirit, celebration and spectacle of samba drumming, dance and carnival.

 

It breaks down barriers by nurturing friendships, and by building a community that transcends cultural boundaries. It fills hearts with joy and elation through motivational samba-reggae grooves, bringing smiles and a sense of well-being.

bottom of page