About the Course
Learn the fundamentals of Afro- Brazilian Samba Reggae from Salvador, Bahia. We are running 4 sessions of introductory courses on percussion technique and Samba Reggae at St. Paul’s Presbyterian, 70 James St South. This intro class is a great way to build up a confidence in drumming and dancing, and the repertoire of Samba Reggae beats! At the end of the course, you have the foundation of being able to perform!
Your Instructor
Ben Culver
Ben Culver, a Hamilton native, is a drummer and educator currently studying at Humber College. He has learned from musicians across genres like Jazz, Rock, and South American percussion, including Larnell Lewis, Steve Mancuso, Mark Kelso, Marito Marques, and Barry Romberg. In January 2023, Ben traveled to Brazil with Mestre Pato Irie of TDOT Batu, studying with master drummers of the Samba Reggae tradition in Salvador, Bahia, such as Mestre Memeu of Olodum, Mestre Gordo of Cortejo Afro, Mestre Mario Pam of Ile Aiye, and ex-leader of Male De Bale, Mestre Cesar Veloso. Ben musically leads and teaches for the Samba Batucada ensemble, Hamilton Beat Harmonic, which aims to teach a wide-range of community members in the city and perform on a semi-professional level. Additionally, he teaches with Hamilton Music Collective in the AIFEC program and Capstone music in Burlington, sharing his experience with young students.
