Naná Vasconcelos

The Profile

Naná Vasconcelos was a Brazilian percussionist and berimbau master from Recife. Active from the 1960s to 2016, he collaborated widely with leading jazz and Brazilian artists and was part of the trio Codona. His work blends Afro‑Brazilian rhythms, soundscapes, and improvisation.

Brazilian percussionist from Recife; renowned for berimbau; collaborations include Don Cherry, Egberto Gismonti and Pat Metheny; member of Codona; recorded for ECM; led maracatu ensembles at Recife’s Carnival opening (2009).

Two on-the-ground reviews focus on Naná Vasconcelos’s percussion-driven worlds: the Fragmentos album of soundtrack pieces and his 2009 maracatu-powered opening of Recife’s Carnival. The writing highlights berimbau mastery, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, and field-recording atmospheres. Impressions lean mixed-positive, praising texture and scope while noting uneven execution in the live spectacle.