Cyro Baptista

The Profile

Cyro Baptista is a Brazilian percussionist renowned for genre-blending projects and inventive instrumentation. Based in New York, he leads ensembles like Beat the Donkey and Banquet of the Spirits and appears widely on the jazz/world and avant-garde scenes.

Longtime collaborator within John Zorn’s Tzadik circle; has worked with artists including Herbie Hancock and Paul Simon; leads Beat the Donkey and Banquet of the Spirits; active internationally since the 1970s.

One review tackles Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits through the lens of Brazilian anthropofagia—cultural cannibalism. It praises inventive cross-cultural blends and several standout tracks while noting uneven impact. References span Tropicalismo, baião, and Tzadik’s experimental sphere. Overall mood: engaged but critical.