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In just four years SAMBA SQUAD has risen from a community based drumming school into one of the most dynamic and sought after acts on the Canadian world and Latin music scenes. Samba Squad was awarded the UMAC (Urban Music Assoc. of Canada) Award for Best World Recording of 2001. The thirty-plus member drum group performs a variety of samba-based West African, Caribbean and Afro-Cuban styles of Carnival rhythms and has become one of the most exhilarating live music experiences in Toronto. Led by award-winning percussionist Rick Shadrach Lazar (Montuno Police, Loreena McKennitt) SAMBA SQUAD has perfomed on Mike Bullard's Open-Mike on CTV, appeared at countless summer festivals, played at the Air Canada Centre for the Toronto Raptors and have released their first self-titled indie album. Formed by Rick Shadrach Lazar in January 1999, Samba Squad is an innovative batteria band, born out of Brazilian tradition of Batucada and Escola de Samba. Having previously collaborated in other batucada groups, Samba Squad's core members continued their long-time passion for percussion with this new and improved troupe. National exposure was further garnered in 2001, with flamenco phenomenon and occasional squad member Jesse Cook as part of the Governor General Awards at Ottawa's National Arts Centre. The band currently consists of a diverse group of twenty-plus professional women and men from all walks of life. Samba Squad blends the rhythms samba di enredo, samba reggae (olodum), samba batucada, samba funk, and baion samba with other world beats - agbekor (West African), folkloric calypso, and Afro-Cuban styles. Samba Squad features the full spectrum of Brazilian drum: surdos (big low drums), caixa and malacachetas (snare drums), tamborims (high pitched flare drums), to name a few. Samba Squad has become one of the most exhilarating live music experiences in Toronto.

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