Casa Samba

Biography

Casa Samba is a New Orleans–based Brazilian percussion and dance ensemble and cultural school founded in 1987, recognized as the first samba school in Louisiana and the U.S. South.[2][4] Created by Mestre Curtis Pierre together with Bill Lennon and Chuk and Carolyn Barber, the group emerged from Pierre’s decades‑long study of Brazilian music, dance, and Capoeira and his commitment to connecting African‑diasporic cultures in the United States to their counterparts in Brazil.[1][2] On July 21, 1993, the City of New Orleans formally acknowledged Casa Samba’s cultural impact when Mayor Sidney Barthelemy issued a proclamation in its honor, underscoring its role in enriching the city’s musical and cultural life.[2][4]

Over more than three decades, Casa Samba has developed into a multi‑member “percussion and dance extravaganza” that presents the rhythms, songs, dances, costumes, and theatrical aspects of Brazilian Carnival and Afro‑Brazilian traditions for U.S. audiences.[5][6] The ensemble’s shows blend traditional samba‑school bateria (drumline), vocals, Afro‑Brazilian dance, and elements of theater to “capture the spirit of Carnival in Brasil” while highlighting connections between Brazilian culture and the African diaspora in New Orleans.[5][6] In addition to stage performances at events such as Super Bowl‑related parades, festivals, Mardi Gras balls, and commercial projects, Casa Samba operates as an educational institution, offering classes in Brazilian percussion, samba and Afro‑Brazilian dance, Capoeira, and broader cultural history, as well as youth programming like the community group Samba Kids.[1][3][6]

Casa Samba’s musical style is rooted in Rio‑style escola de samba traditions—large drum ensembles, call‑and‑response songs, and Carnival choreography—infused with Afro‑Brazilian rhythms and a New Orleans sensibility shaped by its largely American membership.[1][6][7] Under the artistic direction of Mestre Curtis Pierre and Brazilian master drummer Jorge “Alabê” Bezerra, the group has become an important bridge for cultural exchange, bringing Brazilian masters to New Orleans since the early 1990s and building a local community of American practitioners devoted to Brazilian music and dance.[1][7] This legacy positions Casa Samba as both a performance troupe and a long‑standing cultural hub, instrumental in popularizing Brazilian samba and Afro‑Brazilian arts across the Gulf South.[1][2][6][7]

Fun Facts

• Casa Samba is widely recognized as the first samba school in Louisiana and in the entire Southern region of the United States.[1][2][4]
• On July 21, 1993, the Mayor of New Orleans issued an official proclamation honoring Casa Samba, formally acknowledging its cultural contributions to the city.[2][4]
• Casa Samba has performed for more than 36 years at high‑profile events, including Super Bowl–related parades, major festivals, corporate events such as American Express and McDonald’s promotions, and Mardi Gras balls.[3][6]
• Mestre Curtis Pierre, Casa Samba’s founder, is described as one of the only Americans recognized as a master of both Capoeira and Brazilian percussion, and he was among the first to bring Brazilian master teachers to New Orleans in the early 1990s.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jorge "Alabê" Bezerra - Brazilian master drummer who co‑directs Casa Samba and serves as a cultural and musical mentor in Brazilian percussion traditions within the ensemble. (Direction and arrangement of Casa Samba’s Brazilian percussion and Carnival repertoire.) [Early 1990s–present[1][6]]

Key Collaborators

• Mestre Curtis Pierre - Founder and director of Casa Samba; collaborates as lead artistic director, percussionist, dancer, and educator guiding the ensemble’s repertoire and educational programs. (Casa Samba performances, Samba Kids community program, educational classes in percussion, dance, and Capoeira.) [1987–present[1][2][6]]
• Bill Lennon - Co‑founder who helped establish Casa Samba as an organized samba school in New Orleans. (Founding and early development of Casa Samba as a samba school and performance group.) [Circa 1987–1990s[2][4]]
• Chuk Barber - Co‑founder and musician involved in shaping the group’s early musical direction. (Founding work and early Casa Samba performances.) [Circa 1987–1990s[2][4]]
• Carolyn Barber - Co‑founder, dancer, and educator who teaches Casa Samba background and dance, contributing to choreography and outreach. (Casa Samba dance instruction, background and dance tutorials, founding activities.) [1987–present[2][4]]

Artists Influenced

• Samba Kids (Casa Samba youth participants) - Youth community group sponsored by Casa Samba, introduced to Brazilian percussion and dance through ensemble‑led instruction. (Samba Kids performances and educational programming in Brazilian drumming and dance.) [1990s–present[1][6]]
• American aficionados of Brazilian culture in New Orleans - Local dancers and musicians who join Casa Samba to study Brazilian music and dance, forming a community of practitioners influenced by the ensemble’s teaching and performance practice. (Participation in Casa Samba’s bateria, dance corps, and classes documented in ethnographic research.) [1990s–present[7]]

Discography

Top Tracks

1. Noite de Areia (Noite de Areia)
2. Brisa do Mar (Brisa do Mar)

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz