Wander the historic streets of the Bahian capital of Salvador, and you're never far from one of the region's most moving traditions: its powerful rhythms. Whether it's the local axe pop music powered by freight-train percussion or street musicians and blocos afro pounding out hypnotic riffs, big beats power Bahia in a way they do nowhere else in Brazil, maybe even the world. A state on Brazil's coast, Bahia is the center of the country's Afro-Brazilian culture, and the heartbeat of that is the drum. The state is home to percussion ensembles such as Ile Aiye and Olodum, a group of several thousand members famed for their work with Paul Simon, that make Carnival in Salvador one of the top attractions in Brazil.
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A state on Brazil's coast, Bahia is the center of the country's Afro-Brazilian culture
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Home to percussion ensemble Olodum, famed for its work with Paul Simon
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"From the time kids here are very young, they play drums," says a top Brazilian percussionist
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Drums are at heart of the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition of Candomblé
Candomblé
@placeholder is widely practiced in Bahia and has followers throughout Brazil.
Carnival
During @placeholder in Brazil, people who aren't part of their city's featured parade form their own neighborhood groups, or blocos, so everyone can get in on the celebration.
Bahian
Bahia
Bahia
Bahia
In the 1970s, a tradition of blocos afro, all Afro-Brazilian drumming groups, developed in @placeholder, led by a bloco called Ile Aiye.
Bahian
Bahia
Bahia
Bahia
The group has recorded a number of successful albums and touched off the samba-reggae style of music so popular in @placeholder and across Brazil.
Bahian
Bahia
Bahia
Bahia
If you're in Brazil and want to get closer to the real @placeholder experience, the path is easy to find: Just follow the beat.