Michael Eckroth Minas Messengers - New Paths (2026)

Tracklist

01. New Paths
02. Saideras
03. Congado Novo
04. Canto I
05. Canto II
06. Cançao Da Serra
07. Inward Flow
08. Mood
09. Waltz for Feya

Congado traditions, in rural Minas Gerais and neighboring states, go back
centuries. Originating in times of slavery in Brazil, Congado festivals feature syncretism which preserves traditions such as the coronation of the king of the Congo with Catholic rituals including the veneration of black patron saints.
A form of maintaining African cultural expression throughout time, Congos and Moçambiques (the name of the groups) are tied to locations, and have distinct expressions based on a number of differing rhythmic styles which are passed down, hereditarily, through generations. The groups appear in parade format featuring percussion instruments, dancing and singing, in festivals in small hill towns throughout the state.
In 2023, I received a grant from the Fulbright Association to engage in a writing/performing/teaching residency in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Engaged in this, I searched for a way to deepen my connectivity with Minas culture while fulfilling my proposition- to spend the greater part of six months composing new material and constructing the basis of a new band and musical project. So, in summers 2023 and 2024, the music contained here was composed, mostly in rented apartments in Belo Horizonte while living daily life with my family and performing
in various capacities around the area. Through connections at the Federal University of Minas Gerais’ music conservatory I engaged in community outreach and in doing so widened the network I had been weaving since the late 1990s in Beló, including receiving the invite to experience Congado traditional processions for myself.
Enlisting long time collaborators such as Eneias and Magno while encountering new friends such as Talles and Cyrano, while counting on the participation of local legend Toninho, this music encounters Congado rhythm as its controlling factor, while incorporating every other influence I have picked up throughout my journey, with a tip of the hat to the popular music of Minas in general. Please enjoy these travels.