A Fantástica Bateria featuring Aline Morales

A Fantástica Bateria from Samba Toronto, is Canada’s premiere Brazilian Bateria ensemble, a professional group of drummers, instrumentalists, singers and dancers, who share a passion for Brazilian music, samba, above all!

They have performed at every major outdoor festival in the Greater Toronto Area as well as in Montreal, Quebec, and Ottawa. They have also toured São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to great acclaim.
Their strong cultural connections to Brazil are the subject of filmmaker Avi Lev’s documentary film, 'We Are Samba' https://youtu.be/ne8JJjmvaC8 and they have released a recording together with sambista Chocolatte da Vila Maria, entitled A Fantástica Bateria de Chocolatte e Alan Hetherington.

The leader and musical director of the A Fantástica Bateria is percussionist and musical all-rounder Alan “Canadense” Hetherington, a devotee of the Samba Enredo tradition of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo since 1989. At the receiving end of Hetherington’s knowledge is the Bateria's core, a percussion ensemble consisting of over 30 people who have all been transformed by the power and beauty of samba.

A leading force in the Canadian Brazilian music scene, Juno-nominated Aline Morales delivers a personal and intimate perspective on contemporary Brazilian pop - incorporating global folkloric and jazz elements with vintage Tropicalia and MPB.

Teaming up with A Fantástica Bateria this year, we have put together an exciting and original programme of Brazilian based popular music featuring styles everyone loves: soul, funk, samba, afro, afoxé and some surprises!