Undeterred, Macêdo crafted drums out of buckets and cans taken from the trash in his mother’s kitchen.
“I always see the real drums, and always think about, ‘Wow someday,’” he said, holding back tears before composing himself, “I’m gonna have this drum someday.”
Macêdo’s dreams became a reality when, as a teenager, he played the timbao drums as part of the renowned Timbalada band, with whom he recorded eight albums. He later moved to the United States, where he currently leads a band and performs internationally.
“This guy never had an opportunity to learn music at school, but he’s the leader. It blows your mind,” said Flávio Oliveira, who met Macêdo more than 20 years ago.
Dendê Macêdo uses recycled brooms and a trash-picked metal chair to play Afro-Brazilian rhythms at his home studio in Philadelphia. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Oliveira sought Macêdo to learn how to play rhythms from Bahia.
Macêdo, no longer a member of Timbalada, was struggling to make ends meet and didn’t own an instrument. Impressed by Macêdo’s raw talent and musicality, Oliveira raised money to help the percussionist move to the United States, and get on his feet.
“He can hear stuff that normal people would not be able to hear,” he said.
Today, Macêdo plays joyous Afro-Brazilian music and latin rhythms with Dendê & Band. The six-person group, influenced by samba de roda, Candomblé and other Bahia traditions, have performed all over the world. Macêdo also performs folkloric music with the group Ologundê.