Saravah Soul

Saravah Soul emerged in 2005 as a half-Brazilian, half-British collective devoted to a sound they term Afro-Brazilian funk. Otto Nascarella, the group’s frontman, lead vocalist, and break dancer, relocated from Sao Paulo to London that year expressly to locate musicians who would join him in forging a contemporary style rooted in the late-’60s Brazilian soul-funk and uptempo samba he admired. He assembled a core lineup that included drummer Eduardo Marques, bassist Matheus Nova, guitarist Kiris Houston, percussionist Jack Yglesias, trombonist Chris Webster, saxophonist Marcelo Andrade, and trumpeter Graeme Flowers; nearly all of them also contribute backing vocals and double on additional instruments. The band quickly built an audience through lengthy, high-energy performances and was signed by the British label Tru Thoughts, which released their debut single “Nao Posso Te Levar a Serio” (“I Can’t Take You Seriously”). The track became a club favorite that crossed into the mainstream, prompting interest from major labels, yet the group chose to remain with Tru Thoughts. Their self-titled debut album appeared in 2008 and received widespread critical praise. In May 2010 the band issued the digital-only single “Alforia,” which served as the advance release for the full-length Cultura Impura, issued that July.