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Caique Vidal (ka-EE-kee vee-DAHL) faithfully shares the Afro-Brazilian traditions of his Bahia birthplace. He is an educator and community organizer for the Brazilian diaspora in North Carolina.

As a young man, Caique joined a new wave of politically-charged street musicians in the city of Salvador da Bahia, known as “the Black Rome of the Americas”. Playing with Olodum, the founding family of samba-reggae, Caique established the genre’s infectious rhythms and message of Black empowerment in Brasil, Europe, and the Americas, starring in a Spike Lee and Michael Jackson music video along the way.

A studied rhythmic and choral arranger, Caique collaborated with producer Mikael Mutti on Percussivo Mundo Novo, an experimental reinterpretation of traditional Bahian percussion. He has proudly shared the stage with acclaimed musical ambassadors Suzana Baca, Carlinhos Brown and Gilberto Gil.

With Caique’s leadership and arrangement, Batuque (ba-TOO-kee) brings riveting dance grooves to the stage. “Batuque” (pronounced ba-TOO-kee) means to drum. Featuring an explosive brass section and adaptable percussionists, the band fuses the sounds of samba, reggae, salsa, bachata, pop, rock and Bossa Nova.

Caique Vidal and Batuque lights up the dancefloor at music festivals, traditional venues, and universities. During each set, audiences can catch their breath while learning about the Afro-Brazilian context of the vibrant music.