Alex Rosa is percussionist yand dancer from Salvador de Bahía, Brazil. Founder and director of the Ketubara project based since 2008 in Barcelona and since 2016 in Marseille, France (Ketubara 2).
He begins his musical career at the age of 10 in the Banda Eré, the school of the famous Afro-bloco Ilê Aiyê. Shortly afterwards he participated in the creation of the Banda Axé, a musical group belonging to the Projeto Axé. He began in the theater through the CRIA project in Salvador de Bahía, training in parallel with Afro dance, Orixás dance and contemporary dance with Augusto Omolú from the great Castro Alves Theater (of which he joined his dance section) and travels with Balé Mirim, Professional Dance Company.
He was part, along with Givaldo (Vado) Pereira and Patinho Axé Correia among others, of the group of percussionists that created the Cortejo Afro in the neighborhood of Pirajá (Salvador de Bahía).
Continuing in his career within Ilê Aiyê he became part of the Band’Aiye, professional stage training of the bloco with which he has participated in several international tours and has played with artists of the stature of Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, Gilberto Gil, etc. At the same time, he opened the Quilombo academy in the historic center of Salvador where, for several seasons, he taught dance and percussion classes to various musicians and students in general from all over the world.
Con diferentes proyectos participa en giras nacionales e internacionales que le llevan a viajar por Mozambique, Francia, España varios lugares de Brasil hasta que en 2006 se instala en Barcelona.
With different projects, she participated in national and international tours and settled in Barcelona in November 2006. She began to work at the Bailongu school, where he gave Afro-Brazilian dance classes, as well as numerous workshops in different schools in Barcelona and various conferences. At that time he also assumed the artistic direction of the band Luta sem Pausa from Mataró (Barcelona).
As a percussion teacher, he not only permanently trains people who want to join the official Ketubara band but also opens his agenda to Masterclasses for active bands not only in Spain but in Europe and the rest of the world. Other festivals in which he has participated: Sambeando (Cordoba), Festival Reperkusion (Monleón Magnoac, France), Lâcher de Percussion (Narbonne, France), Samba Syndrom (Berlin, Germany), Batuk’en fête (Pays de Gex, France), Carnabulia in Murcia, Festival Afro Samba (Hannover, Germany), Festival +KSamba in Mallorca… Since his residence in Europe percussionists from various batucada bands (Sambaloelek, Fogo do Samba, Badauê, Aainjaa, Batalá, Tambores da Liberdade, Batukanova, Komando Bidon, Sandungueros, SambaAxé, Zumbi Rei, the list is long…) have been able to train in rhythms and dance with an instrument thanks to the various Masterclasses he has been able to offer.
Alex Rosa is also the founder of the Tambores do Mundo project, which offers courses and activities in Salvador de Bahia for percussionists and dancers from all over the world.
In 2008 he founded Ketubara, an Afro-Brazilian percussion band that is a benchmark in the current national and international percussion scene and incorporates dance into its shows.
In 2011, together with the Ketubara team and with the municipal support of Espai Jove Bocanord, he created the International Samba Reggae Festival Barcelona.
En 2016 funda la segunda sede del grupo Ketubara en Marsella, Francia: Ketubara 2.
That same year, he created the Bahia Afro Groove project with Patinho Correia (of Ilê Aiyê) and Reizinho do Rei (former singer of Ilê Aiyê) to present on stage repertoires of traditional Afro-samba and samba reggae songs, as well as new compositions based on Afro-Brazilian percussion rhythms and sung in the pure Bahia bloco afro style.
He is currently an active percussionist for the bloco Ilê Aiyê, being part of the band in events such as the 2023 concert in Paris and the 2024 tour of the 50th anniversary of the bloco afro, which took the band to various festivals and events.
Tour Africa-Europe Ilê Aiyê 50th Anniversary
Ilê Aiyê’s 2024 European tour wasn’t just a musical event, but a powerful manifestation of the resilience and richness of Afro-Brazilian culture. Founded in Salvador de Bahia in 1974, Ilê Aiyê is the first bloco afro and a fundamental pillar in the “re-Africanization” movement of Brazilian Carnival. Its impact goes beyond music; it is a symbol of Black pride, identity, and resistance, which through its vibrant rhythms, lyrics, and aesthetics, spreads a message of social awareness and appreciation of African roots.
Within this important trajectory, the participation of percussionist Alex Rosa in the tour takes on special significance. As founder and director of the Ketubara project in Barcelona, and having begun his musical career at age 10 in Banda Eré (Ilê Aiyê’s school), Alex Rosa remains an active member of Band’Aiyê, the bloco’s professional stage ensemble. His presence not only guarantees the authenticity and energy of the traditional rhythms, but also underlines the continuity and global expansion of Ilê Aiyê’s influence, demonstrating how Afro-Brazilian culture continues to inspire and connect people all over the world.
