Trombetas Cósmicas do Jardim Elétrico (which roughly translates to Cosmic Horns of the Electric Garden) are a brass band inspired by the tropicalist / psychedelic musical movement of the 60s and 70s in Brazil.

Formed in 2015, the Trombetas Cósmicas do Jardim Elétrico appear in the creative and recent stimulating environment of brass bands that took the streets of Rio de Janeiro in the last six years. Initially united by the creative interest in exploring the potential of the instrumental bras band format applied to a musical repertoire based on tropicalist music and rock from the 60s to the 70s, the musicians involved in the project progressively advance towards the composition of original songs with tropicalist / psychedelic inspirations.
Highlights include, along with original compositions from the band, versions of songs by Mutantes, Milton Nascimento, Novos Baianos, Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque João Donato, Jimmy Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, reinventent carnival marchinhas, among others.

Our main mission is to promote social cohesion and stimulate the circulation of counter-culture ideas in different areas of the city. We believe that the space of the city must be constantly appropriate and that politics is done not only in institutional spaces, but also in the streets, squares and avenues, interfering in an artistic way in people's daily lives. The goal is to break the fast and automatic rhythm of the city with concrete actions that allow people to meet art. Without limiting ourselves to any specific area of the city, we seek partnerships to work in different neighborhoods, building networks with Universities, artistic collectives, cultural institutions and social movements in general. Art, politics and entertainment walk here side by side, helping in the construction of social arenas of encounters, coexistence and contestation.

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Our band can contribute in various ways to the festival. First, we will be available to perform in the different spaces where the festival takes place, bringing a differentiated musical approach of Brazilian songs and original compositions to the festival. In addition, we could offer workshops on Brazilian rhythms particularly samba, carnival marchinhas and the tropicalist movement. This workshop could be offered to both the festival participants and to different social groups that attend the festival. Through a series of short texts on counterculture in Brazil and the application of practical activities relating rhythms and lyrics of famous Brazilian songs, we could offer an interesting exchange among the participants. Finally, the band is also available to promote and participate in specific debates on the political activism of Brass Bands in different contexts of the contemporary world. Having as members, scholars, students, cultural producers and teachers, the band would have great pleasure in promoting broader debates, sharing ideas and comparative visions on the relations between art and public space nowadays.

Taking into account the peculiar political context that we have lived in Brazil recently, with important public protests, political activism and government changes, our band has been active in many spaces that sought to promote and guarantee democratic principles in the country. Beyond the regular actions in the streets, the band increased the participation in political occupations that promoted artistic meetings in schools and public buildings of the city. We were present, for example, in artistic activities that occurred in the occupation of the Ministry of Culture, the City Health System building, the State University of Rio de Janeiro and important public schools, such as the School Pedro II, where the students resisted for months promoting cultural activities for democracy. By taking our songs to these spaces, we share a unique moment in the history of Brazil, which combined art and politics to defend democratic rights in the country. In addition to acting more directly on activist events, our band has also been a constant presence in main festivals in the city. In the last three carnivals, we promoted autonomous parades in Rio de Janeiro, adding musicians, circus artists and the public in a unique experience that prioritized paths in small streets of the city. We were also present in the three versions of Honk held in Rio de Janeiro, helping to promote Brass Bands for the city as a whole, changing ideas with bands from different places and strengthening our local networks. All these actions are directly associated with the main missions and goals of the band.

Our band promotes diversity in many ways. Firstly, we seek to act mainly in the streets, in order to generate environments of acceptance of difference. Many band members are engaged in movements that fight for women’s and LGBT rights. Others have a more direct action for the rights of students and the defense of Public Universities in Brazil. This individual performance of each member of the band is reflected in their internal diversity, which adds components with different social origins, sexual orientation and political positions. We have a good gender balance and the participation of women is fundamental. Although the band has shared political positions, internal debates are constant, in order to privilege diversity and give voice to the most different representations. The carnival parades of the band are already well known, promoting harmony among the public and creating an atmosphere of respect and diversity. Our aim is to join individuals of different colors, origins and political positions

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