Dendê Macêdo

Dendê Macêdo is a master percussionist, teaching artist, and cultural ambassador from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. A former member of the internationally renowned percussion ensemble Timbalada, Dendê has performed and taught Afro-Brazilian music and culture throughout the United States and around the world. Now based in Philadelphia, he leads Dendê & Band and the percussion ensembles Ologundê, Arrastão do Dendê, and Recycled Sounds. Through his work with the Mamadêlê Foundation, Dendê brings the rich musical traditions of Bahia into schools and communities, connecting rhythm, history, culture, and community through hands-on learning.