This Brazilian singer-songwriter, with his laughing eyes and laid-back look, is one loveable guy. He’s close to Boogát’s musical family, with whom he sang and grooved on “Todo Saldrá Bien.” Mateus Vidal is the pillar of Montreal’s samba reggae scene, to which he brings a blast of energy from his native city of Salvador, in the Brazilian state of Bahia. Brazil’s Nordeste at its liveliest, that is the Axé Experience!

Mateus has a dizzying track record. He was like a spark plug for the Afro-Brazilian performances during his sixteen years as a singer in the bloco-afro Olodum, founded in 1979 with a mission to transform its grassroots cultural initiative into a carnival. And Mateus was, without a doubt, the keystone of Montreal’s festival Norté Tropical three years ago! He had moved to Montreal towards the end of the pandemic, with the firm intention of continuing to create opportunities to bring people together through a celebration of rhythms. And he does this brilliantly, serving as a magnet for Latin American artists.

He and his four superb musicians deliver simmering samba at every show, while its chill reggae mode kisses the skin of the drums. A sumptuous delight as irresistible as dulce de leche.