Jazz drummer and percussionist Dominic Moio brought more than four decades of musical experience to Goodyear’s Hot Coffee and Art lecture series, where he led an presentation on Brazilian percussion and rhythm.
Speaking to a crowd of about 40 at the Goodyear Recreation Campus, Moio unpacked the cultural and musical foundations of Brazilian music through hands-on demonstrations of instruments like the pandeiro, tamborim, surdo, and cuíca. With humor, history, and technical insight, he explored how a mix of layered textures, distinct articulations, and regional influences all come together to form musical styles such as samba, bossa nova, and maracatu.
“Brazilian music has been a love of mine since 1972,” said Moio. “I’ve been trying to figure it out ever since.”
Moio began playing drums in fifth grade. Early instruction from Dick Demers sparked both his musicianship and his interest in teaching. He went on to study with renowned drummers Bernard Purdie in New York and Alan Dawson in Boston, later dedicating his first book, “Be Bop Phrasing for Drums,” to Dawson.
He played with jazz greats like Clark Terry, Don Doane, and Herb Pomeroy on the East Coast before heading west to join his brother Bill in Reno, Nevada. There, he took up a post as house drummer for the “Hello Hollywood Hello,” show at the MGM Grand from 1980 to 1984. Moio backed major entertainers such as Debbie Reynolds and Joan Rivers, while continuing to perform with jazz musicians like Don Menza and Ahmad Jamal.
Since moving to Phoenix in 1988, Moio has taught at Arizona State University and Mesa Community College, recorded more than 65 jazz CDs, and performed with figures including Conte Candoli and Shorty Rogers. But a turning point came when he met Cuban percussionist Walfredo Reyes Sr.
“Up until that point, I was a drummer. I could play jazz drums, but I didn’t know anything about percussion,” Moio said.
Reyes challenged Moio’s understanding of percussion and piqued his interest initially by playing congas with one hand while keeping time on a small drum kit with the other.
“It sounded like two people. I bought a set of congas that day, and that was the beginning.”
At the Goodyear lecture, Moio demonstrated how Brazilian rhythms are built from the ground up—starting with the deep pulse of the surdo, a large bass drum that forms the heartbeat of samba and other regional styles.
“The surdo provides the low end,” Moio explained. “It gives the music that foundational thump, like a bass drum in a marching band.”
He noted that traditional surdos are quite large, often staying home as musicians age. For the workshop, he used a smaller repique, which mimics the tone of the surdo.
Moving up the frequency spectrum, Moio introduced the pandeiro, often described as Brazil’s version of the tambourine. But unlike the handheld jingles common in Western pop music, the pandeiro’s jingles are drier, set in a wooden frame designed for precise articulation.
“It’s the hardest instrument I’ve ever tried to play,” Moio said. “You’re gripping it in one hand while using your thumb, fingertips, and palm to create completely different sounds.”
He demonstrated the pandeiro’s role as both a melodic and rhythmic instrument—capable of imitating both bass and snare drums—and explained how advanced players layer multiple rhythmic voices into a single handheld frame.
Then came the tamborim, a small, high-pitched frame drum typically struck with a flexible stick. Moio showed how the drum’s sound cuts through the ensemble, making it a key element in samba schools and parades.
“You’ll see 50 of these in a samba ensemble,” he said. “They play sharp, syncopated rhythms that add intensity and brightness.”
Moio also demonstrated shakers, caxixis, and the cuíca—a friction drum known for its squeaky, expressive tone. Sometimes called a "laughing drum," the cuíca is played by rubbing a stick mounted inside the drum’s body, producing a vocal-like sound.
“It sounds funny, but it’s a real instrument,” Moio said. “I’ve heard it played with orchestras. In the right context, it adds character and soul.”
While showcasing the instruments individually, Moio emphasized how each plays a distinct role in the rhythmic puzzle of Brazilian music. A traditional samba rhythm, for instance, is built by layering low-frequency surdo hits, mid-range pandeiro patterns, sharp tamborim accents, and shaker textures, each performed by a different musician or overdubbed by a percussionist who understands when to add or hold back.
“The biggest thing I teach percussion students is restraint,” Moio said. “It’s not about showing everything you can do, it’s about knowing what fits.”
He likened percussion arranging to cooking: “You don’t throw everything into the sauce. You add the right ingredients at the right time.”
Moio also discussed the influence of Afro-Brazilian religious music, pointing to regional variations in rhythm and instrumentation. In northern Brazil, he observed drummers playing hand-crafted instruments tuned over open flames, tools built from local materials and passed down through generations.
“They don’t have commercial drums. They use what’s available,” he said. “You really feel how music is woven into daily life.”
Moio’s dual fluency in jazz and Latin percussion gave him a unique perspective on the rhythmic overlaps between the two genres. Both prioritize groove, improvisation, and call-and-response interaction between musicians. But Brazilian rhythms, particularly samba and bossa nova, also introduced Moio to rhythmic feels that can't easily be notated.
“Brazilian swing isn’t something you write down, it’s something you feel,” he said. “It’s not square. It floats.”
In jazz settings, Moio often uses Brazilian percussion to add subtle textures. He demonstrated how a simple shaker or pandeiro part can elevate a ballad or bossa nova tune without overwhelming it.
“Sometimes all a song needs is one sound. Knowing when to play, and when not to, is everything.”
Though now retired from ASU, Moio remains active with performances, recordings, and his cooking-and-drumming YouTube series Mr. Sauce. The nickname came from a translation of his name coming from his time in Brazil. Mr. Sauce is a reference that stuck and evolved into a persona blending culinary and musical technique.
Moio played a classic bossa nova, “Girl from Ipanema” layering the instruments he'd introduced throughout the hour.
“This isn’t just about rhythm, it’s about culture,” he said. “Every drum has a story. And when you put them together, you get something more than a beat. You get a heartbeat, a voice.”
In May, Goodyear's Hot Coffee and Art lecture series will continue with Alec Posta, a professional LEGO builder.
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