In 2013 I set out on an open-ended musical pilgrimage to discover and drink from the source of the regional cultures of Latin America. My journey unraveled in an incredibly open manner with no exact plan guided by intuition, gut instinct, and curiosity. Wherever I went, I asked about the regional music and followed the answers, arriving with nothing but an open mind and my belongings on my back. This left me open to all the opportunities that presented themselves and it worked out most of the time. It was an education in the art of being outside of my comfort zone: letting go of how I thought things should be, embracing how they were, adapting, and moving forward. Mysteriously, I ended up in some unbelievably perfect places, surrounded by the right people, with minimal effort. Things just fell into place in support of my quest.

When I arrived in Brazil in July of 2014, I was instantly taken in and began to find what I was searching for within days of setting foot on Brazilian soil. Everywhere I passed, I effortlessly encountered the right people who warmly welcomed me and helped me in my research, exposing me to many rhythms and artists I hadn’t even known existed.

In every state I visited, I found myself immersed in a distinct culture with unique traditions of ritual, dance, and music. My search expanded seemingly with no end. Though I had amazing and educational experiences in other countries, the focus of this audiobook is on the cultural traditions I encountered in Brazil.

My unquenchable curiosity to learn the story behind the music was always within me. At some point, it embodied me and became a way of life. The incessant search for the cultural manifestations of the world became an obsession. This profound, endless journey discovering the stories beyond the music has left me with my own story to tell.