Portraying people from all walks of life, the poetry of Gregório de Mattos e Guerra (1636–1696) is a good source of information on the music heard in the streets, homes, convents and brothels of 17th century Brazil. Known as ‘Hell’s Mouth’, Mattos had a predilection for ‘vulgar songs that coarse people sang’. Ensemble Banza plays collection of dances and songs from Mattos’ time arranged to reflect sonorities one would have expected to hear then in Bahia, Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro.