Mão de Pilão

Music with LUCIANO XAVIER

As an affiliate of Moving Spirits, Inc., Luciano Xavier offers a variety of percussion instruction ranging from private lessons to residencies to large workshops through Mão de Pilão.

Instruction is available in percussion fundamentals and Brazilian rhythms including samba raiz, Samba Afro, Samba Reggae, Samba de Roda, rhythms of Candomblé, and more. 

All ages and levels are welcome.


Message Luciano on our Reach Us page for more info and booking.

Coming from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Luciano Xavier is a master percussionist specializing in the music of Brazil's popular culture.

Copyright 2013. Tamara LaDonna Moving Spirits, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

​Moving Spirits, Inc.

Luciano Xavier was born in Salvador, Bahia and began drumming inside of Candomble houses as a child. Xavier was a percussion student of Ilê Aiyê and entered the Axé Project (Projeto Axé) where he became a musician.  He studied with Dailha Mendes, Dandha da Hora, Marivaldo, Mario Bomba and Givaldo Pereira.  Later, Xavier participated in Gicá, a dance company of Projeto Axé. It was there that he started training with the late, Augusto Omolu. 


Luciano Xavier has performed with the world-renowned Bale Folklorico da Bahia as a company member. His collaborative work also includes Orchestra Afro Bahiana do Pelourinho, Sobe A Regencia da Mestra Emilia Biancard, and Odin Teatro com espetaculo Oro de Othello (directed by Eugenio Barba).  He has presented lectures and performances as a Master Drummer for Afro-Brazilian cultural presentations at Swarthmore College, Mount Holyoke College and Bryn Mawr College. Xavier has performed and taught in Argentina, Venezuela, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, and throughout the United States. He has worked with some of the most distinguished master teachers of our time including Mestre King, Rosangela Silvestre, Nildinha Fonseca, Elisio Pita, Jailson Purificação, and Paco Gomes.