The name “Foli Griô” is meant to say that rhythms, among many things, are storytellers - and the Foli Griô Orquestra reminds us of that with AJO, their spirited debut album, released in 2019. Composed of ten young Rio de Janeiro-based musicians, Foli started as a group in 2015, initially aimed at researching the music aesthetics of Afrobeat. In AJO, however, a more mature Foli Griô Orquestra takes their research to a new level, experimenting with Afrobeat elements while celebrating Afro-Brazilian musical heritage in compositions of their own. The result is a vigorous album that presents new sonic approaches to ancient forms. Nominated for the 2019 Latin Grammy Award for Best Portuguese Language Roots Album, AJO particularly stands out in tracks like Aquecimento Caboclo Roxo, a “funk carioca meets brass band” kind of arrangement; Boi No. 2, exploring the music culture of “boi”, from Maranhão; and Iemanjá, as short as it is profound, just like the Goddess Iemanjá’s sea.