FOGO AZUL NYC
The Premier New York City Marching Band For Hire for Events
Fogo Azul NYC is a women-led samba reggae drumline marching band based in New York City, performing at weddings, parades, bar and bat mitzvahs, private parties, festivals, and corporate events across NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware. With up to 50 drummers bringing the rhythms of Bahia, Brazil, we deliver high-energy, unforgettable live entertainment for any event.
Whether you need a small drumline for a gala or wedding, or a show-stopping marching band for a festival or parade, Fogo Azul creates a powerful, joyful experience your guests will never forget.
Book a drumline marching band for your next event and feel the beat of NYC’s premier all-percussion ensemble.
FOGO AZUL NYC
GOTHAM’S HEARTBEAT
ABOUT FOGO AZUL NEW YORK CITY DRUMLINE
Fogo Azul NYC emerged in 2016 as an independent, women-led samba reggae drumline in New York City, founded by Stacy Kovacs. Prior to launching Fogo Azul, Kovacs led the NYC chapter of the international Batala franchise, which she founded in 2012. After several years, she chose to part ways with the franchise in order to create a more locally grounded, creatively autonomous ensemble, guided by her own artistic vision..
The music we play wasn’t made for entertainment alone. It was born as a voice from the Afro-Brazilian communities of Bahia, where percussion became power. At Fogo Azul NYC, we honor that legacy through our ongoing relationships with Brazilian cultural leaders and teachers, creating something distinctly ours, yet rooted in tradition, shaped by mentorship, and driven by New York’s energy and urgency.
Formed in collaboration with Marcus Santos’s Grooversity project, Fogo Azul is now one of the most recognized percussion groups in the region, performing at parades, weddings, corporate events, festivals, and more throughout NYC and the tri-state area.
Founded by the woman who brought samba reggae to NYC, Fogo Azul brings world-class percussion and visual power to events that demand more than background music.
A Note from the Founder: The Beat That Started It All
In 2012, I had a vision: to bring the raw, unapologetic power of Samba Reggae to the streets of New York City. I didn’t just want to start a band; I wanted to build a movement. I am the original founder and director of the New York branch of the Batala Global Franchise.
For four years, I laid the foundation. I was the architect of that first wave of samba reggae drumming in NYC teaching the rhythms, building the community, and proving that this city had a hunger for a different kind of thunder. But as that vision grew, I realized that NYC doesn't do "cookie-cutter." This city doesn't thrive on global franchises or templates. It thrives on independence.
In 2016, I tossed those training wheels, and I launched Fogo Azul NYC to take that foundation to the next level.
I founded Fogo Azul because I wanted to lead a group that answered only to the music and the city, not to a global headquarters. I wanted a group where the technical standards were as high as the Empire State Building and where "professionalism" wasn't just a buzzword, but a promise.
Since 2012, the faces and names in the scene have shifted, but the heartbeat has remained the same. It’s a heartbeat of technical precision, artistic freedom, and a fierce, independent spirit. Fogo Azul’s precision is born from a unity that cannot be mass-produced; it is the result of a team that lives, breathes, and rehearses as a single, unstoppable unit. Unlike groups that rely on rigid global templates, our strength comes from a deep-rooted chemistry where every member is vital to the collective pulse.
At Fogo Azul, we don’t just play the rhythms I brought to this city over a decade ago, we evolve them. We don't just show up; we own the room. Whether we’re performing for global icons or local neighborhoods, we bring the same fire that started it all.
The beat started in 2012. The evolution is Fogo Azul. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary in 2026, and we’re ready to throw that thunder party!
Stacy Kovacs Founder & Artistic Director, Fogo Azul NYC
SEE WHO OUR NEW YORK CITY DRUMLINE HAS PERFORMED FOR!
