A WORLD OF PERCUSSION

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    Percussionist, drummer and composer, Simone Sou was born in Sao Paulo

( Brazil ) in 1970. In  childhood  she had  piano lessons, but  later would  come  her  real passion. Simone began drum lessons with Flavio Pimenta at DRUMS Music School  in 1985 at the age of 14. She found out that by not having an academic upbringing, the best way for her to learn drums  was to look for diferents sources of informations and experiences: by workshops ( with drum masters: Adama Dramé, Billy Cobham, Robertinho Silva, Osvaldinho da Cuica, Marcio Bahia, Guem, and  others) , international courses , such as Drummers Collective – NY,   private lessons in Brazil about african, cuban and brazilian percussion, playing with musicians around the world and  searching for the multi-cultural brazilian folkloric manifestations.

 

    End of  80s, begining 90s, Simone  worked with several bands  in São Paulo developing  her own  urban drumming style. From  hard rock, pop, reggae, brazilian popular, contemporary and traditional  music, she mixed her influences to come to a new  rhythmical  and artistic expression .

In early 90s Simone  recorded   with   singer and composer  Itamar Assumpção, one of the most important  representative artists from São Paulo.

By that time Simone began her  partnership with renowed singer and composer Chico César, from Paraiba (northeast Brazil) touring all Brazil, Europe, USA, Japan, Australia and New Zeland, from 95 till 2005. She performed  in  festivals such as  Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz Heritage  Festival in New Orleans, Womad,  Sfinx, to name a fill.

    Early 2000s, Simone produced  CDs  of   two  indigenous tribes from Xingu Park in Brazil, Mehinaku and Caiapó, with  multimidia group  Dialeto. She  began to create  deep friendship  with a tribe from northeast Brazil, the Pankararu ethnic group,  who she visits often and learns about traditional  indigenous life.

From 2000 till 2005 Simone  worked  with some popular brazilian artists such as Zeca Baleiro, Zelia Duncan - touring in Europe, Badi Assad - touring all USA and Europe. In  Brazil she played with  Jards Macalé, Elza Soares, Elba Ramalho, Paulo Miklos, Funk Como le Gusta Big Band, Carlinhos Antunes and many others.

   In 2006 Simone became part of  the return of legendary brazilian rock band Os Mutantes, from Tropicalia artistic movement ( 60s ), touring in Europe and playing in  USA ( Hollywood Bowl - LA, Lincoln Center – NY, Filmore East – San Francisco) and many festivals.

During the 2000s, Simone worked in some international projects,  performing with composer and pianist from Congo Ray Lema,  accordeon player Oleg Fateev  from Moldavia, Ethel string quartet from NY, algerian  percussionist GUEM ,  dutch pianist and composer Martin Fondse, cuban composer and bassist Yusa, Orquestra Scotland – Brasil ( British Arts Coucil ),  La Reunion – Brazil Interchange,  a meeting  with  brazilian drummer Robertinho Silva and a group of  artists from both countries.

Simone played in DVD recordings, with some brazilian artists:

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- Zelia Duncan – São Paulo 2001
- Zeca Baleiro –  São Paulo 2002
- Chico César e Quinteto da Paraiba – São Paulo 2005
- Os Mutantes – Live in Barbican - London 2006
- Carlinhos Antunes e Orquestra Mundana – São Paulo 2009
- DJ Tudo and Big Band – São Paulo 2011.

Simone recorded CDs of her own projects:

- PROJETO CRU - 2005 - Trio with  producer-bass player Alfredo Bello ( DJ Tudo ), and sax-flute  player Marcelo Monteiro ( brazilian instrumental mixed with  eletronic and traditional music )

-  BATUCAJÉ – 2006 -  Project with Robertinho Silva, Alfredo Bello and percussionist Jadna Zimmermann ( experimental brazilian percussion )

- SIM ONE SOU – 2011 – First solo CD, presenting her own compositions  (instrumental and songs) inspired by  experiences in brazilian traditional and contemporary music with influences from african and cuban percussion in a  jazzy free spirit.

. Simone worked  with two Theater Companies in Brazil:
– Companhia Brasileira de Mysterios e Novidades -  Rio de Janeiro.
-  Circo Branco - São Paulo, with  artist Romero de Andrade Lima

Simone has a partnership  with percussionist and producer Guilherme Kastrup  - SOUKAST - in a rhythmical brazilian duo , developing unusual sets, combining drums and percussion,  samplers, and no conventional objects – glass, pans, bells -   creating  landscapes and powerful grooves .Soukast has been playing with renowed brazilian piano player Benjamin Taubkin.

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Simone composed  the soundtrack  for  the  movie of  brazilian director Beto Brant -  Sao Paulo - ( Eu Receberia  as Piores Noticias dos seus Lindos Lábios )

Simone  is preparing a CD with Oleg Fateev – a combination of east european  (Moldavian, Russian and Bulgarian)  and  brazilian music – exploring sounds of bayan and percussion. The duo has been playing in Brazil and Holland since 2009.

Simone and Oleg were  members of two  projects in Holland,
- Balkan Brazil – a quintet formed in 2011 by the World Series Project, touring in Holland.
- ¨6 spoons , 1 kitchen – an ethno jazz sextet , formed  in 2011 by musicians from Holland, Tunisia, Egypt, Brazil and Moldavia, touring in Holland and Egypt.

Simone is conducting the percussion group  Klabavel – from Bavel  - since last december, performing in Holland.

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Since early 2000s Simone gives workshops ( Brazil, Europe ) and lessons about the rhythmical  universe that she experienced in all her carrer.

In april 2013 Simone presents her first SOLO PERCUSSIVE PERFORMANCE in Tilburg – The Netherlands – in partnership with artist Ceciel van de Welde. She  performs  at the atelier of Ceciel part of her sculptures exposition. Simone plays her inventive percussion set up and specialy in clay pieces made  to this unique meeting.

  Now living in Holland she is devoting her skills towards education, running community groups and developing their skills of hand ana body percussion. She arrived in UK performing at WOMAD as part of Dj Tudo e sua gente de Todo Lugar at BBC3 Stage!

  We are delighted with the chance of working with this amazing artist!

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ASE!

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