Thiago Trad: percussionist, drummer, composer, and music educator

Thiago is an visceral percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and music educator with a rich academic background, holding a bachelor’s degree in percussion and a master’s degree in music education from the Federal University of Bahia. His work is deeply rooted in the Afro-Brazilian rhythmic tradition, in dialogue with contemporary jazz and experimental music, and his versatility shines through in his recordings and performances across various genres, including orchestral music, frevo, forró, samba, rock, jazz and pop music. His impressive career has taken him to major stages and festivals in cities like New York, Berlin, São Paulo, and Salvador, among others. Thiago has collaborated with a remarkable array of artists, such as Letieres Leite (Orkestra Rumpilezz), Céline Rudolph, Neil Leonard, Paul Winter, Rogério Boccato, consistently showcasing his exceptional musicianship and unique perspective. In 2018, he released his first album as a composer, Moscote, which draws heavily on the influence of Brazilian music legends like Hermeto Pascoal, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Naná Vasconcelos, Airto Moreira, Sivuca e Edu Lobo.

"I believe in music as a tool for social transformation."