Wilson das Neves

Wilson das Neves ranks among Brazil’s most introspective drummers and first gained acclaim as a composer in 1997 when his album O Som Sagrado de Wilson das Neves received the Sharp prize. He began playing drums at fourteen after Bituca started his training and later brought him to the Flor do Ritmo school in the Carioca suburb Méier. At twenty-one he made his professional debut with the Orquestra de Permínio Gonçalves. From 1957 to 1958 he accompanied pianist Carolina Cardoso de Meneses, then joined the Ubirajara Silva group in 1958. His first session recording took place in 1959. During those years he performed with Steve Bernard’s, the Orquestra de Astor Silva, the Conjunto de Ed Lincoln, the Orquestra da TV Globo do Rio de Janeiro, and the Orquestra da TV Excelsior de São Paulo. Throughout the 1960s he worked extensively as a session musician and sideman for Copinha, Elza Soares, Elis Regina, Wilson Simonal, Elizeth Cardoso, and Roberto Carlos. In 1968 TV Tupi hired him as drummer for the Orquestra do Maestro Cipó. That same year he recorded the LP Elza Soares/Baterista: Wilson das Neves in duo with Elza Soares. His debut solo album, Som Quente é o Das Neves, followed in 1969 and contained “Wilsamba,” which Roberto Menescal wrote as a tribute to him. He first recorded an original composition in 1976 on the LP O Som Quente é o Das Neves with “Sá Nega” (w/ Ineres/Geraldo Barbosa). A steady member of Chico Buarque’s group since 1982, das Neves released the all-originals album O Som Sagrado de Wilson das Neves in 1996, featuring thirteen songs written with Paulo César Pinheiro and one with Chico Buarque; the set included guest appearances by Buarque, Pinheiro, and João Nogueira and earned the Sharp prize. In 2000 he joined Nelson Sargento, Walter Alfaiate, João de Aquino, and Mariana de Moraes for a tribute concert to Darci da Serrinha at the Ballroom in Rio de Janeiro and also appeared on the album Quintal do Pagodinho as one of Zeca Pagodinho’s preferred composers.