“Madrugada” borns as a result of the meeting between the singer Simon Papa and the brazilian guitarist Roberto Taufic with the musician-producer F. Mahjong Conti. This project deep the playstyles of the two musicians focused on several records and live productions in the field of Brazilian music and the musical world “360° oriented” of Mahjong. The result of such encounter is a “Brazilectro” group with shades of “Jazzy Touch”, “Nu Jazz, Broken Beat” and “Chill Out”, rigorously sung in Brazilian language, where the warm and immediately recognizable voice of the singer Simon Papa, always wrapped the most original guitar touch of Taufic, considered one of the greater exponents of the Latin Jazz in Europe, is dipped in the modern and catchy sound of Mahjong that succeeds to carry all in a Brazilian dimension crossover where the roots meet the sounds of the underground electronic and club music scene.

Simon Papa  – Lead Vocal

Simon Papa studied at “il Centro Jazz” in Torino with the vocalist Francesca Oliveri and the pianist Gianni Negro. She also studied guitar in addition to African and jazz dance.

Professional Experience:

She began her career in 1984 with the guitarist Pino Russo in the showcase “Saudade do Brasil” which was performed in various Italian jazz clubs. From that point she intensified her professional career. This included extending her touring on into Northern Europe and performing various musical genres from Brazilian to jazz, to pop and dance. Between 1990 and 1993 she took part in numerous recording projects in the area of dance music. In 1994 the project Latin Touch was born, in which she was the co-writer of songs and music along with Roberto Taufic. At the end of 2002, with the new recording project, Terra, the group took on the name of Baticumbando. Since 1999 she has also dedicated herself to learning to play percussion in the popular traditional Brazilian way. From 1984 through 1986, Simon worked as an African-jazz dancer for the Anna Cucolo Group, participating in various showcases throughout Italy.

She has worked with:

Gianpaolo Petrini, Roberto Celio, Enzo Zirilli, Diego Borotti, Massimo e Giulio Camarca, Davide Graziano, Alberto Tafuri, la Big Band di Gianfranco Piras, Augusto Martelli, Roberto Taufic, Karl Potter, Michele Rabbia, Giancarlo Maurino, Renato D’Aiello, Gilson Silveira, Roberto Rossi, Rogerio Tavarez, Vonn Washington, Wigder Valle, Eduardo Taufic, Paulo De Oliveira, Cacau Vasconcelos, Claudio Borrelli, Papi Moreno.

From 1989 to the present she has taken part in the following festivals and venues:

Homage to Mandela (Torino, Palasport); Tribute to John Lennon (Torino, Teatro Alfa); Music Against Drugs (Torino, Palasport); Torino si nota (Torino, Piccolo Regio); JVC Jazz Festival (Roma); IV Festival internazionale del blues e del jazz degli Alburni (Salerno); JazzAuser (Vicopisano); Estate Campese (Reggio Calabria); Catania Jazz; Projeto Seis e Meia (Teatro Alberto Maranhão - Natal, Brasile); Volando con Naco; Colle Jazz (Livorno); Festival Latino Americano (Modena); Asti in Concerto; Festival Latino Americano (Torino); III Festival delle Rocche (Montà d'Alba); Festival Latino Americano (Torino); Festival delle radici dei Popoli (Bologna); Muovitipositivo (Torino); Jazz a Palazzo (Torino); Toscana Jazz; Musica & Dintorni (Piozzo); Note di Colore (Brescia); Fermo Posta (Sarzana); Suoni dal Castello (Lerici); Projeto Seis e Meia e “Friends” (Natal, Brasile); Suoni Virtuosi dal Mondo (Benevagienna); Jammin’ in the Garden (Milano); Veneto Jazz; Gubbio Festival No Border, Notturni in Villa (Milano); Jazz a Palazzo (Torino); Metrojazz Zone (Milano); Pavone Open Jazz Festival; Spiritus Mundi (Costiera Amalfitana).

Recordings:

"Ain't no sunshine" - Brasil Confusion - Sony Music (97)

"De cabo a Rabo" - Latin Touch (97)

"Magalenha" - Dragut Club – Train (99)

“Latin lovers” – House Lovers – Test Records (2001)

“Oki doky” – Pasta Boys – (2001)

“Força e poder” – Julio Jefferson (Brasile 2001)

“So danço samba” – Halidon – (2002)

“Mala e cuia” – Gilson Silveira (2002)

“Chapel de palha” – Ney Portillo (2003)

“ Tatuagem” – Sergio D’Angelo – Airplane (2003)

“Realidade Real” Luiz Lima - Philology – 2003

“Trio Jogral” – Trio Jogral – (2003)

Compilation “Outro Brasil” – Baticumbando – H. Squared – (2003)

“Terra” Baticumbando – H Squared -(2004)

“Galope” Rogerio Tavares - H Squared -(2004)

"Cores do Brasil" - Serginho - Loudbit (2005)