Sami Kontola

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I am Sami, a musician/writer from Finland, who got injected doses of Brazilian rhythms while asleep as a baby. I started my drumming as a timpanist in a symphonic orchestra at the age of 10, played my first bossa nova jamming Garota de Ipanema at 14 and started working professionally playing samba in restaurants (and Finnish dance music in dance halls!) when 19. Now happily living in the wonderful land of Groove. Would like to thank (besides mum & dad) Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Sting and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to name a few.

When I am not drumming I am enjoying life in its many forms. Dancing, singing, writing or hanging out with friends. Once in a while I do massage therapy or write on article about the ever-changing planet Earth and the winds of globalisation. And yes, whenever possible I enjoy good food.

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Good things:

Here are links to some things I like:

http://www.mangueira.com.br
http://www.marcialisboa.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/silasgiron
http://www.ibted.org.br

Media:

Helsingin Sanomat 2.2.2013 Rion kuumin sambaryhmä hyväksyi suomalaisen
Keskisuomalainen 10.2.2013 Suomipoika Rion yössä: "Isotkin tädit pikku bikineissä"
Märskyläinen 29.1.2018 Unesco-kurssin satoa: Sami Kontolan hurjia kertomuksia Brasiliasta
YLE 10.2.2018 Riossa karnevaalikatsomo hurraa, kun Sami lyö rumpua – suomalainen päätyi huippusambakoulun rytmiryhmään
YLE 15.9.2018 Kun toisesta kulttuurista tulee osa arkea: Sami Kontola asuu puolet vuodesta Brasiliassa, Kirsi Westerholmin ammatti löytyi Englannista ja Juha Kieksi haluaa ymmärtää pohjoiskorealaista yhteiskuntaa

Sami Kontola has been playing drums and percussion instruments since the beginning of 1980's. He has studied with various teachers in Finland, United States and Brazil. His first real band was the symphonic orchestra of the Conservatory School of Music in his hometown Jyväskylä in Finland in 1982. Since then he has played symphonic pieces, rock, pop, blues, jazz, weddings, heavy metal, Finnish dance music, alternative rock, etno/world music, funk, disco etc. and along the way accompanied singers, dancers and choirs among others.

Afro-Brazilian music has always been very dear to Sami. His first jam session was "Garota de Ipanema/Girl from Ipanema" with a music teacher in Sweden in the mid 80's. Sami has been living in the city of Rio de Janeiro since 2007 and as a beautiful welcoming played with the famous "marchinha-band" Cordão da Bola Preta. He also joined various jam sessions and felt very much at home in the new musical family.

Currently Sami plays in the bateria of the world famous samba school G.R.E.S. Mangueira and accompanies a bossa nova singer Marcia Lisboa from Rio de Janeiro. He also studies universal music conception with Maestro Itiberê Zwarg and African ceremony rhythms with Mestre Gabi Guedes.

Contact info:

email & FB:
sami.kontola(a)gmail.com

myspace:
www.myspace.com/drsamigo (music)
www.myspace.com/samikontola (poetry and thougths)

tel (mobile in Rio de Janeiro): +55 21 8220 7508
tel (mobile in Finland): +358 45 139 8172

skype:
skontola

twitter:
@drsamigo

News:

Marcia Lisboa Summer Tour 2013

Again I have the pleasure and honour to be playing with the amazing Brazilian bossa nova singer Marcia Lisboa. Our summer tour will begin July 3rd in Imatra, Finland at the world famous Imatra Big Band Festival. We will be performing at the Tropical Heat Club and joining the wonderful company of Afro-Cuban All Stars (Cuba) and Ondatropica (Colombia). From Imatra the tour continues to Tallinn, Estonia and after that we will perform in various parts of Finland.

You can find more info about Marcia Lisboa Summer Tour 2013 in our Facebook event.

Come and join us in the soothing sounds of samba and bossa nova!

(updated 24.6.2013)

19.10.2012 (Friday) Bateria G.R.E.S. Mangueira in the studio

recording samba enredo 2013
What a fantastic atmosphere, groove, dedication and joy! The family Mangueira, some 200 people sang with their heart burning on top of the tracks that were played by the amazing drum group, the funkiest samba bateria on the planet Earth! The mestre of the bateria and the president of the samba school orchestrated the event together beautifully. Thank you everybody for this experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. And even after that!
www.mangueira.com.br

16.10.2012 (Tuesday) Beat Kaestli (NY) with rare performance in Rio de Janeiro

The great jazz singer Beat Kaestli from New York performs today at Casa MangoMango, one of the loveliest jazz venues in Rio de Janeiro. Beat has a unique band setting tonight: Chico Chagas on the accordion and the happy drummer. Guests of night are numerous and memorable: Carol Panesi on violin, Pedro Araújo on guitar as well as Indiana Nomma and Alma Thomas singing duets with Beat. It's gonna be a jazzy and funky cake with a latin twist and a chanson cherry on top!
www.beatkaestli.com

2.10.2012 (Tuesday) Marcia Lisboa at the SESI Theatre in Rio de Janeiro

The acclaimed bossa nova singer Marcia Lisboa will perform tonight at the SESI Theatre. She will sing a collection of Brazilian ever-greens spiced up with jazz and funk influences. Marcia has already been touring in Europe in 2011 and 2012 and now she will give a taste of her international repertoire to ”cariocas”, people of Rio de Janeiro. The band includes maestro Marcelo Pfeil on guitar, Adalberto Miranda on bass and the happy drummer. Guest soloists are Victor Hora on guitar and Roberto Stepheson on saxofone.
www.marcialisboa.com

Sami Kontola

Happy Drummer

English

Português

When I am not drumming I am enjoying life in its many forms. Dancing, singing, writing or hanging out with friends. Once in a while I do massage therapy or write on article about the ever-changing planet Earth and the winds of globalisation. And yes, whenever possible I enjoy good food.

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