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Domenico DoPrao
percussions
During his early years, lil' Domenico annoyed people around him by constantly hitting on just about anything he found. The family meal soon took the appearance of concrete music, it was unanimously decided to give him ... piano lessons ! Again, the savage hammering of the keys didn't match the taste of the teachers, so the affair fell short. Only the rhythms fascinated the child amazed by the music of the world.
Later, the teenager managed to acquire a Djembe whose mysteries were learned completely self-taught. Then, while he was growjong older, came the era of the Congas under the rule of the Cuban conguero Miguel Anga Diaz who taught him some secrets. It was then the time for garage rehearsals, open mic gigs and balls of all kinds. Sometimes, the formations only existed for the time of a performance by proclaiming themselves: Les Diables-Les Nomades-Le Groupe and some other strange names.
All terrain
 When he was 20 yo, Domenico was locally known as an all-terrain percussionist, it means able to accompany any kind of orchestra, whatever the musical style was. But the desire for tribal folklore was still in his mind. For this reason, he then worked with other teachers including Driss El Maloumi in order to also master the strikes and rhythms of North Africa.
This half-Brazilian half-African mix magnified an original accompaniment with groups happy to present to the public a totally new and unexpected rhythmic support. This was the case for Les Bas de Jeanne - Lou CABé - Pat and the Double Steph but also artists like Manu Dibango or Malo the group of Jorge Santana (Carlos' brother).
And today ?
Today I learn, again and again, thanks to a collaboration with Carmine Ghersi who is not only an immense guitarist but also a luminous and solar artist whose talent is matched only by benevolence.
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