Café is the stage name of Edson Aparecido da Silva, sometimes credited as Edson da Silva or Café da Silva, a percussionist, singer, composer, and music producer born in Villa Maria, São Paulo, Brazil. He moved to the U.S. in 1985.
He composed the piece "Three Express", which he performed with Nilson Matta, Roni Ben-Hur, and Victor Lewis on their 2011 Motéma Music release, Mojave. The same year, he released his first album as leader, Meditations with the Orishas.
Biography
da Silva was born in Villa Maria in the state of São Paulo. He became interested in percussion at the age of 8 when he heard Afro-Brazilian music at the spiritual gatherings he attended with his parents. He trained classically for the Municipal Orchestra of São Paulo, but began to follow his passion, playing jazz and popular music at clubs. He then studied theatre technique at the Villa Lobos School in Rio de Janeiro and performed for the Ministry of Education and Culture of Brazil in the National Arts Program, "Seis e Meia." In 1980, he began touring with notable jazz artists.
He is a founding member of three music acts, Café Quintet, Fôlia de Reis, and Ave. Brazil. He also manufactures his own metallic percussion instruments for sale to other musicians. He also has his own record label, Café Percussion Records.
