Claudio Slon
Encyclopedia
Claudio Slon was a notable Brazilian jazz
drummer
born in São Paulo
, Brazil
. He performed in a variety of Latin music genres, including Latin pop
, Latin jazz
, Brazilian pop and Easy pop.
The son of a classical violinist and a ballet instructor, Slon was raised in São Paulo
, and began recording professionally at an early age, taking first place in a national poll of jazz critics while still a teenager. He performed alongside his father in the São Paulo Philharmonic, before appearing with the Walter Wanderley Trio, as well as Sérgio Mendes
' Brasil '66 and Brasil ‘77 during the 1960s and 1970s.
He also appeared on many Brazilian sessions overseen by Creed Taylor
for the Verve
label, including A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness
by Astrud Gilberto
and The Walter Wanderley Trio, Wave
by Antonio Carlos Jobim
, and Samba '68 by Marcos Valle
. Although a total of three drummers are generally credited on the Jobim Wave release and reissues, it is Slon who is playing the drum set; Bobby Rosengarden
and Dom Um Romao
play only percussion on the record.
The success of the Wanderley Trio's Top Five single "Summer Samba
" and platinum debut album “Rain Forest” brought recording work of all kinds for Slon during the period, including a high-profile gig with Jobim and Frank Sinatra
on the album Sinatra & Company
and its accompanying television special A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim
. He joined Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 by the end of the decade. Slon appeared with the group for a total of nine years, and has also played and recorded albums with Dori Caymmi
, Paulinho Da Costa
, John Pisano
, and Joe Pass
, among others. Slon also co-led (with Milcho Leviev
) the Leviev-Slon Quartet, releasing albums for Vartan Jazz (Jive Sambas, among others) and then for Elephant Records (“When I'm 64”), the latter recorded with Herbie Mann
. The last Trio of which he was the drummer was the newly formed Joao Donato Trio in 1999, where that group recorded three albums on Elephant. In addition to being a top notch drummer, Claudio was also an excellent Brazilian percussionist and recorded as such on several albums.
Slon was based out of Los Angeles
for many years before relocating in the mid-90s to Colorado where he continued to work as a drummer, percussionist, and producer until his death from lung cancer in April, 2002.
Brazilian jazz
Brazilian Jazz may refer to:*Bossa nova*Samba jazz like Zimbo Trio and other Bossa Nova and samba influenced jazz bands.*Brazilian influenced forms of Jazz fusion....
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
born in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. He performed in a variety of Latin music genres, including Latin pop
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...
, Latin jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
, Brazilian pop and Easy pop.
The son of a classical violinist and a ballet instructor, Slon was raised in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, and began recording professionally at an early age, taking first place in a national poll of jazz critics while still a teenager. He performed alongside his father in the São Paulo Philharmonic, before appearing with the Walter Wanderley Trio, as well as Sérgio Mendes
Sergio Mendes
Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....
' Brasil '66 and Brasil ‘77 during the 1960s and 1970s.
He also appeared on many Brazilian sessions overseen by Creed Taylor
Creed Taylor
Creed Taylor is an American record producer, best known for his work with CTI Records, which he founded in 1968. Taylor’s career also included work at Bethlehem Records, ABC-Paramount, Verve, and A&M Records...
for the Verve
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
label, including A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness
A Certain Smile, a Certain Sadness
- Personnel :* Astrud Gilberto – Vocals* Walter Wanderley – organ* José Marino – bass* Claudio Slon – drums* Bobby Rosengarden – percussion* João Gilberto – guitar * Creed Taylor – producer...
by Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She is well known for the Grammy Award-winning song "The Girl from Ipanema".-Biography:...
and The Walter Wanderley Trio, Wave
Wave (Jobim album)
Wave is the third album by Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was released on 1967. It is known as Jobim's most successful album to date,...
by Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
, and Samba '68 by Marcos Valle
Marcos Valle
Marcos Kostenbader Valle is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and record producer. He has produced works in many musical styles, including bossa nova, samba, incidental music and fusions of American/European rock, soul and dance music with Brazilian styles.-Biography:Valle's talent was evident from...
. Although a total of three drummers are generally credited on the Jobim Wave release and reissues, it is Slon who is playing the drum set; Bobby Rosengarden
Bobby Rosengarden
Robert Marshall Rosengarden was a jazz drummer, percussionist and bandleader. A native of Elgin, Illinois, he was a solid and versatile contributor on countless recording sessions and playing in TV network orchestras and talk-show bands.Rosengarden began playing drums when he was 12, and later...
and Dom Um Romao
Dom Um Romão
Dom Um Romão was a Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist. Noted for his expressive stylings with the fusion band Weather Report, Romão recorded with varied artists such as Cannonball Adderley, Paul Simon, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 and Tony Bennett...
play only percussion on the record.
The success of the Wanderley Trio's Top Five single "Summer Samba
Summer Samba
Summer Samba is a 1966 bossa nova song by Brazilian composer Marcos Valle, with English-language lyrics by Norman Gimbel; the original Portuguese lyrics came from Paulo Sérgio Valle, brother to the composer.The song was first popularized by the Walter Wanderley Trio in 1966 — the album Rain...
" and platinum debut album “Rain Forest” brought recording work of all kinds for Slon during the period, including a high-profile gig with Jobim and Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
on the album Sinatra & Company
Sinatra & Company
Sinatra & Company is an album by American singer Frank Sinatra released in 1971.The first side of this album is in the bossa nova style, and the second side is influenced by soft rock, featuring a couple of standards from John Denver....
and its accompanying television special A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim
A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim
A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim was a 1967 television special starring Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, accompanied by the orchestras of Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins...
. He joined Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 by the end of the decade. Slon appeared with the group for a total of nine years, and has also played and recorded albums with Dori Caymmi
Dori Caymmi
Dorival Tostes Caymmi is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and producer who is a two-time Grammy Award winner .-Biography:...
, Paulinho Da Costa
Paulinho Da Costa
Paulinho da Costa is a Brazilian percussionist born in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the most recorded musicians of modern times. Playing over two hundred percussion instruments, he has participated in thousands of recording sessions, Grammy Award-winning albums, hit songs, soundtracks, radio...
, John Pisano
John Pisano
John Pisano is a jazz guitarist born in Staten Island, New York.John has accompanied in concert or recording some of music's biggest names, including Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, Herb Alpert, Natalie Cole, Michael Franks, Diana Krall, Peggy Lee, Julie London, Joe Pass, Frank Sinatra, Barbra...
, and Joe Pass
Joe Pass
Joe Pass was an Italian-American jazz guitarist of Sicilian descent. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century...
, among others. Slon also co-led (with Milcho Leviev
Milcho Leviev
Milcho Leviev is a Bulgarian composer, arranger, jazz performer and pianist.Milcho Leviev graduated from the State Academy of Music in 1960 majoring in Composition under Professor Pancho Vladigerov and in Piano under Professor Andrei Stoyanov...
) the Leviev-Slon Quartet, releasing albums for Vartan Jazz (Jive Sambas, among others) and then for Elephant Records (“When I'm 64”), the latter recorded with Herbie Mann
Herbie Mann
Herbert Jay Solomon , better known as Herbie Mann, was a Jewish American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music...
. The last Trio of which he was the drummer was the newly formed Joao Donato Trio in 1999, where that group recorded three albums on Elephant. In addition to being a top notch drummer, Claudio was also an excellent Brazilian percussionist and recorded as such on several albums.
Slon was based out of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for many years before relocating in the mid-90s to Colorado where he continued to work as a drummer, percussionist, and producer until his death from lung cancer in April, 2002.