Zaza Desiderio

Isaias "Zaza“ Desiderio, professional drummer and percussionist and member of the Order of Musicians of Brazil (OMB), was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1980. At the age of eight, he started playing the guitar; at 16 he became a professional drummer and began to play in local bands. He is largely influenced by jazz and Latin-American rhythms.

For several years now Zaza counts as one of the drummers most sought-after in Rio de Janeiro. His maturity, musicality and versatility allow him to participate in numerous great concerts and to collaborate with both national and international artists such as Milton Nascimento, Alma Thomas, Yamandu Costa, Jazz Express Group, Base & Brass, Big Joe Manfra, Philippe Baden Powel, Nelson Veras, Frédéric Viale, Marcia Maria, Raul de Souza, Maestro Paulo Moura, Mauricio Einhorn, Idriss Boudrioua, Harvey Wainapell, Leny Andrade, Cliff Korman, Rio Jazz Orchestra, Luíza Possi, Maria Gadu and others…. He worked for the Brazilian theatre and television (TV Globo and TV Record) and recorded for the series “ America”, “JK”, “Viver a Vida”, “Caras e Bocas”, “Pé na Jaca”, “Luz do Sol”, and “ Com você Pela Vida”. Together with the Rio Jazz Orchestra, he participated in the making of the movie “A Alma de Uma Orquestra” (The soul of an orchestra), a film produced by the North-American filmmaker Ronald Knighten.

In 2007 he entered the Modern Drummer Contest organised by Odery and Modern Drummer Festival. He won the first stage of Rio de Janeiro and performed in the national finals.

While touring in France with the celebrated French saxophonist Idriss BOUDRIOUA, he became attached to Europe, especially to France. He moved to Paris, and later settled in Lyon in 2010. His powerful playing was particularly mentioned by the members of the jury of the contest Jazz(s)RA, in which he entered with the band Dreisam in 2012.

Apart from his experience, the carioca drummer brings along all the swing of the samba and the rhythms from all over Brazil.

Zaza Desiderio’s tracks

• Textures - Herbie Hancock - by Alfio Origlio & Zaza Desiderio by Zaza Desiderio
• Desiderio, Gonçalves & Miranda by Zaza Desiderio
• All Or Nothing At All - Zaza Desiderio Feat. Rémi Ploton & Michel Molines by Zaza Desiderio
• Léa - Zaza Desiderio Feat. Rémi Ploton & Michel Molines by Zaza Desiderio
• Le Deserteur (Boris Vian) by Zaza Desiderio Trio - Live à Presles - Summer 2013 by Zaza Desiderio
• You and The Night end The Music / Zaza Desiderio Trio - Live à Presles - Summer 2013 - by Zaza Desiderio
• Rio Lyon Trio Feat. Stéphane Guillaume - Five cool Steps by Zaza Desiderio
• Dreisam - Primavera by Zaza Desiderio
• Joseph - B.A.D Trio by Zaza Desiderio
• Viagem Sem Fim - Balkan Layone City Bang Bang by Zaza Desiderio