Angelo Moustapha

Angelo MOUSTAPHA

His story begins with the astonishing marriage of his first and last names.

It's an unusual yet musical and harmonious combination.

He was born

in 1993 in Nikki, Benin.

He is a drummer, percussionist, composer and arranger.

Angelo is music. He is and he will be. It's in him. It is him.

He held his drumsticks before his pen.

His love affair with music began in his church when he was just 4 years old.

Too small at the time to reach the stretched canvas of the percussion instruments, he pulled himself up on a chair and made the sounds dance.

He gave his first concert at the age of 7 with the choir "La Voix d'Horeb de Savalou".

Angelo Moustapha is a sound, a breath, a sonority. He tears up the night with his own rhythms. Inspired by tradition, he chisels them like lace.

His genius and devotion to music enabled him to grow up very quickly to the rhythms of percussion. He soon found himself conducting the "Pioneers of Savalou" orchestra.

His talent was recognized on the continent in 2017 when he was named Africa's best drummer at the Festival des Meilleurs Instrumentistes d'Afrique.Angelo obtained his Diplôme Professionnel de Potentiel, de Compétence et de Capacité Intrinsèque in 2017 at the Ecole Supérieur des Métiers d'Art et de la Culture (ESMAC HWENDO Benin).

A troubadour of drums, Angelo Moustapha is a manifestation of percussion rhythms in all their plurality. Defining himself as a "researcher and explorer", and thanks to his many research projects and masterclasses, the Beninese drummer is about to plunge into a world that is not at all widespread in his country: jazz.

Is it because it comes from his continent that he is so attached to this musical style?

Also in 2017, even before taking part in the competition for Africa's best drummer, he met Belgian artist Muriel Verhoeven(Mu) in Benin. She is a director, author, composer, actress... The professional crush is mutual and she brings him to Europe for various projects (albums, show creations...)

In 2019, he meets Belgian jazz guitarist Philip Catherine in Benin. The latter fell in love with his percussionist dimension. Since then, Angelo Moustapha has accompanied him on various projects across Europe.

Angelo Moustapha also accompanied his compatriot and mentor, guitarist Lionel Loueke, to the delight of audiences at Cotonou's Institut Français in February 2020.

In addition to his personal projects (SOLO, IBIYEWA with Toine Thys, Joël Rabesolo and Jeremy Debuysschere MACONDO TRIO with Sylvain Debaisieux and Federico Stocchi,...) Angelo Also plays in the Lara Rosseel Quintet

Angelo Moustapha composes and participates in the realization of several artists' projects in various fields. These include theatrical projects such as "Whithe Box" by set designer Sabine Theunissen; "Mimi's Shebeen" by choreographer Alesandra Seutin; and "ARO ILE" by choreographer Awoulath Alougbin.

Angelo is also part of the "Arts, Archives et Performances" project "Images animées, mémoires controversée. A project by Anna Seiderer Senior Lecturer and Browyn Lace that brings together art professionals and researchers.

Angelo Moustapha performs internationally all over the world.

Angelo Moustapha is the musical breath that carries him onward and upward.

And us with him

Inevitably

Always to the right rhythm.