A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
ABOUT
Multi-percussionist, composer, and producer Pepe Canto has developed his musical career for more than 35 years. Born in Valencia, he started singing and playing the guitar as a teenager, completely self-taught. In the early 80’s, and while studying some official (and private) musical courses, he felt himself drawn to African, North-African, and Afro-Latin percussion styles. He started to collaborate as a percussionist in Salsa, Jazz, Brazilian, and Folk bands. In the mid-80’s, already a professional, he began to develop his own career along with all kinds of artists and bands from very different styles, including: Pop, R&B, Rock, Funk, New Age, World Music, Singer-songwriter… Acquiring, while working on them, knowledge from each particular style.

Although he started many bands, he centered his career as a session musician and accompaniment to other artists, collaborating perfectly in studios and live performances with other renowned artists inside the country in many different styles. He also worked as a producer on many label projects.

Some of the artists with whom he has worked are:

http://www.pepecanto.com/English/Percussionist.html

In 2014, he decided to embark on his solo career. So he recorded his first album “De aquí para allá,” gathering good reviews from the Spanish and International press, managing, even, to get into the WMCE.

In November 2016, he released his second album “Vida.”

With “Vida,” Cantó wanted, or perhaps needed, to approach several traditional Valencia (Spain) music styles like “Cant de batre” or “Albaes,” but also other territories close to his Andalusian ancestors and North Africa: Fandango, Karachi, Gnawa, Jota, and the appropriation of certain Celtic sounds in the Valencia way, or to use harmonies and rhythms closer to jazz and pop.

Between World Music, Jazz, and a mix of musical genres, “Vida” keeps you down to earth with a horizon view.

Discography:

De aquí para allá (Picap, 2014) Album

Vida (Picap, 2016) Album

212 Fahrenheit Degrees (Picap, 2018) Single, with Pau Viguer

No sé qué hago aquí (Picap, 2019) Single, featuring Karolina Driemel

De los instantes felices (Picap, 2021) Single

SPOTIFY

https://spoti.fi/3ozlmGA