Ernesto Simpson

Ernesto Simpson (born 10 March 1964) is a Cuban drummer of world, jazz, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Latin, and funk music. He is Grammy-nominated and internationally acclaimed, with over thirty years of performing, recording, touring, teaching, and session work alongside some the greatest names in the industry.

Career

Born in Camagüey, Cuba, Simpson has collaborated with musicians including Dizzy Gillespie, Michel Legrand, Carmen McRae, Paquito D' Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Ray Barretto, Mark Murphy, Chucho Valdés, Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, Mike Stern, Richard Bona, the Rodrigues Brothers, Brian Lynch, Manuel Valera, Michel Camilo, Gonzalo Rubalcalba, Hugh Masakela, Kyle Eastwood, Jason Rebello, Tim Garland, and Omar Sosa, among others.

Simpson is a guest drummer of the NDR Bigband and the Metropole Orkest.

He has performed on original motion picture scores, such as Random Hearts (1999) with Harrison Ford and For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000) with Andy Garcia, in which he also made a cameo appearance.

Personal life Simpson has lived and worked in Havana, Cuba; Bogotá, Colombia; Miami, USA; and New York, USA; he currently splits his time between London, UK, and Athens, Greece, with his wife (and manager) Kate Bellia-Simpson. Omar Sosa and the NDR Big Band, Es:sensual (Otá, 2018) – drums, percussion Femi Temowo (featuring the Engines Orchestra), Music is the Feeling (Femitone / Engines Imprint, 2016) – drums Omar Sosa, Ilé (Otá, 2015) – drums, percussion, vocals Kyle Eastwood, Time Pieces (Jazz Village, 2015) – drums, arrangements Gonzalo Rubalcalba, Suite Caminos (5Passion, 2015) – drums Ramón Valle, Take Off (In+Out, 2015) – drums Phil Robson, The Immeasurable Code (Whirlwind, 2011) – drums Richard Bona, Bona Makes You Sweat (Universal Music Jazz France, 2008) – live in Hungary; drums Richard Bona, Tiki (Universal Music France, 2005) – drums Paquito D'Rivera, Jazz Clazz (Timba, 2010) – drums and timbales Arturo Sandoval, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (HBO Films, 2000; original motion picture soundtrack) – drums, percussion, arrangements Arturo Sandoval, My Passion for the Piano (Columbia, 2002) – drums Arturo Sandoval, Trumpet Evolution (Crescent Moon, 2003) – drums Arturo Sandoval, Americana (N-Coded Music, 1999) – drums Dave Grusin, Random Hearts OMPST – drums and percussion Brian Lynch, Con Clave – drums Helio Alves, Its Clear – drums Edy Martinez, Midnight Jazz Affair – drums Edy Martinez, Privilegio – drums Perspectiva Group, Tiembla Tierra – drums and timbales Manuel Valera, Vientos – drums Manuel Valera, Currents – drums Roberto Occhipinti, Yemaya – drums Samuel Torres, Skin Tones – drums and percussion Samuel Torres, Yaounde – drums Candy Dulfer, What Does It Take? – timbales Thalia, Thalia – drums Galy Galiano, Sin Fronteras – timbales John Di Martino, Romantic Jazz Trio: Jazz Mozart – drums Charlie Zaa, El Mas Grande Sentimiento – drums and drum synthesizer Pablo Mayor, Perro Amor TV Soap Opera/Colombia – drums Ricardo Eddy Martinez, Bolero Jazz: Misty – drums Olga Guillot, Faltaba Yo (WEA International, 2001) – drums and percussion Minione (Jopek/Rubacalba)

Awards Sources: 2010: Grammy nomination – Paquito D'Rivera, Jazz Clazz (2009) 2016: Grammy nomination – Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Suite Caminos (2015)