Francis Silva PROFILE


Francis Silva (Singer, Songwriter and Percussionist)


Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Francis started his professional musical career at the age of 17. He is a true international artistic performer who has opened with a number of famous musicians such as Sony Rolling, Stan Gets, Airto Moreira, Tânia Maria, Flora Purim. He has toured in Singapore, Russia, South Korea, England, France, South Africa, Spain, to mention a few of the many countries that he is performed in.

 

In 1979 Francis Silva decided to settle himself in Japan, and during the same year he joined the Japanese music copyright Association and established Asia's first authentic Brazilian samba group, “Escola de Samba Cruzeiro do Sul”. For him the presentation of Brazilian Samba has strong cultural ties to the people and traditions of Brazil. He likes to refer to carnival culture as, “the Brazilian street opera”.

 

Today Francis Silva continues to play a strong guiding role in Japan as, “the Father of Brazilian music in Japan”. As a result of his hard work and support of the Brazilian music scene in Japan, his students have been able to go out and start samba schools of their own. The yearly Asakusa Samba Carnival, in Tokyo Japan brings an estimated 500,000 people to watch and participate every year. Many of the top ranked schools were founded by ex-students of Francis Silva. More importantly, the original idea for the Carnival in Japan was first introduced to the business community in the town of Asakusa by Francis Silva himself, and today is one of the biggest Brazilian Samba carnivals outside of Brazil.

 

In 1982 he formed, “Band & Orchestra Zona Sul”. Together they performed at various jazz festivals, and was considered the best Brazilian progressive band in Japan at the time. For Brazilian standard music such as bossa nova he formed and played with Gostinho Brasileiro and played many wonderful forms of Brazilian music such as chorinho, bossa nova, samba, baião, etc.

 

Throughout his musical career he has recorded and performed in live concerts of many renowned Japanese musicians such as Blues singer Weda Masaki, Himiko Kikuchi, Toki Hidefume, Mukay Shigeharu, Matsuoka Naoya, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, Machiko Watanabe, Miamoto Fumiaki, Marcia, Soul Bossa trio, Bossa nova Casa nova, Smap, Malta, Korean guitarist Jack Lee, Oda Yuji,Agawa Yasuko and so many others. From 1996 to 2000 he hosted his own radio program called, “Inter Community Square’’ on radio station Tokyo Inter FM. He also worked with the older brother of soccer great Pelé to help develop and show how the world-famous Brazilian soccer style and Brazilian rhythm samba could help Japanese soccer players. As a part of this he also helped to introduce Brazilian percussion into the Japanese soccer scene. Today he travels throughout Japan to do workshops and help Japanese soccer supporters learn how to play Brazilian percussion to support their favorite Japanese soccer teams, as well as record on many soccer support music CDs.

 

In 2003, together with some Japanese musicians, with the support of Y.M.T (Yamaha Music Trading & Remo of the USA) percussion facilitator association in Japan, Drum Circle Facilitator Association (D.C.F.A).