Hailed by the international press as "an exceptional musician of rare versatility", drummer and composer Simone Prattico has a playing style that reflects the alchemy between his Mediterranean culture and the imprint of Afro-American music, a distinctive trait and a calling card of this much sought-after drummer and master of hybrid grooves that combine a wide range of styles and rhythmic languages.

Born in Rome, based in Paris but on the move for the past 25 years, Simone epitomises the sensibility of an 'oriundo', an Italian term referring to the descendants of immigrants, most often from southern Italy, who have generally become strangers to their country of origin. A contemporary jazz drummer with a myriad of influences, reflecting the many musical contexts he has encountered on his international journey, he has always sought out the deep roots of the music he encountered along the way. As a child in Rome, his baby bottles were Max Roach, Art Blakey and Motown, which prepared him for all-round know-how and a life as a professional musician at the age of 16. Not yet 20, he had already toured and recorded with a number of Italian pop stars, as well as the big names in jazz at the time. Other opportunities led him to work in Paris in the 90s, from where he then made the leap to New York, where he has worked regularly, touring the United States extensively, performing in major clubs and theatres, and on several television and radio shows, over the years establishing solid collaborations that have intensified his musical activity between Europe and the United States.

Since moving to Paris in 2005, Prattico has worked with a wide variety of projects that have forged his musical universe: from West and North African music to folk singers songwriters, from chamber orchestras to pop singers, and of course with numerous jazz and Brazilian music projects. His eclectic career and prestigious collaborations have led him to play on the world's greatest stages, proving how important it is for an artist to be not only original and prepared, but also 'authentic'.  Intense, tribal and romantic all at once, his latest album, Oriundo, has been acclaimed by the international press and bears witness to this captivating musical journey.