Nelsun Caetano

N elson J. Almeida Caetano was born in Lisbon on the 1 st of June of 1979 at 4 a.m., sign Gemini, brown hair and light green eyes. I always loved music and since I was a child I simply had to have my hands playing with something. Soon I knew that I wanted to be a drummer and my parents called me crazy.

1995 - At the age of 16 I was studying at school to be an architect or a designer. I love to paint too but at that time there was something I liked more than those things: Music of course.

In February I started to have some lessons with a Hot Club Portugal student. It was a good starting point on theoretical knowledge. In October I changed to professor José Jorge Nascimento who was drummer and percussionist at that time, it was a very enriching experience that gave more groove, balance and feeling to my style.

Some friends at my school (October ) invited me to play with them but I hadn’t had a drum yet, so I asked a friend to lend me one, and I was lucky , I got two drums.

We started rehearsing and formed a portuguese originals band called “Ginginha & Bagaceira” that lasted for 3 years. During this period we produced a demo tape and played live several times.

1996 – In October I bought my own drum, Premier XPK with just 3 toms (12”, 13” & 16”), 1 hi-hat and 1 ride. It was the beginning of my long journey of expenses till today . With my own drum I wanted to do more than originals so I started with some friends a rock covers band called “GAF” that lasted for 3 years. During this time we produced a demo and played many, many concerts all over Portugal.

1997 - With “Ginginha” and “GAF” going very well I tried more enriching experiences playing in brawls, weddings, hotels and parties, popular music with many experienced musicians.

In October I started to have lessons with professor Virgilio Marujo, a very experienced drummer that added more objectivity and clarity to my way of playing.

1998 - GAF was better than ever and I continued the works of the year before.

In September I started to have lessons with the master Jorge Lee. It was very good for me in every aspect. He has a huge knowledge in almost everything, he’s a great drummer, guitar player, bass player and a music master, a pupil of big masters like John Abercrombie, Mike Caupa, Billy Harper, Lee Konitz, Fernando Lopes Graça, José Eduardo, José Luís Simões, and Others .

1999 - “GAF” lasted 4/5 months more. When “GAF” ended I played sometimes live with fusion jazz band “Jorge Lee Trio” and to have regular jam sessions having the pleasure of playing with musicians like Jorge Lee, Phil Mendrix, Alexandre Manaia, Tahína, Diogo Lionidas, Cicero Lee and many others including my big friends Cobra, Pietro Casella and other friends and colleagues. My first appearance on TV was with “Pedro e os Apostolos” and in the end of 99 I played in several works such as a rock covers band called “Sixty Nine”, a Brazilian covers band called “Paquera” and a jazz standards band called “Margarida’s Quartet”.

2000 - I continued the work of the previous year for 6/7 months more. On 10 th June I joined Forgotten Suns a progressive rock band and started to dedicate all my time to the preparation of their “Fiction Edge I” album live concerts. It involved lots of work such as rehearsing, giving interviews to TV , radios and magazines.

2001 - This year everything’s happen very fast, TV, Radios, Magazines, Concerts, Rehearsals, a lot of work for just one year! Forgotten Suns started a new cycle, we started composing our second album.

200 2 - Forgotten Suns, recorded (March) the Wartime's video clip, the first video clip of the band and recorded the second album demo (September).

2003/2006 - I left Forgotten Suns (February). This year was full of new, enriching and good experiences.

S tart working with Gland (a rock covers band) & The Cadillacs (a rock'n'roll covers band).

I've colaborated with:

- Gilberts Feed Band, a music with a circus ambience (great to work with Magala-trumpet and flugelhorn, Klaudio-keyboards, Espanhol-voice, Patrick-percussion, Luis Bastos-clarinet & sax alto, João Esteves-guitar, João-trombone, André-sax tenor, Ian Mucznik-voice);

- Tantra, the Fathers of Portuguese Prog (great to work with Manuel Cardoso, Guilherme Luz, Condinho, Luis André and Bruno Silva);

- Lucky Duckies (another rock'n'roll covers band), Moremad originals, etc.

This year was a very important year to me, i'm dedicating more time to studying drums and start studying bass guitar.

2007/2009 - The Cadillacs its better then ever, very good gigs to great audiences.

Phazer its the name of my new project of originals, a Rock band with lost of power with Paulo Miranda on vocals, Gil Neto on guitars and Henrique Martins on bass.