ABOUT




Matthias Haffner was born in Germany in 1967. After beginning his musical carrier in Berlin as a Percussion player in various World Music, Jazz and Funk Bands he decided to move to the Netherlands to study Latin Percussion at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Matthias Haffner graduated in 2002 with his heart beating to the rhythm of Brazilian Samba, his feet tapping the Cuban Clave, his hands always looking for new drums to slap and his head full of rhythms and new ideas.
Many travels have brought him to the source of his inspiration: Brazil, Cuba, Africa, India USA and Europe. He deeply fell in love with Brazilian Music, traveling with his Pandeiro (a Brazilian frame drum) all over the country, playing with the locals and living the Samba.
During his upcoming numerous travels to Brazil, Haffner deepens his knowledge about the Brazilian music and meets the best Pandeiro players from Pernambuco to Bahia, Minas Gerais, Rio and São Paulo. A video documentation about his field work is in progress.
With a Dutch musician colleague Haffner writes a standard reference about the culture of the so-called “Bloco Afro”, a musical phenomena from Bahia, NorthEast of Brazil. The book will be published in spring 2017, in English, German and Dutch language, and hopefully makes the hearts of all Samba-Reggae Fans leap for joy!
After 20 years of intens musical career in the Netherlands, Haffner decides to move back to his country of origin. Since 2016, he lives in Germanys capital Berlin to continue his musical activities.
In this moment, Haffner is recording a lesson DVD about the pandeiro. Producer is the world-renown frame drummer David Kuckhermann.
Haffner played and plays in countless bands and projects, among others with stars like Paulinho da Viola, Paulo Moura, Bana, Zuco 103, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and others.
Since 2000, Haffner gives workshops in Brazilian percussion and the Pandeiro worldwide: New York, London, Paris, Tamburi Mundi Freiburg, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lissabon and so on.
Matthias Haffner has had the honor to take lessons and attend workshops given by great masters such as: Marcos Suzano, Guello, Mestre Marçal, Robertinho Silva, Celsinho Silva, Kiko Freitas, Changuito, Orestes Vilato, Armando Peraza, Ralph Irizarry, Michael Spiro, John Santos, Dom Um Romao, Luis Conte, Zohar Fresco, David Kuckherman, Carlo Rizzo, Bernardo Aquilar, Oscar Bolão etc.