Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1962, and living in USA since 1987, Weber Iago began his research and quest for musical excellence at the early age of seven when he first began his musical studies, focusing on piano. Throughout his teenage years, Iago went on to win many prestigious piano and organ competitions, leading him to begin his undergraduate studies in both Music and Portuguese Language and Literature at the age of eighteen. While attending the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Weber Iago expanded his career as a pianist, putting much emphasis on chamber music as he worked extensively as an accompanist of singers and instrumentalists. Since he was in much demand to write for ensembles for the University, he was forced to develop extensive compositional skills. During this time Weber Iago was also chosen as the first soloist of the 1984 symphonic season to perform the “Piano Concerto in G” by Maurice Ravel. Iago made a much anticipated move to the United States in 1987 to further his studies into different types of music, mainly Jazz where he recorded with James Newton and Moacir Santos as well as working as band leader for his own group Zen Blend. Most notably, Iago recorded two CDís with the great Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo (“Face to Face” and “Two”) under the name Weber Drummond. Over the years, Iago has been in much demand as a composer and arranger for artists such as flautist Ali Ryerson, Keith Underwood, Brazilian singer Claudia Villela, tamba master Helcio Milito, Jeff Linsky, Sanae Nakayma and Kenny Stahl, just to name a few. In 1998 he was invited to be the musical director of the legendary Tamba Trio. In 2000,Weber Iago toured in Europe,where he recorded with talented pianist/composer Charles Loos, from Belgium, a CD with original compositions by Loos and himself ( released on the Belgian label Igloo in october 2001 : IGL 160 “O sonho e o Sorriso”) plus a CD of solo piano that will be released on Mogno Music in January 2002 ( mogno j006 : “Two Hands, One Heart”). Iago has been busy touring all over the United States as well as Japan and his native Brazil. He has also released the cd “Children of the Wind” for the label Adventure music. In 2004, he released another CD for Mognomusic, with his Belgian quartet “Spring will stay here”, with Pierre Bernard (fl), Henri Greindl (eb) and Tonio Reina (dr) and toured in Europe with Marcia Maria. Weber Iago has been Latin Grammy award nominated for the CD he recorded with fellow Brazilien pianist Jovino Santos Neto “live in Caramoor”. In 2010 he released another piano solo CD, with personal compositions and improvisations “Nehmat”. from www.mognomusic.com
