about
Originally from Montpellier, South of France, Nicolas Grupp became passionate about playing drums at the age of 13. Before turning 18, he did his first gigs in a rock band that ultimately ended up playing 80 concerts during the three years of the group's existence. Nicolas started courses in jazz and West-African music at a music school called ‘Jam’ in Montpellier.
In 2005 and 2008 he visited Mali with his drums in order to truly learn the Touareg rhythms. During these trips, he met with several Malian artists and groups, such as the well-known band Tinariwen with which he had the opportunity to play two concerts. In order to complete his music studies, Nicolas enrolled in the school of Didier Lockwood, CMDL, from which he graduated two years later with excellent grades.
In 2016, Nicolas launched an original project with his band Raven — a two-week walking tour along the Stevenson Trail, accompanied by donkeys carrying their instruments. This unique adventure combined music, ecology, and exploration, offering a zero-carbon tour and a deep reconnection with nature, far from the conventional touring model.
He currently resides in Paris and plays in numerous jazz and world music projects. He performs in France and abroad with artists such as Tamikrest, Levis Reinhardt, Hindi Zahra, Justin Adams, Terakaft, Gabi Hartmann, Samy Thiébault, Les Yeux noirs, Sébastien Giniaux, … Some of his most memorable concerts have been played at festivals such as Sziget, Glastonbury, and Printemps de Bourges. In addition to Europe, Nicolas has toured in the USA, Russia, Western Africa, Asia and South America.
