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William Soovik

I was born in 1989, in a city south of Gothenburg called Mölndal. My father has been a professional musician during my whole life, and he inspired me to play music when I was young. I've seen photos of myself, as a small child, hitting my mothers pots and pans with wooden spoons in the kitchen, but it wasn't until my father showed me a video tape of the legendary jazz-drummer Buddy Rich that I knew I wanted to play the drums. Despite my fascination with the drums, I was very ambivalent when I was about start taking music lessons and got to choose what instrument to play. I struggled, for quite some time, deciding between the saxophone and the drums. At last, I choose the drums, and I've had a sort of turbulent relationship with all kinds of percussion instruments ever since.

I spent most of my teenage years trying to learn how to play like John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, but I also played classical and melodic percussion instruments like marimba and vibraphone. Eventually my "inner John Bonham" defeated the disciplined classical musician within, and I fell in love with jazz and improvised music. I've studied music, full time, for 9 years. I got my bachelors degree in improvised performance from the Academy of Music and Drama in Gothenburg in 2015 and has been freelancing since then.

I play in a number of groups and co-lead and compose for some of them. Over the past years I've spent most of my time working on music for my own group William Soovik Grand Finale.

Awards

2020: *Record production grant from Swedish Arts Council for William Soovik Grand Finale - Major. *Education grant from West-Swedish Department of Culture. 2019: *One of 5 musicians to be chosen to partake in the project "Up & Coming" with Bohuslän Big Band. ​2018: *Touring grant from Swedish Arts Council for tour with La Fuite in England and France. ​2017: *Record-production grant from Swedish Arts Council for record with Water Boogie System. *Touring grant from Swedish Arts Council for tour with Paperwing. ​2016: *Record-production grant from Swedish Arts Council for records with Bone Machine, Solbergs Amigos and Black Dough. *Touring grant from Swedish Arts Counsil for tour with Water Boogie System in Finland, Poland and England. ​2015: *Local grant for music creation from Adlerbertska stiftelsen. *Touring grant from Swedish Arts Council for tour with Bone Machine in Scandinavia. ​2014: *Nominated for jazz album of the year with the band Water Boogie System on the Swedish awards for independent music labels. *Record production grant from Swedish Arts Council for record with Water Boogie System. ​2013: *Touring grant from Swedish Arts Council for national tour with Water Boogie System. ​2012: *Swedish national radio award: Newcomer of the year (jazz) with the band Water Boogie System.


Tags

"The Gothenburgian drummer William Soovik's peculiar mix of free jazz, rock and melancholy is hardly calculated, but feels very genuine. And his band is exellent!"

"The songs thread through shifting dynamics, with some tracks fairly sprinting through the room, others almost motionless which adds to the magical mystery ride of the album which holds the attention throughout its approximately fifty three minutes of duration".

"...This band mixes freely in the musical pot. The music is jumpy and syncopated, warm and jazzy, cooly avant garde and artsy and humourus. There are smooth, jazzy bass lines, syntpop gestures and free jazz tendencies but first and foremost: It's Water Boogie System in all their glory!"

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Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

Gothenburg

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I'd be super happy to meet and/or teach anyone who are interested in playing drums, or music in general. I've been working as a teacher in a couple of music schools, teaching roughly 50-70 students, beginner to advanced level. I can do lessons in person, via skype or zoom or just talk on the phone. I also give lessons in composing and arranging and ensemble-playing and improvisation. Get in touch with me if you're interested and we can set something up. I'm quite cheap and flexible with teaching times.

Music

Videos

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