Named for the Haitian god of rain, the Swedish band Simbi, passionately interprets the music and meaning of Haitian and Creole world-beat with funk, rock, and jazz.

The 8-piece Vodou-Roots group was founded in the late 1980s after saxophonist/percussionist/vocalist Sten Kdllman visited Haiti with a study program centered on Creole and Haitian culture. There, Kdllman became fascinated with Vodou rhythms, traditions, and rituals, and upon his return to Sweden, he assembled well-known and respected rock, jazz and folk musicians on the Swedish music scene to create Simbi.

Simbi’s first album, Vodou Beat (1992) was released in the US through Green Linnet/ Xenophile Records in 1995. In 1997, the band was featured on the soundtrack to the movie, The Big Easy.