Neco Novellas (composer of pan-African music with jazz, reggae & classical influences) was born and raised in Maputo, Mozambique. He grew up in a musical family where the father Joao Jotamo Johanhane sang, played guitar and electric organ and mother Gertrudes Sofia Vilanculos sang in traditional ceremonies and in the choir of the local Catholic Church. From an early age, Neco and his brothers and sisters were exposed to traditional music and dance through their parents and surroundings. Musical activities in and around church taught the children western music. The Novellas also listened to folk, jazz, pop and world music from Mozambique’s National Radio broadcasts. After a successful start to his career in Mozambique, where Neco is a celebrity in his own right, he received a grant to study classical singing and guitar at the Academia de Musica Eborense and later at Universidade de Musica de Evora in Portugal. In 2002 Neco visited a number of countries in Europe. Holland attracted him the most at that time so he decided to pursue his studies at the Codarts Rotterdam Conservatory of Music. In Holland Neco's versatility came to the fore and after having introduced his music and compositions to local musicians and students from Codarts, he was asked to write the music score for a Dutch short film De Grijns (The Grin), shown at the International Film Festival in Rotterdam in 2006. Neco continued with his studies, leading workshops, performing solo, playing drums and classical repertoire and composing and performing the music for two albums Mita Famba in 2006 and a brand new album in October 2007 on the World Connection label called, New Dawn – Ku Khata.