Sue Hadjopoulos

Hadjopoulos was born in Flushing, New York to a musical family.[1] Her brother Chris Hadjopoulos is a drummer. Her brother, Steve Hadjopoulos, died in 1991 played flute, keyboards, and saxophone with the group Firefall from 1983-1988.

Hadjopoulos studied classical flute for six years before switching to drums and percussion.[2] She graduated magna cum laude in Anthropology at Barnard College, Columbia University and did her graduate studies at Mannes College of Music in Manhattan.

In 1977 Hadjopoulos began a two-year run as a founding member and timbalera of Latin Fever, a 14-piece female salsa band produced by Latin jazz pianist Larry Harlow. Their breakthrough CD Larry Harlow Presents Latin Fever rose to the top of the Latin charts and garnered a #1 hit with the single "Lo Que Te Gusta Mas".

In 1982, Hadjopoulos collaborated with British musician Joe Jackson[1] to create his 1982 album Night and Day.[3] Hadjopoulos continued her collaboration with him on and off through 2012, during that time she also worked with artists as Cyndi Lauper, Simple Minds, Enrique Iglesias, and Ricky Martin.[4]

Hadjopoulos co-wrote, co-produced and performed the song "Breakin' Up" in the 1994 film Bar Girls[5] and in the later 1990s and early 2000s, she also performed in theatre and off-Broadway shows: Behind the Beat at the Kaufman Theater with Vicki Sue Robinson in 1999. The Temptation of Saint Anthony premiere at Ruhr Trienalle Festivalle in Duisberg, Germany resulted in a limited release of a two compilation CD in addition to an off Broadway production of Songs For A New World at NYC's Churnuchin Theater, produced by Debbie Slevin.[6]

In 1984 she was voted one of the top five percussionists in the Latin/Brazilian category of Modern Drummer magazine's Readers’ Poll.[7]

With Otis Blackwell

• The No.1 King of Rock ‘n’ Roll (1977)

With Hazel Scott

• Always (1979)

With Latin Fever

• Larry Harlow Presents Latin Fever (1978)

With Joe Jackson

• Night And Day (1982)
• Night And Day Deluxe Edition (2003)
• Mikes Murder Film Soundtrack (1983)
• Joe Jackson Live 1980-86 (1988)
• Blaze of Glory (1989)
• Laughter and Lust (1991)
• Three of Hearts Film Score (1994)
• Joe Jackson & Friends - Heaven and Hell (1997)
• Symphony No.1 (Grammy Winner) (1999)
• Night and Day II (2000)
• The Duke (2011)

With Simple Minds

• Once Upon A Time (1985)
• Simple Minds Live In The City of Light (1986)

With Cyndi Lauper

• The World is Stone - Learn To Live Alone (1992 Special edition CD)
• Taken from Tycoon: The Musical Album (U.S. remake of the French/Québécois cyberpunk rock opera (1976)

With Laurie Anderson

• Strange Angels (1989)
• “Strange Angels” in the Film Soundtrack of “The Doctor.”

With Humpe Humpe

• Humpe Humpe (1985)

With David Byrne

• David Byrne David Byrne (1994)

With They Might Be Giants

• Factory Showroom (1996)

With Ricky Martin

• “I Count The Minutes” from the CD Ricky Martin (1999 )

With Michael Monroe

• Not Fakin’ It (1989)

With Debbie Friedman

• The Water in the Well (2001)

With Southside Johnny and the La Bamba Big Band

• Grapefruit Moon The Songs of Tom Waits (2008)