Peter Auret

Peter Auret is a Johannesburg-based musician who has spent the last 19 years working as a freelance drummer and a recording engineer at his Sumo Sound Recording facility. Jazz and improvised music has been a passion for Auret since his early 20s, and has now become the focus of his musical endeavors.

As a Jazz musician Peter has had the privilege to perform with local Jazz legends including: Andile Yenana , Paul Hanmer, McCoy Mrubata, Africa Mkihze, Bokani Dyer, Feya Faku, Marcus Wyatt and Vuma Levin as well as international Artists that include Jan Lundrgen (SWE), Bruce Cassidy (CAN), Lisette Spinnler (CHE), Rachel Rarnisch (CHE) and Hetty Kate (FR). In 2013 Peter was the local headliner at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival, performing his own compositions from his debut album “turn the Tide” with his “Peter Auret Trio”.

As a freelance drummer, Peter has spent most of his 20s and early 30s as a side-man for some of the country’s most formidable popular music act’s. This includes a 5 year touring and recording stint with Pop/Rock sensation “Watershed”, touring and recording with singer-songwriter “Karma/Henry Ate “ and various performances with: Dan Patlansky, Laurie Levine and Riku Latti.

As a recording engineer, Auret has engineered albums for the Cream of South Africa’s musical Artists including: Sibongle Khumalo, Afrika Mkhize, Kyle Shepperd, Marcus Wyatt, Feya Faku, Nduduzo Makhathini, Mcoy Mrubata, Khaya Mahlangu, Benjamin Jephta, Shane Cooper, Thandi Nthuli to name a few, and international artists that include Shabaka Hutchings (UK) , Mike Del Forro (NL), and Tutu Poane (BE).
In April of 2014 Peter was awarded a South African Music Award for the category “Best Engineer” at the SAMA 20 awards held at Sun City, and was nominated again in 2015 and 2016 in the same category. In August 2020 Peter was awarded the SAMA as Best Engineer for Marcus Wyatt’s ZAR Jazz orchestra Live Recording. Peter has been nominated 5 times for various categories of the South African Music Awards.

In 2001, Peter and Guitarist Max Mikula were signed to the Gallo Record Company to record their World music/afro Jazz project “Tsunami”. Tsunami released 2 albums between 2001-2004, Both these albums were nominated for South African Music Awards.For the last few years Peter has been touring and recording as a sideman with the Charl Du Plessis trio, Sydney Mavundla Quintet, Ziza Muftic, Vuma Levin and serves as drummer for stage veteran and TV personality Nataniel.