Grupo Falso Baiano, a San Francisco-based quartet, brings the joy of Brazilian choro music to audiences in California. Choro, one of Brazil’s earliest popular music originating in the 1870s, remains a vibrant, evolving style in Brazil and beyond. The group holds a deep respect and love for the 150-year history of this music, while being unafraid to experiment, explore and bring their own diverse musical backgrounds to this rich musical tradition.
With 20 years together, Grupo Falso Baiano has graced top jazz and world music stages on the west coast, including SF Jazz, Yoshi’s Oakland, Yoshi’s San Francisco, The Freight and Salvage, the California Jazz Conservatory, San Jose Jazz Festival, Healdsburg Jazz Festival and L.A.C.M.A. They’ve worked with renowned Brazilian and jazz artists like Anat Cohen, Ana Carbatti, Jovino Santos Neto, Moyseis Marques, Rogerio Souza and Alessandro Penezzi.
The concert is from 1:00–2:00 PM. Please join us for coffee and snacks in the lobby after the concert.
Musicians:
Ami Molinelli, percussion
Jesse Appelman, mandolin
Brian Moran, seven-string guitar
Harvey Wainapel, saxophone/clarinet
Ami Molinelli is a professional percussionist and educator specializing in Brazilian and Latin percussion. Her performance and recording credits include theater and television (NBC). She co-leads the Brazilian and jazz ensemble Grupo Falso Baiano with three albums to their credit and is a member of the touring project Duo Violão Plus One with legendary seven-string guitar player Rogério Souza from Niteroi in Rio de Janeiro and Edinho Gerber. She is the founder of the Bay Area Brazilian Jazz Collective and will be touring in the Pacific Northwest this fall.
Jesse Appelman is one of a select few North American mandolinists deeply versed in the Brazilian choro mandolin tradition. Living in Rio de Janeiro in 2008, he studied at the legendary Escola Portatil Choro Academy with master musicians. He has brought choro music to stages all over California for over 17 years as a member of Grupo Falso Baiano and also as a NYC member of Regional de NY from 2011–2013.
Brian Moran has been a fixture on the Brazilian music scene in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 20 years as a member of Grupo Falso Baiano, Jorge Alabê’s Samba Rio and Oakland Samba Revue among other projects. Brian started the first choro gafiera big band here in the Bay Area and is the leader of this energizing nine-piece band!
Harvey Wainapel is based in Berkeley, California, and has his feet firmly planted in two musical worlds. His jazz experience has led to performances and/or recordings with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Kenny Barron, Joe Henderson, Johnny Coles and the Metropole Orchestra. He has toured internationally with Ray Charles, Joe Lovano and Airto Moreira/Flora Purim. Wainapel’s deep love for and research into Brazilian music has resulted in performances and recordings with Guinga, Amilton Godoy, Paulo Bellinati, Léa Freire, Jovino Santos Neto and Spok, among many other notables from that country. To date Harvey has presented his own work in clubs, festivals and studios in 17 countries.
Senior Programs are made possible in part by generous contributions from the Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund, the John R. Schwabacher Family, as well as many other individual donors. We are grateful for their generous support.
Tuesday, December 16
1:00–2:00 PM | Doors open at 12:30 PM | Linger after the concert for coffee and snacks in the lobby.
The Nourish Cafe on campus is open for lunch before the concert
Albert and Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall (Bldg F)
$15 tickets purchased online before December 8 | $25 after December 8 and at the door
Contact: Michelle Rosengaus | mrosengaus@paloaltojcc.org