Grupo Falso Baiano and VNote Ensemble

Bay Area ensembles Grupo Falso Baiano and VNote present an evening of South American music, featuring the sounds of Brazil, Venezuela and more, presented in conjunction with 51Oakland. Joining these two fine ensembles will be several young guests, local students of the performers, who are also Bay Area educators.

The VNote Ensemble, led by Venezuelan cuatro master Jackie Rago, and featuring the talents of Donna Viscuso (flute), Sam Bevan (bass) and Michaelle Goelitz (percussion) perform a fascinating fusion of Venezuelan folk music with adventurous jazz explorations and incredible musicianship.

Grupo Falso Baiano is one of the few groups in the US dedicated to preserving and pushing forward the little known genre of Brazilian choro music. Using traditional acoustic instruments with a modern approach, Falso Baiano has been performing for over 10 years, presenting the music with a fresh and personal approach. Featuring Zack Pitt-Smith (reeds), Jesse Appelman (mandolin), Brian Moran (7 string guitar) and Ami Molinelli (percussion).