Forró Brazuca plays traditional northeastern Brazilian forró music like no other group outside Brazil. Thanks to the leadership of accordionist Francelino Alves, this SF-based quartet of Brazilians packs dance floors with their forró, xote, and rastapé grooves. Bassist Carlos Oliveira from Pernambuco, drummer Chris Thomas from Rio de Janeiro, and percussionist/vocalist Paulo Presotto from São […]
Janam (“My Soul”) creates a compelling, eclectic mix of Balkan, Romani, Sephardic and American Roots music plus inspired originals. Led by golden-throated Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble veteran Juliana Graffagna, Janam proves that the foothills of the Balkans and the Appalachians lie in Oakland. Janam’s funky meters, bittersweet modes, driving tunes, and sultry ballads invoke the […]
Influenced by the mysticism of Indian music and the colorful soul of American music, PremaSoul (pronounced prae-ma, from the Sanskrit word for “universal love”), transcends boundaries with an intoxicating blend of rich, modern harmonies and old world rhythms, to create songs of rare beauty. Fronted by Indian-American vocalist/harpist Sheela Bringi and Black American songwriter/trumpeter Clinton […]