Grupo Falso Baiano
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Saturday, August 13, 2011 | Castellano Latin Stage | 4pm
Grupo Falso Baiano is a choro group that offers a window into the history and diverse culture of Brazil. Choro is one of Brazil's earliest popular music forms, dating to the late 1800s, and, similar to jazz, it reflects the melding of African rhythms with a melodic and harmonic structure closely resembling Baroque Classical music.
The group's exploration of nearly 100 years of choro music includes everything from the traditional to more contemporary, Jazz-influenced reinterpretations. In addition to performing and touring, Grupo Falso Baiano has collaborated with the Pasadena Pops, Around the World Music Program, Young Audiences of Northern CA, and Youth in Arts to bring choro and Brazilian music to students throughout California.
Grupo Falso Baiano takes its name from the famous Geraldo Pereira song "Falsa Baiana" made famous by Joao Gilberto, among others. A "falsa baiana" (or falso baiano) is a fake Bahian: one who claims to come from the state of Bahia, named after its famous bay. Hence the play on words as it applies to Grupo Falso Baiano: because they hail from the San Francisco Bay Area, they are Bahians of North America, but are "fake Brazilians." They picked the name to honestly reflect their love and respect for the music they play. Says the group: “Our take on choro is to preserve the traditional sounds and instruments while incorporating our own influences and heritage.”
The group’s first album was Grupo Falso Baiano: Live at The Hillside Club, Their most recent CD is Viajando: Choro e Jazz, released in 2008.
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“[They] will make you dance, cry, laugh and marvel at their instrumental skill and love for a music that is centuries old but sounds as fresh as ever.” —The SF Bay Guardian
genre: latin jazz
Zack Pitt-Smith, flute, clarinet saxophone
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