Choramundo Nelson Latif - cavaquinho, acoustic guitar Praful - saxes, flute, bansuri Joeri de Graaf - electric & acoustic guitar Pablo Nahar - bass Olaf Keus - drums The Choramundo project is an initiative of the guitar players Nelson Latif and Joeri de Graaf. They brought together a group of musicians from the Dutch jazz scene. This new generation is strongly influenced by the diverse cultures and ethnicities found in modern Dutch society. Each musician brings different specializations to the group. The melodies are shaped by Praful on sax and flute and Nelson on cavaquinho. The unique mix of styles; the acoustic instruments, played with intensity and warmth; the four kinds of guitars which serve as a foundation mixed with the percussion, all result in a virtuosic, danceable groove. Nelson Latif was raised in the lively music-scene of the 80s in Sao Paulo. He is specialized in jazz and choromusic. In his phrasing one will strongly recognize the influence from jazz music but in his rhythmical abilities and his virtuosic playing there are many characteristics of Brazilian Choro music. He is a master on both the acoustic guitar as on the cavaquinho. Praful is a native German who chose Amsterdam as his home base in the late 80's. Over the last 2 decades he has immersed himself in Jazz, Dance, TripHop, Latin and West African Music, and especially in the music of Brazil and India . He has recorded and shared the stage with numerous artists and bands: Project 2000, Bayuba Cante, Société – tous les Couleurs, Dave Koz, Gerardo Rosales, ElectroCôco, Lilian Vieira (Zuco103), Jonathan Butler, Maneesh de Moor, Deva Premal and Miten, Marc Antoine, Nippy Noya, Armando Peraza, Ravi, Jazzjuice, Good Move, Hardsoul, DJ Maestro and many more. For "Project 2000" he received the Dutch Heineken Crossover Award. Joeri de Graaf, guitar player in a new generation of Dutch musicians, studied in both Europe and Brazil. His playing is influenced by Jazz, Latin and Classical music. His craftsmanship on both the electric and acoustic 8-string guitars offers numerous possibilities to Choramundo's arrangements and its variety of sound. Pablo Nahar was born in Paramaribo, Suriname. He is the co-founder of the legendary "Suriname Music Ensemble" and was a pioneer in the development of "Paramaribop". While living in New York he studied composition & arranging with Frank Foster. In 1997, in Amsterdam, he founded the quintet "Surfive" as a platform to further explore Paramaribop. Lately he has been touring with its new incarnation, the quartet "4Sure". Olaf Keus was born in Amsterdam, Holland, and started playing percussion and drums at an early age. He has gathered musical experiences from the far corners of the world and become a drummer with a touch of Cuba, Africa, Brazil, New York and Amsterdam. He spent six years with the late saxophonist and singer Rosa King; they recorded 3 albums and toured the world several times. Guest artists such as Jan Akkerman, Alex Britty, Luther Allison and Hans Dulfer were included. Olaf also performs with Diana Miranda, Macleim, Ramon Valle, Nippy Noya, Deborah Carter and Michelle David. Website: http://www.myspace.com/choramundo CD's: Choramundo - Choramundo »»»