Paulo Braga's musical career would satisfy several drummers. His innovation in the contemporary Brazilian drum style has made him one of the most-recorded drummers in Brazilian history. For more than two decades Mr. Braga has played with Brasil's top recording artists, consistently setting the standard for Brazilian music. His creativity and technical expertise have made him popular both in the Brazilian and jazz world. Born in Minas Gerais, Mr. Braga began his musical education at the age of nine while playing snare drum in a local marching band. Before long he was doing club dates and by 1963 had joined the Berimbau Trio, with Milton Nascimento and Wagner Tiso. Along with Toninho Horta, Ronaldo Bastos and Fernando Brant, he initiated the movement called Clube da Esquina, which helped popularize the music of Minas Gerais throughout Brasil. Mr. Braga continued his musical studies in Sao Paulo where he trained classically with Sinfonica Jovem. However it was not until Mr. Braga moved to Rio de Janeiro that is musical career took off. His characteristic high energy and charisma, enabled Mr. Braga to meet Brasil's hottest artists and he was soon playing with the likes of Elis Regina, Ivan Lins, Djavan and Antonio Carlos Jobim with whom he toured and recorded for fifteen years, including the Grammy Award winning Antonio Brasileiro Jobim. In addition Mr. Braga achieved international recognition for his recordings with Lee Ritenour, Sadao Watanabe and Joe Henderson's Double Rainbow CD.

Radegundis Feitosa (trombone) PhD in trombone performance from the Catholic University of America, USA after a Masters Degree at the New York Juilliard School, Radegundis Feitosa Nunes won several national contests (such as the Sulamerica/ Young Brazilian Concert Artists, and the Funarte Young Brazilian Music Interpreters) and international ones such as the East & West Artists, which guarantees the musician's debut at the Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. He has been performing as a soloist, chamber orchestra interpreter and orchestra player in Brazil, the US and Europe. As a professor he carries out on-going activities in the Music department at the Federal University of Paraiba and conducts workshops during festivals throughout Brazil. He has performed as first trombone for the Bahia Symphony Orchestra in 1982 and with the Paraíba Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1987. He has been the trombone player with the Brasil Quintet since 1983 and is the current vice-president at the Brazilian Trombone Players' Association. contact

Armandinho (cavaquinho) In any ranking of important Brazilian instrumentalists, Armandinho Macedo has a place of honor alongside Pixinguinha, Hermeto Pascoal, Baden Powell, Raphael Rabello, and Paulo Moura. His musical passion and virtuosity, in an expansive spectrum of musical genres, can be traced to the influence of his father, Osmar Macedo, a pioneer of the Trio Elctrico of which Armandinho became part in the 1970s. A multifaceted player he has received equal recognition for his mastering of' 'guitarra baiana' (a 5-string electric bandolim invented by his father), of the Northeastern style called 'frevo', and of the glamorous Rio style of 'choro' which is considered one of the sources of gafieira music. He is regarded with Paulo Moura as one of the most brilliant instrumentalists of Brasil.

David Finck (acoustic bass) David Finck is one of the most sought-after musicians in New York, whose reputation is outstanding in the areas of jazz, Brazilian, and classical music. He grew up in Philadelphia where he studied double bass with Philadelphia Orchestra bassist Samuel Goradetzer and Michael Shahan. In 1976 he began studies at the Eastman School of Music and upon graduating he was asked to join Woody Herman and his Thundering Herd. Since his arrival in New York City in 1980 he has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods, Andree Previn, Eliane Elias, Roberta Flack, Claudio Roditi, Mel Lewis, Slide Hampton, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, Gonzalo Rubacalba and many others. In 1987 he joined Paquito D'Rivera's Havana-New York Ensemble. With him he performed throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Japan, and Israel. He also appeared on many of Paquito's recordings. David Finck's discography includes The Empire Brass Quintet, Rosemary Clooney, Ivan Lins, Sinaed O'Conner, Lee Koniz, Claudio Roditi, and Natalie Cole. In 1993 conductor and pianist Sir Andre Previn invited him to participate in a series of recordings for Philip Classics featuring Grammy Award winning soprano Sylvia McNair. In Brazil, David Finck has performed at the Free Jazz Festival in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. In addition to his performance and recording schedule, he enjoys writing and teaching. He contributed toThe Village Voice's special supplement on Frank Sinatra.