Topaz and the VNote Ensemble Present 'The Sounds of South America' January 26, 2008

Celebrate the New Year with Fiery, Folkloric Music and Lilting, Melodic Jazz at a Benefit Concert for All Saints' Outreach Programs

Mimi Dye, violist and Artistic Director of TOPAZ, and Jackeline Rago, cuatro player, percussionist and Musical Director of the VNote Ensemble (formerly The Snake Trio), join together to perform Venezuelan folkloric music and original compositions from Mimi Dye's new CD, "River in the Sun." Performers include Vic Schrader, guitarist from the TOPAZ Ensemble, along with members of the VNote Ensemble: Donna Viscuso, flutist and sax player, Sam Bevan, bassist, and Lali Mejia, percussionist. Talented young musicians from the community will also perform.

Let the exhilarating rhythms and melodies of South America and the swing of melodic jazz lift your spirits and win your heart!

About the Artists
Mimi Dye, violist, composer and Artistic Director of TOPAZ, is well known to Bay Area audiences as a soloist, chamber musician, and jazz performer. Her numerous orchestral credits include playing in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, touring with Barbra Streisand and recording movie scores in Los Angeles. Her compositions include an album of solo viola works ("Angel Songs of Mimi Dye"), two chamber jazz suites ("Gracias a Dios and Paradise Dreams"), and a new jazz CD, "River in the Sun."

Jackeline Rago, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer and educator who specializes in Venezuelan Folk Music as well as music from other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. She is the artistic and musical director of the "Venezuelan Music Project" and a founding member of "The Snake Trio." Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Ms. Rago began playing music at the age of four. Ms. Rago has been awarded grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, California Arts Council, Meet the Composer/Readers Digest Commissioning Program, The National Endowment for the Arts and the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Foundation.

$20/$10 in advance; $25/$12.50 at the door.

Official Website: http://www.topazmusic.org