San Diego Reader

Tokeli: Vocals | Peter Sprague: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Nathan Jarrell: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Gunnar Biggs: Bass guitar | Harley Magsino: Bass guitar | Leonard Patton: Vocals | Steve Haney: Percussion | Joseph Ortiz: MC | Joseph Ortiz: Drums

Genre: Blues & Soul, Jazz, Latin | Tejano, Rock

Sound description: Brazilian Groove, fusing acoustic funk and jazz with Brazilian electronica.

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Related Links

• Samba de Toquali website

• MySpace page

Synoposis

Inception: Coronado, 2009

Influences: Ceu, Bossacucanova, SiSe, Esperanza Spalding, Flora Purim, Gretchen Parlato, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Djavan, Peter Sprague, Cibelle

Background:

“I’ve worked with the best jazzheads,” says jazz vocalist Tokeli, who fronts Samba de Toquali. “Guys with Masters degrees in jazz and extensive bios in the music industry, guys that challenge me daily to improvise and write music.”

Tokeli says her band has created a somewhat new musical genre, Brazilian Groove, fusing acoustic funk and jazz with Brazilian electronica. “Think Ceu meets the San Diego beach scene,” she says. Tokeli’s debut solo album Where Do You Start? - produced by San Diego jazz cat Peter Sprague - was SDMA nominated Best Jazz Album in 2005.