Ami Molinelli is a professional percussionist and educator specializing in Brazilian and Latin percussion.

Ami received her Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts.  Her performance and recording credits include theater, television (NBC).  She is a freelance performing artist as well.  She is endorsed by Latin Percussion (LP) and Rhythm Tech.

Here last album, “História do Choro” with Duo Violão Brasl + 1 was released in 2019 and was celebrated as one of the best jazz albums from the Bay Area for 2019. (Andy Gilbert, San Jose Mercury News) She is a two-time San Francisco Arts Commission Individual Artist Recipient 2018 and 2020.

She co-leads the Brazilian and Jazz ensemble, Grupo Falso Baiano with three albums to their credit: “Depois” released in 2017, “Simplicidade – Live at Yoshi’s” and “Viajando em Choro e Jazz.” Grupo Falso Baiano have been featured on NPR’s the California Report, Radio Latina and Pandora LIVE!

Her percussion curriculum has been used and published in clinics and education workshops including the Los Angeles Philharmonic,The San Francisco Jazz Center, Los Angeles Music Center, Music in Schools Today, Young Audiences of Northern California, UFBA Ouro Preto, Brasil,  HeadStart (San Mateo County), Los Angeles Music Academy, California Brazil Camp, Jazz Camp West, etc.  Her curriculum, “Recycled Rhythm” was created for her artist residency of 7 years at the Los Angeles Music Center.  Currently Ami is a music integration and curriculum specialist with organizations such as The San Francisco Jazz Center, Living Jazz and San Francisco Unified School District.