Femke Smit – lead vocals
Femke Smit (1986) is from the Netherlands but sings Brazilian music as if she was born there. Maybe it was another life, maybe it’s pure coincidence, but when she sings Brazilian music she feels at home. With her several projects (o.a. Cantorias, Roda da Holanda and a duo with pianist Mike del Ferro) she brings an important contribution to the Brazilian scene in the Netherlands. With her group Cantorias (with also Anna Serierse, Lilian Vieira and Nina Rompa on the vocals) she won an Edison in 2024 in the category Nationaal vocaal and was nominated for the Publieksprijs. Her abundant appearance and inviting and moving way of singing Samba, Bossa Nova and MPB make Femke a singer who really takes you with her on a musical journey.

Breno Virícimo – guitar & vocals
Breno Virícimo is a Brazilian musician and music producer born in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina. In 2010, he moved to Europe to deepen his musical knowledge, bringing with him the unmistakable influence of Brazil’s rich rhythmic heritage—something that continues to shape both his songwriting and production style. Equally at home playing bass and guitar, Breno spent 12 years living and working in the Netherlands, where he built a solid foundation in the European music scene. Now based in Paris, he continues to bridge cultures through music, actively connecting Brazil and Europe through his creative projects.His time is currently split between producing, recording, and performing across France, the Netherlands, and Brazil. He works closely with artists such as Tom Ribeira, Leo Middea, Castello Branco, João Sabiá and is the founder of the YouTube channel Olaiá Music, a platform dedicated to showcasing contemporary Brazilian music. Whether on stage or in the studio, Breno’s work reflects a deep love for rhythm, collaboration, and musical storytelling.

Lucas Figueiredo Santana – sax & flute
Versatility, energy and musicality define Lucas Figueiredo Santana (1993). Saxophone player but also clarinet and flute player, this Brazilian musician based in Amsterdam has shown a unique way to express himself through music, crossing over the Brazilian samba-jazz, Bossa Nova and Choro with Jazz.
Keep an Eye Records winner – 2020 and and Downbeat Magazine winner on the Small Jazz Combo category, Lucas has been based in Europe since 2015 where he had countless opportunities in which he could experience the apex of the music, sharing the stage with many great musicians from the Brazilian, Jazz and pop scene.
Throughout his arrangements and compositions, he brings to life his deepest musical feelings and emotions, expressing it into several different musical settings from jazz trio to large ensembles.

The latest works of Lucas are:
-Metropole Orkest Studio Session – Brasil | Feat Lucas Santana
-Lucas Santana Grand Orchestra | Presents Candomblé – Partnership with Jazz Orchestra of Concertgebouw Productions
-Bosquejos do Brasil | Feat Adam Quartet
-Ambivalence | Lucas Santana 5tet
-Reflections | Lucas Santana 5tet

More info: https://lucasfsantana.com/

Udo Demandt – drums
Udo Demandt (1969, Germany) began drumming with the age of 8, playing at local marching and dance events. Between 1995 and 2000 he studied drums & percussion at Rotterdams Conservatory / Codarts.  Studytrips took him to Spain, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Cuba – and in 2009 Udo received a scholarship to study for 6 months with his favourite masters in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. He regularly performs with bands and projects of a vast stylistic variety, such as Roda da Holanda, Cantorias, Marmoucha Orchestra, Nawras Altaky a.o.
Udo teaches drums and percussion at Codarts and the EPM Choroschool in Rotterdam.

Nathaniel Klumperbeek – bass guitar & vocals
Nathan is a 35-year-old Indian-Moroccan bassist and singer from Amsterdam. He grew up in a family where language, theatre, and music were always highly valued. He studied jazz with a major in bass guitar at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
After years of working as a bass player with musicians in various formations at both national and international levels, he realized that his passion also lies in passing music on to the next generation. That’s why this year, he will graduate as a Music Teacher from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
In addition to being a performer, Nathan is also a composer and producer of Brazilian, Latin American, and jazz-oriented music—both for himself and others.
Music has taken Nathaniel far as a bassist, with performances alongside artists such as Tentempies, Frank McComb, John Ellison, Shishani, Jarreau Vandal, Anan Ya’ari, Kris Berry, and Jessica Manuputty. He has toured extensively in Armenia, Brazil, Chile, China, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Senegal, Spain, and Turkey, among others—playing his bass on nearly every continent. Highlights include appearances at Lollapalooza Festival in Santiago de Chile and Lowlands Festival in Biddinghuizen.

As co-producer of Mabassa (alongside Roda da Holanda’s own Breno Viricimo), he has released two EPs: Caçula (2017) and Antes Que Esqueço (2019). Nathan is currently working on his solo debut album under the name that also appears in his passport: Nathaniel Dov.

Marijn van der Linden – cavaquinho
Marijn van der Linden (1981, Curaçao) is a guitarist, cavaquinho player, and composer specialized in Brazilian music. He studied improvised guitar at the Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg and took lessons with renowned artists in both the Netherlands and Brazil, including Luciana Rabello, Hamilton de Holanda, and Rogério Caetano.
Recognized as the leading cavaquinho player in the Netherlands, Marijn performs with groups such as Roda da Holanda, Duo Gaitar, and Lilian Vieira Grupo, focusing on choro, samba, jazz, and world music. He has performed across Europe and Brazil, including Casa do Choro in Rio de Janeiro and Clube do Choro in Brasília.

In addition to performing, Marijn teaches guitar, cavaquinho, and Brazilian ensemble at Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam. In 2012, he founded Escola Portátil de Música Holanda, Europe’s first music school dedicated to choro, where he’s director and teacher.

More info: www.brazzjazz.com | www.choroschool.com

Léo da Vila Matilde – percussion
Multi-instrumentalist, sambista and composer.
Born in 1970 in the eastern zone of São Paulo and raised in the Vila Matilde community, in his younger years Léo was a regular member of the samba school Nenê de Vila Matilde until 1990.
From 1990 to 1998, he lived in Japan, where he co-founded the group Sem Identidade, with whom he recorded a CD titled Do Outro Lado. He also co-founded the samba school Unidos da Toka in the city of Oizumi-machi.
In 1998 Léo returned to Brazil for two years where he played in the backing bands of various sambistas, including Reinaldo.
From 2000 to 2010, he lived in Portugal, where he co-founded the band Mistura Brasileira, which accompanied and opened for various renowned sambistas, including Jorge Aragão, Revelação, Márcio Karametade, Neguinho da Beija Flor, Dudu Nobre, and Simone, among others.
From 2010 to the present, Léo has participated in various samba bands across Europe.

Vincent Spitters – bookings, contact & production
Vincent first joined Roda da Holanda as a substitute drummer for Udo, but over the years he gradually became the main organizer behind the band. He handles all bookings, serves as the band’s main point of contact, takes care of the website, and produces all Roda events.
He studied drums and percussion at the Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg. After graduating, he made several extended trips to Brazil to study music, immerse himself in samba, and embrace the Carioca lifestyle in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2010/2011, Vincent spent half a year in Rio, playing in the bateria of Unidos da Tijuca and volunteering for an NGO that provided weekly music lessons in various social projects in different favelas.
In addition to occasionally filling in for Udo in the band, Vincent regularly performs with a range of groups in diverse settings—from festivals to high-end corporate events.
He also works at theatre DE KOM in Nieuwegein as a coordinator for arts education projects in schools, as well as more social music education projects such as the buurtorkest/leerorkest.

Vincent runs his own agency, Present Music Agency.
More info: https://presentmusicagency.com/