Mauro Refosco, who is of Italian descent, has a unique sensitivity to South Italian rhythms and revitalizes them with a variety of fresh colors and sounds coaxed from a number of instruments, particularly the pandeiro (Brazilian tambourine) and the haunting berimbao. Since completing his master's degree at the Manhattan School of Music in 1994, he has been a regular in David Byrne's band and worked as player and composer with Paul Winter and Philip Glass.
