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Michele Walther

Violinist Michele Walther loves to play and perform a variety of music styles: jazz, world music, avantgarde, classical, tango, Balkan, Klezmer, and more. Michele graduated from the Conservatory of Music in Basel, Switzerland, and then from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Jacob Johnson

A native of Minnesota, Jacob Johnson has been studying the double bass since the age of 12. He has held numerous positions in orchestras, including Associate principal bass of the Northern Symphony Orchestra in Minnesota, Solo bass for the Amadeus Operenensemble in Salzburg, Austria, and Associate Principal Bass of the St. Peter's Chamber Orchestra in Redwood City, CA. Jacob has participated in orchestral tours of Eastern Europe, where he performed in such famed halls as the Franz Liszt Academy Hall in Budapest, and the Rudolphinum in Prague, and performed under the batons of such famed conductors as Osmo Vanska, Michael Tilson Thomas, Donald Runnicles and Nicholas McGegan.

Jacob studied with Christopher Brown, and Stephen Tramontozzi, and earned his B.M. in Double Bass at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with Scott Pingel. In addition to his pursuits in the classical music world, Jacob is also an active jazz musician and improviser. He joined Tangonero in 2009.

Zac Selissen

Guitarist Zac "Sharbidar" Selissen has graduated from Saint Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota, in Classical and Jazz Guitar. He then graduated in Classical Guitar from the San Francisco Conservatory of music. Zac's interests include Spanish guitar music, Jazz, as well as Classic Tango and Tango Nuevo.

Alex Roitman

Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, Alex Roitman started playing piano when he was 7 years old. He currently studies accordion with Peter DiBono, exploring various genres. In addition to tango, he specifically enjoys playing Klezmer, Italian, French musette, and Russian music.

Besides Tangonero, Alex performed with different bands and musicians:

  • Go Van Gogh - a versatile San Francisco band
  • Crystal Philippi - a mezzo-soprano vocalist
  • Brandon Evans - a classical guitarist
  • Nothingset Ensemble - a classical and contemporary music group
  • Pure Piaf - a musical about the life and music of Edith Piaf

  • PAST MEMBERS

    Jim Shearer

    Jim Shearer started playing guitar at age 13, had his first professional gig at age 16 and has continued playing music semi-professionally all his adult life while pursuing an academic career in the sciences. His training in jazz and classical music has included formal studies at college along with individual lessons on guitar, piano and upright bass.

    In public performances he has played a variety of instruments and styles such as keyboards in the Soca/Reggae band Bakana and piano and bass in collaboration with Palindrome dance company (most recently in the 2005 San Francisco International Arts Festival playing music of Erling Wold). For most of the new millennium he has been exclusively playing upright bass in jazz and Brazilian ensembles at venues throughout the Bay Area. He is a founding member of Sambosseros and plays on their CD Gabiroba. Jim brought his experience in jazz and Brazilian styles to tango.