Lali Mejía
- Percussion, Vocals
A native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, she started her musical training at an early age at the “Colegio Bellas Artes” in Maracaibo. As a 5th grader, she was taught how to read music and play the recorder, advancing into Cuatro studies and the school's choir during early high school. At the age of 12 she began classical guitar lessons for several years before moving to the United States to pursue her BFA degree in Graphic Design.
Lali Mejia specializes primarily in the Afro-Venezuelan Folklore as well as other Latin American styles of music. She is a permanent band member of the Venezuelan Music Project (Venezuelan Folk music) and The VNote Ensemble (a fusion of jazz and Venezuelan music) and has shared the stage with high caliber musicians such as Marco Granados, Aquiles Baez, Jackeline Rago, Roberto Koch, Jorge Glem, Pacho Flores, Maria Volonté, Claudia Calderón and Carlos Orozco.
Since 2004, Lali has helped facilitate many Afro-Venezuelan workshops around the US, and is a guest instructor for the “Born to Drum” summer camp in Northern California.
Among some of her most memorable concerts are the Macau International Music Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, San Francisco Jazz Festival, California World Music Fest, Monterey Jazz Festival, Moab Music Festival, Esalen Music and Arts Festival, Venezuelan Sounds at the Smithsonian and the Yerba Buena Gardens Music Festival.
