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Please find band photos, sound clips and bios below.
Jazz Ensembles
Alvin Atkinson & the Sound Merchants
The Chris Byars Quartet
Devin Phillips & New Orleans Straight Ahead
Exegesis
The Kelley Johnson Quartet
The Ryan Cohan Quartet
Urban Music Ensembles
AFAR
The Dana Leong Band
The Maya Azucena Band
UNIVERSES
Alvin Atkinson & the Sound Merchants
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ALVIN ATKINSON & THE SOUND MERCHANTS integrate jazz and blues influences with inflections of rhythms and melodies from around the world. The group's mission is to exchange their spirit and music with audiences worldwide as literal merchants of sound.
Alvin Atkinson, Jr. (drums) has been balancing a career as a performer and an educator for over 15 years, playing alongside artists such as Houston Person, James Carter, and Cecil Bridgewater, among others. Atkinson has also performed at the White House for President George W. Bush and as the house drummer for the Emeril Live television show on the Food Network. He has toured domestically and internationally and has participated in U.S. State Department tours of Africa, South America, and the Middle East. He currently teaches Jazz Language and Rhythm Studies at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Middle School Jazz Academy. He also serves on the audition committee and the sophomore jury committee at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.
Lakecia Benjamin (saxophone) is a multi-faceted saxophonist born and raised in New York City. Incorporating the musical styles of jazz, R&B and funk, she plays with various ensembles and has performed all over the world. A graduate of the renowned LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Benjamin has played with artists including Clark Terry, John Hicks, Joanne Brackeen, and Rachel Z., among others. She regularly participates in workshops and concerts at public schools and is involved in various community events through ArtsConnection and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Sean Higgins (piano) earned his B.M. in Jazz Performance at University of North Carolina at Wilmington and his master's degree at Northern Illinois University. In addition to touring with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad Program to the Middle East in 2007, Higgins has played at the 2006 Vail Jazz Festival, Shanghai Jazz and many New York City jazz clubs. He has shared the stage with Charles McPherson, Russell Malone and Wycliffe Gordon and is currently a member of the world-renowned Winard Harper Sextet, appearing on the groups’ latest CD, entitled Make It Happen. Higgins recently released The New Thought, his debut album.
Ameen Saleem (bass) began studying music at the Duke Ellington School for the Arts in his hometown of Washington, D.C. After touring domestically and internationally with his school’s ensemble and the D.C. Youth Orchestra, Saleem continued his education at North Carolina Central. Over the course of his career he has played at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Carolina Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz a Vienne in France and Grady Tate Jazz Festival. In 2004 he toured South America under the auspices of the U.S. State Department. He currently performs and records with a wide range of talented musicians, including Jimmy Heath, Nicholas Payton, Lonnie Liston Smith, Gene Carne, Antonio Hart and Winard Harper.
The Chris Byars Quartet
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THE CHRIS BYARS QUARTET plays original music based on a lifelong study of great jazz masters. The band has been performing together for two decades, most frequently at the New York City jazz club Smalls. The quartet has also toured extensively, most recently to Russia and Central Asia as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2006-7 Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program.. They released a CD on Smalls Records entitled Photos in Black, White and Gray earlier this year.
Chris Byars (saxophone) is a native New Yorker who began playing saxophone at age 12. He has toured in Europe, Asia and South America and has performed as a featured soloist with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Harry James Big Band, Glenn Miller Orchestra and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Also a noted arranger, Byars has written for the bands of John Pizzarelli and Jerry Dodgion. He and Ari Roland co-lead the group Across 7th Street, which brings jazz into the New York City public schools.
John Mosca (trombone), a native New Yorker and The Juilliard School graduate, has performed with Pierre Boulez and the Metropolitan Opera, as well as Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams and Stan Getz. In 1975 he joined the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra which won a GRAMMY® the following year for the Live in Munich album. Mosca currently co-leads The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, whose latest release, Up From the Skies, received two 2007 GRAMMY® nominations. Mosca has been actively involved in jazz education for over twenty years, having served on the faculty of numerous university jazz programs, most recently as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Connecticut.
Ari Roland (bass) was born and raised in New York City. He began playing bass at the age of 12 and was working professionally by age 16. He studied at The Juilliard School and has played in the bands of jazz legends such as Lou Donaldson, Barry Harris and Betty Carter. Sketches From a Bassist's Album, his recent CD on Smalls Records, has received widespread critical acclaim.
Stefan Schatz (drums) was born in New York City. Trained as a classical percussionist at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and Manhattan School of Music Prep, Schatz continued his jazz studies at The New School in New York. Since graduating in 1995, Schatz has worked with many notable artists, including Jon Hendricks, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Mark Morris Dance Group, among others. Active in education, Schatz has been involved in arts outreach programs for the Mark Morris Dance School, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Lincoln Center Institute.
Devin Phillips &
New Orleans Straight Ahead
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DEVIN PHILLIPS & NEW ORLEANS STRAIGHT AHEAD play modern jazz spiced with the rich musical traditions of New Orleans. Through their repertoire of standards, traditional songs and original works, the band members celebrate the unique musical heritage of the birthplace of jazz. Their debut CD, Wade in the Water, was released in December 2006.
Devin Phillips (saxophone) began playing the saxophone at age eight. He graduated with honors from The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and went onto study with some of the city’s most renowned instrumentalists, including Clyde Kerr, Donald Byrd, Kent Jordan and Reggie Workman, among others. Phillips has performed at numerous jazz festivals in the U.S. and abroad and earned a GrammyÒ nomination for his performance with Los Hombres Calientes on their New Congo Square album. A Hurricane Katrina evacuee, Phillips resides in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches and performs regularly.
Mark DiFlorio (drums) entered the world of music at age nine, originally playing the saxophone and flute. In high school, he began playing drums under the mentorship and guidance of master drummers such as Johnny Vidacovich, Ricky Sebastian and Leon Anderson. DiFlorio received the Music Chair Award for excellence from the University of New Orleans, where he also earned a master’s degree in Music for Jazz Performance. DiFlorio has toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe and has performed at festivals in Portland and New Orleans.
Eric Gruber (bass) began studying music at age six in Ashland, Oregon and eventually became the principal bassist for the All-City Orchestra. After stints at both the University of Northern Colorado and Whitworth College, he completed his studies with a B.A. in Music from Portland State University, where he was also an instructor for their Jazz In Schools Program. In 2000, Gruber won the bass solo competition at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. He has toured domestically and internationally with various ensembles, including The Ronnie Mann Big Band, Spokane Jazz Orchestra, Civic Theatre Orchestra, Portland State University Symphony Orchestra and the Whitworth College Jazz Ensemble.
Andrew Oliver (piano) began his studies in jazz performance at Loyola University but made a detour after Hurricane Katrina to Portland State University to complete his bachelor’s degree. He has studied privately with renowned pianists Randy Porter, Darrell Grant and Alan Nisbet andhas performed with Maurice Brown, Dan Schulte, Glen Moore and Dick Titterington. Oliver has also performed at the Portland Jazz Festival and The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and has toured internationally with both the Loyola University Jazz Orchestra and Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Exegesis
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Visit Exegesis' website.
EXEGESIS bases its music in the belief that symbols, scientific thought, astronomical ideas, numerical ratios and conceptual art and architecture can be expressed in sound. The group seeks to bridge the gap between modern music technology and improvisation, using live samplers and interactive music software to create the sonic illusion that there are more than four musicians performing. In 2002, Exegesis released their debut album, The Order of Chaos.
David Cook (Piano) is a well-rounded musician with experience in multiple genres. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a jazz performance degree (studying with the likes of Gerald Cleaver, Ellen Rowe and Donald Walden), Cook toured for several years the multi-platinum selling group *NSYNC. After moving to New York, Cook studied privately with Bruce Barth, Fred Hersch and Kenny Werner. He plays regularly in bands led by tenor player Bob Reynolds and bassist Michael Blanco. Cook has also written, arranged, performed and recorded with artists ranging from Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Hudson to rising stars such as Billy Porter and Shayna Steele.
Michael Blanco (Bass) is a two-time recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award (2005, 2006) and recently released his debut album, In the Morning, which includes his winning compositions. In addition to his ASCAP awards, Blanco was a finalist in the International Society of Bassists jazz bass competition in 2003. Over the past seven years, Blanco has been involved in a wide variety of musical projects, including bands led by Doug Wamble, Bob Reynolds and John Chin, among others. In 2001, Blanco toured South America, Central America and the Caribbean under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State. He regularly performs at New York City venues including Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Makor, and Barbés.
Nick Demopoulos (Guitar) has performed and created music in a wide variety of jazz styles. He has appeared in clubs and festivals throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico and the United States, as well as in concerts sponsored by the American Jazz Symposium. Demopoulos composed and performed in the musical Rhymes with Adventure (selected as one of the best theater pieces of the 1999-2000 season by The Village Voice) and the production I, Medusa in 2000. He has also composed music for advertising campaigns for Motorola, Estee Lauder, feature films, documentaries and internet outlets.
Tomas Fujiwara (Drums), a Boston native, spent eight years under the tutelage of legendary drummer and educator Alan Dawson before moving to New York in 1994. He has toured the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Korea and Japan as a cast member of the Off-Broadway hit STOMP and has performed with artists such as Makanda Ken McIntyre, David Murray and Vernon Reid. Fujiwara can be heard on over a dozen recordings to date and is active as a teacher, clinician, composer (for theater and dance) and accompanist.
The Kelley Johnson Quartet
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Visit Kelley Johnson's website.
THE KELLEY JOHNSON QUARTET draws from the Great American Songbook and modern jazz repertoire, reworking standards in a creative and energetic way, to feature the solo work of each member of the band. The quartet has recorded three albums in New York City, including Live at Birdland and the critically acclaimed Music is the Magic. They have performed throughout the world, including a U.S. State Department sponsored tour to Russia and Central Asia in 2004.
Kelley Johnson (vocals) graduated magna cum laude from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and has been performing and teaching ever since. Inspired by players like Manty Ellis, Bryan Lynch and Melvin Rhyne, Johnson began her career in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and later relocated to Seattle, Washington and studied with jazz vocal legend Mark Murphy. The winner of the 2002 International Jazzconnect Vocal Jazz Competition, Johnson has also been named "Best Northwest Jazz Vocalist" by Earshot Jazz magazine. She is currently working on her fourth album while teaching at both Cornish College of the Arts and Musicworks Northwest.
John Hansen (piano) grew up in Seattle and developed his craft on the bandstand with local luminaries including Chuck Metclaf, Jan Stentx and Julian Priester. A committed educator, Hansen mentored numerous young musicians over the years and continues to teach in the Seattle area. He has played and recorded with some of the leading ensembles on the Northwest jazz scene including the Jay Thomas Quartet, the Jim Knapp Orchestra and The Marriott Brothers. Hansen has also performed at renowned clubs and performing arts centers across the country including Birdland, The Jazz Standard, Blues Alley, Tula’s and the Kennedy Center. He has also performed at international festivals in France, Japan, Korea, Russia and many others.
Nathan Peck (bass) decided to become a bassist at age 14 and was playing professionally with his family just one year later. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during the early part of his career, he performed regularly with musicians such as Roger Humphries, Joe Harris and Jimmy Ponder. Peck also had the great fortune to play with visiting jazz greats including James Moody, Stanley Turrentine and Paquito D'Rivera. After an extensive tour with Maynard Ferguson and His Big Bop Nouveau Band, Peck relocated to New York City, where he has had the privilege to play with artists such as Bonnie Tyler, Victor Jones and Melton Mustafa. He is currently a full-time musician, composer and bandleader and can be seen performing all over New York City.
Jon Wikan (drums) started playing drums as a high school student in Seattle, Washington. He went on to attend Central Washington University but took time off to tour with the legendary Mills Brothers and Herb Jeffries and later with Ernestine Anderson. During his travels he studied with drum masters such as Chico Hamilton, Carl Allen and Jeff Hamilton. He later returned to Seattle and worked with multi-horn man Jay Thomas, Bill Ramsay and composer James Knapp. Wikan recently moved to New York and has since played with Geoff Keezer, Mark Murphy and GRAMMY® award winning New York Voices, among others. He currently teaches at The New School University while composing music for various large and small groups.
The Ryan Cohan Quartet
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Visit Ryan Cohan's website.
THE RYAN COHAN QUARTET constantly searches for new musical territory to explore while remaining deeply rooted in jazz and blues traditions. Conversant in a variety of world-music styles and rhythms, the Chicago-based quartet has distinguished itself on major stages throughout the U.S. and Canada by balancing dynamic and tight ensemble playing with explosive, expressive solos.
Ryan Cohan (piano/composer), a graduate of DePaul University, has performed with master jazz artists including Freddie Hubbard, Jon Faddis, Curtis Fuller and Kurt Elling, in addition to releasing two albums of original work. He penned the theme for Ramsey Lewis' PBS TV series, The Legends of Jazz, as well as, compositions for three of Lewis' albums. Cohan has served on the faculty of the New York Summer School of Arts program and works as a clinician at high schools and universities across the country. Chamber Music America awarded Cohan their New Works: Creation and Presentation Program grant in 2005 for a suite that will be the centerpiece of his upcoming recording, One Sky. Cohan's first feature-length film score, Tapioca, is also due out in 2007.
Geof Bradfield (saxophone) attended the renowned High School for the
Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas before earning a bachelor's
degree from Chicago's DePaul University and a master's degree from
California Institute of the Arts. Bradfield has had the opportunity to
perform with numerous jazz luminaries and rising stars including Lonnie
Smith, Lionel Hampton, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Arturo Sandoval, Reid
Anderson of the Bad Plus, Avishai Cohen and dancer Savion Glover. He
also leads his own critically acclaimed group, Rule of Three. Bradfield
currently resides in Chicago, Illinois and teaches at Columbia College.
Lorin Cohen (bass) began playing electric bass at age 14 and later studied with pioneering bass guitarist Anthony Jackson at the Manhattan School of Music. Cohen learned the double bass under the tutelage of Joe Guastefeste, Chicago University’s principal bassist, Larry Gray and with the late master Ray Brown. In 2004 Cohen toured Southeast Asia extensively under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State. He has performed with many jazz luminaries including Monty Alexander, Von Freeman, Andy Bey, Houston Person, Ernie Andrews and Bobby Broom.
Kobie Watkins (drums) has been called the "Swing Master of Chicago" and lauded as both a teacher and jazz musician. From a toddler playing pots and pans to a teacher in Chicago's public schools, Watkins has dedicated his life to music. He received a Bachelor of Music Education from Vandercook College of Music and holds a Master of Music degree in Jazz Pedagogy from Northwestern University. Watkins has played and recorded with legends Sonny Rollins, Curtis Fuller, Arturo Sandoval, Sonny Fortune, Willie Pickens, Kim Burrell and currently works with Kurt Elling.
AFAR
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Visit AFAR's website.
AFAR is an instrumental hip-hop band with jazz, R&B and gospel influences. Committed to pushing the boundaries of the way hip-hop defines itself, the group focuses on three concepts: live music, unity and education. Through performances, recordings and educational workshops both nationally and abroad (including their participation in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad tour to Southern Africa in 2006), the band seeks to spread the message that in this age of electronic music, live instrumental performance remains the source of it all.
Marc Baldwin (guitar), a Raleigh, North Carolina native, has been performing, producing and educating since the age of 14. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Performance/Composition at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. He has performed at major sporting events including games of the National Basketball Association’s Atlanta Hawks and Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves. As a music producer, he has worked with MTV, EA Sports, Fox Sports, Phife of A Tribe Called Quest and DNS. Baldwin currently teaches guitar and bass at Georgia State University, Music Life Studios, Day Jams Summer Camp and the Reach AFAR program.
Jason "Jahah" Berry (vocals, lyrics) is an emcee, singer, songwriter and producer who penned his first song at the age of 15. He has appeared as a guest on albums by GRAMMY® winning rapper, Speech, from the group Arrested Development. Berry’s tracks have been featured on television networks including Fox Sports, MTV, VH1, UPN and programs such as The Super Bowl, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association’s Rhythm 'n Rims, as well as, in various video games. Berry also released an independent album entitled Mama's Only Son in 2004.
Demonterious "Double D." Lawrence (bass) is a completely self-taught musician. After an early introduction to gospel music in church, he began playing drums with such gospel artists as Viki Winans, Angela Spivey and The Williams Brothers. A few years later, Lawrence adopted the bass in order to expand his musical knowledge and versatility. He has since explored into the genres of hip-hop, R&B, jazz and rock and currently works as a session musician in Atlanta, Georgia.
Che "BlackFist" Marshall (drums) is a resourceful and inventive drummer from Atlanta, Georgia. Marshall taught himself to play on pots and pans before beginning his formal musical training in middle school. After honing his craft in the church, he played professionally with Julie Dexter a.k.a. "The United Kingdom's Queen of Soul."
The Dana Leong Band
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Visit Dana Leong's website.
THE DANA LEONG BAND has an incredible musical chemistry that combines live grooves, electronically charged tracks, rhyme and reason. Bandleader Leong uses a laptop both onstage and in the studio to create soundscapes of electronic beats and to manipulate the sound of instruments through real time processing. The result is a unique fusion of computerized instrumental hip-hop funk rhythms and rock propulsions.
Dana Leong (trombone, cello, laptop) has been performing, recording, composing and producing in almost every musical genre since his 1998 debut on the New York music scene. Over the past decade he has played with The 2006 GRAMMY® nominated Jazz Chamber Trio led by eight-time GRAMMY® winning clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, as well as Ray Charles, Kanye West, Matisyahu, Norah Jones, Earth Wind & Fire, Barry White, Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, Lauryn Hill, Alanis Morrisette, Zap Mama, Wynton Marsalis, Yoko Ono, Christian McBride and the Balkan Beat Box. Leong has recently completed his debut album, Leaving New York, which features his own original compositions with guest appearances by Christian McBride and Paquito D'Rivera.
Since his critically acclaimed 2006 debut album, "Nat Turner Reloaded," performer and producer Mtume Gant a.k.a. Core Rhythm (MC) has become a fixture on the New York independent hip-hop scene. He has collaborated and shared the stage with such artists as Grandmixer DXT, O.C., The Juggaknots, C Rayz Walz, and Wordsworth. He is currently putting the final touches to his next release, entitled "Ronin," due out this summer.
Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums) is known for both his polytimbral/polyrhythmic drumming technique and his passion for music for theater. He has performed and recorded with a wide variety of artists including Omar Sosa, Joseph Jarman, Henry Threadgill, Steve Coleman, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, John Tchicai, Tim Berne, Rudresh Mahanthappa and Vijay Iyer. In addition to his musical pursuits, Kavee is also an actor and writer with the Tony Award winning San Francisco Mime Troupe. He has provided scores for G. W. Pabst's Pandora's Box and CBS's The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat.
Adam Platt (keyboards) began playing the piano at the age of four, and at ten was the youngest recipient of the solo piano competition award at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. He continued his formal training at the New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying under such jazz luminaries as Michael Cain and Joanne Brackeen. He has released three original jazz albums and resides in New York City where he is currently completing an original soul/hip-hop recording.
The Maya Azucena Band
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Visit Maya Azucena's website.
With musical influences ranging from Earth Wind & Fire to Ella Fitzgerald, THE MAYA AZUCENA BAND bridges the genres of soul, hip-hop, world and funk music. Through their "raw soul" sound and progressive lyrics, the band seeks to uplift communities worldwide. Best known for riveting tracks and spirited live performances, Azucena and her band recently released their sophomore album, Junkyard Jewel, to wide acclaim.
Maya Azucena (Vocalist), a Brooklyn native, sees her music as a voice of and for the people. Recently named Best Alternative Artist of the Year by Allhiphop.com and nominated by soultracks.com as Best Female Vocalist of the Year, Azucena has shared the stage with such legendary artists as Robert Flack, Lupe Fiasco and John Legend. She has toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe and won two Croatian GRAMMY® awards for her collaboration with Croation superstar Gibonni earlier this year.
Ivan Katz (Drums), a Manhattan native, has been playing drums for 20 years. He holds a B.A. in Music Studies from Skidmore College and specializes in soul, hip-hop, reggae and dance beats. Katz's unique style results from immersion in the sounds and vibrations of New York City. He has shared the stage with reggae superstars including Toots Hibbert, Sugar Minott and Citizen Cope and participated in Jazz at Lincoln Center's The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad tour to Southeast Asia in 2006.
Bruce Mack (keyboards) is a multi-instrumentalist and educator working in the genres of R&B, funk, jazz, experimental music, and hip-hop. He is the leader of the abstract/expressionist band Tricky Dilemma, a senior member of the collective Burnt Sugar, and also plays with the Arkestra Chamber. Over the course of his long career, Mack has performed with such talents as Dean Bowmen, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, and Brian Hardgrove. He has created music for PBS/Thirteen and MTV, and has also co-produced two compilation CDs for guitarist Vernon Reid’s Black Rock Coalition. Mack’s visionary teaching style was the focus of the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival documentary When Fried Eggs Fly. He is committed to music education for children and currently oversees a special initiative at The Door, in New York City.
Christian Ver Halen (Guitar) is originally from Chicago and has been on the New York music scene for over six years as a guitarist, songwriter and producer. He has performed at all of the major venues in the city and has toured in the U.S. and Europe. As a leader of the group "The Rooftop," Ver Halen released the critically acclaimed album A Live Shot in 2006. 100% of the album's sales are donated to Music Rising, a non-profit organization specifically aimed at assisting musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.
UNIVERSES
Visit UNIVERSES' website.
UNIVERSES is an ensemble company of multi-disciplined writers and performers who fuse poetry, theater, jazz, hip-hop, down-home blues and Spanish boleros to create challenging and entertaining theatrical works. Committed to their roots in the New York City poetry scene, the group has performed in venues all over the five boroughs, including Nuyorican Poets Café, Joe's Pub, Aaron Davis Hall and The Bronx Academy of Art & Dance, among others. They also present their work in schools and colleges across the U.S. and recently completed a tour to Chile.
Gamal Abdel-Chasten (co-founder, poet, and percussion) is a Bronx-born director, playwright and poet. He cut his theater teeth at Bard College, where he met UNIVERSES co-founder Ruiz while directing her stage debut. The recipient of honors from prestigious theatre institutions like New Dramatists and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Sapp directs the theater program at the Abrons Arts Center in New York. He and Ruiz are also co-founders of The Point, a South Bronx cultural center offering classes and performances in theater, poetry, dance, visual art and other invaluable services to the community's youth.
Mildred Ruiz (co-founder, vocals, poet) is the "earth mother" of the group and her full-throttled vocals supply the musical foundation for the rest of the members to build on. Ruiz’ voice is a cultural hybrid, mixing Spanish boleros with gospel, the blues and contemporary sounds. She works all over New York as a playwright, actor and vocalist and recently participated in an Arts Link International Exchange with Teatre Polski in Poland. Ruiz is a past recipient of the TCG National Theater Artist Residency Program Award, OBIE Award Grant, Bessie Award and BRIO Awards from the Bronx Council on the Arts. She is currently working with Barco Music Productions to launch her debut CD, Blues & Boleros in a Bag.
William "Ninja" Ruiz (MC, beatbox, poet, verbal DJ), the UNIVERSES crew's newest member, brings with him a unique brand of Nuyorican-flavored vocals, beats and rhymes. He was born and raised on the Lower East Side of New York City and received his bachelor's degree in theater from Bard College, where he studied under Joan Akaliuts, Elizabeth Smith and Bob Holman. In addition to his work with UNIVERSES, Ninja has appeared in Jack Kerouac's Ti-Jean Blues, which was adapted and directed by Joan Akalaitis, Nicole Quinn's Tree Tails directed by Shelly Wyant, Oscar Wild's Salome directed by Nick Jones, Anthony Rivera's Latin Howel directed by Todd A. Jackson and Nicky Cruz's Run Baby Run directed by Chris Fredricks. He also wrote and directed his own adaptation of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot entitled Waiting for Gordo.
Steven Sapp (co-founder, poet, and percussion) is a Bronx-born director, playwright and poet. He cut his theater teeth at Bard College, where he met UNIVERSES co-founder Ruiz while directing her stage debut. The recipient of honors from prestigious theatre institutions like New Dramatists and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Sapp directs the theater program at the Abrons Arts Center in New York. He and Ruiz are also co-founders of The Point, a South Bronx cultural center offering classes and performances in theater, poetry, dance, visual art and other invaluable services to the community's youth.
For the Summer 2007 press kit, please click here.
For the 2006-2007 press kit, please click here
For the 2005-2006 press kit, please click here.
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