Khalil Shaheed-Instrumental Ensembles
The younger generation of California's San Francisco Bay Area is blessed with the presence of a very talented and dedicated musician in the person of Khalil Shaheed. In addition to being a first-rate trumpeter and wielder of various African percussion instruments, Shaheed is the founder of Oaktown Jazz Workshops, and offers his teaching expertise at numerous schools and music camps. He heads the music department at Cole School for Performing Arts in West Oakland, has developed music programs for the Alhambra Academy in Oakland and the East Bay School for the Arts in Berkeley, and has directed the Allen Temple Baptist Church Youth Orchestra. Working in collaboration with the San Jose Jazz Society, Shaheed leads Jazz bands in two San Jose District Schools and along with Michael Morgan, noted music director of the Oakland East Bay Symphony and presents a series of performance clinics which targets at-risk middle schools. Shaheed is also involved in the Stanford Jazz Workshop's Jazz in the Schools Program.

Zoe Ellis-Vocals
Zoë was an enthusiastic participant in the Gilbert and Sullivan productions in her middle school, experimented with piano, flute, cello, and trumpet but, by her mid-teens, recognized that her true instrument was her remarkable voice. She moved from gospel to R&B with the popular club band, The Mo’Fessionals, then to pop/hip-hop with her long-time friend and singing partner Caitlin Cornwall as The Braids, with stops along the way for more lyrical work with such groups as Cleveland Lounge. She is equally at home with "house" music, witness her recordings for Naked Music/Aquanote. Zo_ has been called a resourceful and inventive vocalist, with a dramatic and colorful voice, whose "jubilant vocals swoop like a big, soulful bird." Zoe continues her association with two outstanding a capella groups, SoVoSo and Slammin All Body Band. She especially enjoys the work SoVoSo does with children and appreciates the corporate gigs that introduce a wider audience to this wonderful musical form. Slammin All-Body Band was on the move this year with performances in Los Angeles, and a scheduled trip to the Victoria, BC. In New York, the group was featured in the “Goings on About Town” item in the April 2, 2007 of the New Yorker, sold out Joe’s Pub, and attracted a good deal of attention from folks in the know in the music world.

Sam Rogers (A.K.A. The One Mouth Band)- Beat Box
Sam Rogers has been singing and beatboxing professionally for over 15 years. In that time his music has taken him to Europe, Asia, and around the US and Canada. Sam forged new ground in the A Cappella world as the first solo vocal act to compete against groups, in the process winning 3rd place in both the Jazz and Pop categories of the 2003 Vokal Total International A Cappella Festival. He was one of the founding members of the widely acclaimed Vowel Movement Beatbox Salon, where names like Butterscotch and Kid Beyond first appeared. In addition to his two live, solo, a cappella albums ("One Mouth Band" & "100% Organic Human Music"), his recording credits include work with DJ Qbert, Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Mickey Hart, and others. Sam studied vocal jazz under legendary arranger Phil Mattson, founded the teen a cappella group Til Dawn, and currently performs with SoVoSo, The Irrationals, The Rat Trio, and A Capplaya, as well as solo.

Amikaeyla Proudfoot Gaston-Percussion
With her soulful style, sultry ballads, and enchanting, passionate sincerity, Amikaeyla Proudfoot Gaston is a dynamic performer and is in the midst of an amazing musical journey. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Ami draws on a dizzying array of influences, from Bel Canto, funk and bossa nova to traditional Irish music, sacred chanting and soul, her sensibility is pure jazz. She has performed and recorded with numerous noted Grammy Award winning artists, including Wyclef, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Take 6, Howard Levy, Eugene Friesen, Glen Velez, Baba Olatunji, Mickey Hart, Pete Seeger, Gil Scott Heron, Ron Holloway, Jonatha Brooke, Kenny Garrett, Chris Williamson, Ferron, Ubaka Hill and the National Symphony. She has a strong academic interest in sacred chanting which has led her around the world culminating in her performance at the Inaugural Festival of Sacred Chanting and Singing in India for the commemoration of the Golden Buddha at the request and invitation of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Her 2004 release Mosaic received national acclaim, winning a staggering 10 Washington Area Music Awards, including Best Jazz Vocalist, Best Urban Contemporary Vocalist, Best World Music Vocalist, and Best Debut Artist.

Rashidi Omari-Dance
Down for the crowd since the day he was born, Rashidi was brought to the stage through dance. Hip-Hop, B-Boying, Popping, Locking and House are integral parts of his repertoire. Rashidi has been performing professionally since 1993 and as been teaching dance since 1998. He is a member of DREAM Dance Company and is an MC for Hip-Hop crew Company of Prophets as well as live bands Loco Bloco and Unsmokables. Rashidi currently teaches the teen Hip-Hop dance class at Destiny Arts Center and a choreographer for the 2006-2008 Destiny Youth Performance Company show. He also teaches dance for Project Destiny at the Youth Uprising center in east Oakland. In addition to dance, Rashidi teaches workshop in lyricism, Hip-Hop history, violence prevention and conflict resolution. He uses these subjects to teach confidence, violence prevention skills and community building among youth. Rashidi is a strong believer in the idea that art and expression are vital factors in the development of a young person's character and life. Rashidi performs and tours at venues throughout the Bay and nationally.

Mark Rosenthal-Steeldrum
Mark has been teaching steel drum classes in the Bay Area since 1996. He is now co-director of Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp, where he also teaches. After earning his BA in Music Performance at Humboldt State University in 1992, Mark traveled to Trinidad and performed with Phase 2 Pan Groove during the 1994 annual Panorama competition. He is also currently teaching at East Bay School of Science and Art, Head-Royce School, Joaquin Miller Elementary, and the annual summer jazz program Jazz Camp West.

Joshua Woodson - Turntable
Joshua Woodson started working with a digital recording workstation at Age 14. With only a Midi interface and an old Macintosh he was able to produce several original recording that were never released. After a brief stint in the United States Navy, Joshua headed off to San Diego City College. He also put together a small Digital Audio Workstation in his studio apartment and began familiarizing himself with pro tools and Fruity loops. In 2006 he started Djing with two pro scratch digital turn tables. In 2007 He graduated with an associate's Degree in digital Music. In 2008 Joshua Built another D.A.W. and is beginning to finish some of his earlier work to be made available on iTunes. He is also working with world renowned Josiah Woodson on releasing his first anticipated album entitled Pipe dreamer.

Trelawny Rose-Gospel Choir
Trelawny is a featured soloist for the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. She is featured on OIGCs 3 CDs, Great Day: A Cappella Negro Spirituals, Rejoice! , and We've Come a Mighty Long Way, as well as a special recording with Carlos Santana, in June 2001. As a member of OIGC, Trelawny was honored to have performed with such legends as Pete Escovedo, Sheila E., Tramaine Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Pharaoh Sanders, Marlena Shaw, Jeffrey Osborne and Sweet Honey in the Rock. In 2003, Trelawny moved to Los Angeles and had a 4 year apprenticeship with Roger Love, celebrity vocal coach. Trelawny is honored to be one of the few trained to teach Roger's technique. She has a successful vocal coaching business as well as many upcoming projects including an upcoming CD Songbird: A Tribute to Eva Cassidy - LIVE! Please visit www.trelawnyrose.com and www.songbirdtribute.com for more information.