Berklee Summer in the City,
Presented by Natixis Global Asset Management

The Berklee Balkan vocal ensemble was founded by Christiane Karam in 2011, as a means to explore the choral traditions and folk music adaptations of the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and parts of the Mediterranean. It is primarily a women's chorus with some arrangements that incorporate male singers as well. It includes and welcomes singers from all over the world, and serves as a platform for cultural exchange, and an opportunity to come together and celebrate the beauty and spirit that connects us all. 

This year, vocalists from Serbia, Montenegro, France, Estonia, Russia, Indonesia, Ecuador, the United States, Roumania, Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, India, Puerto Rico, and Lebanon joined the ensemble to study this music and sing the ancient traditions of those regions. The ensemble will be performing traditional songs from the Bulgarian folk repertoire, several of which were originally arranged for Bulgaria's award-winning Women's State Television Choir, as well as traditional selections from Armenia, Russia, and Macedonia.

Berklee Balkan Vocal Ensemble:

Aleksandra Denda, Belgrade, Serbia
Anna Talpe, Paris, France
Gabriela Lencka, Warsaw, Poland
Christiane Karam, Beirut, Lebanon
Deniz Ozcelik, Antep, Turkey
Ioana Udroiu, Bucharest, Roumania
Raquel Quinones-Rivera, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Jana Sustersic, Belgrade,  Serbia
Andrea Charalambos, Nikosia, Cyprus
Eleni Arapaglou, Athens, Greece
Adriel Tjokrosaputro, Surakarta, Indonesia
Tracy Robertson, Watertown, NY
Francisco Ruiz, Quito, Ecuador

Special guests include: Patrick Yacono (kaval, gaida, clarinet) Alex Gable (mandolin), and Tareq Rantisi (percussion).

Bringing together four seasoned musicians from Finland, Sweden, Palestine, and Spain, the Jussi Reijonen Quartet traverses the boundaries between musical cultures, paying tribute to the traditions of American and Scandinavian jazz and the folk musics of the Middle East and Africa in its search for new sounds and textures.

Reijonen's music draws from a wide pool of influences and experiences gathered growing up on four different continents. In both his original compositions and his playing, the open spaces and silences of Scandinavia effortlessly rub shoulders with the maqamat of the Arab world and the rhythmic richness of India and West Africa, creating a truly enchanting musical mosaic. Formed at the renowned Berklee College of Music in late 2009, the group is preparing for the release of its first album, Un, due out later in 2012.

Led by award-winning vocalist/composer Christiane Karam, the ZilZALA Middle Eastern Ensemble is a Boston-based world music group that draws from several musical cultures to reinterpret classical, traditional, and folk Arabic and Balkan Music. The outcome is a powerful and uplifting blend of Eastern and Western influences that creates a truly unique musical experience. The ZilZALA Ensemble has been playing to packed houses in Boston and New York and is a two-time nominee for Best World Music Act in Boston by the Phoenix Best Music Poll.

In addition to leading the ZilZALA ensemble, Karam writes and performs in various musical settings and has collaborated with the likes of Yanka Rupkina, Bassam Saba, Hüsnü Senlendirici, Jamey Haddad, the Assad Brothers, and Bobby McFerrin, in venues such as Carnegie Hall and Summer Stage in New York and the International House of Music in Moscow.

Karam is also an award-winning songwriter and is on the faculty of Berklee College of Music as an assistant professor of Voice, Ensemble, and Songwriting.

Featuring:
Christiane Karam (voice, percussion)
Jussi Reijonen (oud, guitar)
Helen Sherrah-Davies (violin)

Naseem Al Atrash (cello)
Tyreek Jackson (bass)
Tareq Rantisi (percussion)

"East and West collide in the music of the ZiLZALA Middle Eastern Ensemble. This international cast of musicians provide a distinctive flavor and an irresistible rhythm." —Luke O'Neil, Boston Globe

"Christiane Karam and ZilZALA take you on a sensuous sound journey. You'll start on the narrow winding streets of Beirut and Damascus, hop a caravan ride through the desert, make a stop at a cinema in Cairo and, from there, they might lead you . . . just about anywhere!" —Hankus Netsky, New England Conservatory

"On this album [Songs of the People], Christiane Karam crafts her vocal interpretations with marvelous fluidity. Her performance with the ZilZALA Ensemble is creatively conceived and beautifully executed." —A.J.Racy, Ph.D.

http://www.wbur.org/community/events/wbur-spring-festival

Robert Gillies is a folk-popper on a mission, a mission to dig deeper, to write from the heart, and to leave everyone in a 50-mile radius feeling that little bit lighter—and he’s well on his way. With a new record out (Astronaut), opening slots for Andy Grammer, Ryan Star, and Action Item, and an appearance on Ellen Degeneres, Gillies isn't moving mountains—he's moving continents.

New England Country Music Award winner for Female Vocalist, Entertainer, and Songwriter of the Year, Shannon Selig is becoming known as the country star to watch. Selig’s subtle heartfelt vocals combined with a powerhouse belt have often been compared with artists such as Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood.

At the age of 14 Selig cowrote and produced her first full-length album alongside Christian singer-songwriter Ken Medema. After the release, Selig was asked to fly to Las Vegas to perform a song written by Ken Medema for the Keller Williams Kares foundation in front of a crowd of over 7,000.

By the age of 16 Selig had performed across the United States and was given an opportunity to perform alongside award-winning actress, singer, and recording artist Liz Callaway in The Magic of Christmas with the Portland Symphony Orchestra. The show ran for 18 straight shows to a packed house of 1,800.

Soon after, Selig entered McGill University, where she studied voice performance, focusing on opera under the direct instruction of Therese Sevadjian, a French mezzo-soprano from Montreal. In 2009 she transfered to Berklee College of Music , where she is exploring a wider variety of musical styles.

Selig continues to perform at fundraisers throughout the Northeast, and she appeared at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk in Montreal, which drew a crowd of nearly 2,000 and raised more than $500,000 for the cause. She also returned to the stage at Merrill Auditorium, with the Marshall Tucker Band, where she performed "God Bless America" to help raise money for soldiers in need. Most recently Selig performed for a crowd of 5,000 at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Gardner, MA.

Selig headed to Tennessee in March 2012 to compete internationally and is due to release her second full-length album in June of this year.

Eleven Dollar Bills have spoken with the spirits that live within the soil. They've traded stories with the sand hogs who didn't make it, and they’re riding on the crest of a monumental wave. 'Round Boston way and as far as eyes can see, the Bills have left the stages warm with locomotive passion. They bend the blues in skies above and carry tunes of loss and love. Don't wait to see them pass on by. Come see the Bills lift off and fly.

Like a palm tree in a Russian winter, the Yesberger Band is bringing their shine to the music scene, inspiring audiences one by one with their jazzy approach to poetry and pop. Their unique musical vision, earthly in its ideals and thick with danceability, has taken them cross-country as well as internationally with opportunities working with acts including Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, the Temptations, and the Yellowjackets along the way.

Fascinated by the world, Devon Yesberger writes songs that channel joy and light-heartedness, spinning the usual themes of life and love into unique sonic worlds with unusual interpretations. On stage, positivity comes to life with a presence that is unmatched by most young musicians, and is evidence of a strong passion for music, as well as a deep friendship between the performers and audience. This is a band that will both groove you and move you, so be sure not to miss their unforgettable live experience.

This folk/alt/indie/rock duo self describes as "Simon and Garfunkel meets Tim Burton meets your mother."

Erin Casey—who has performed with the name Elephant Sky—had come to a creative standstill and set out to learn what other influences the world had to offer. With hints of country resonating throughout her voice, she left the small town life she had always known and travelled to Boston, Massachusetts.

Seeking a life he had yet to experience, Chris Carlberg left the familiar world of acting he had come to know in Los Angeles in search of a musical passion he felt was calling his name. Packing up every instrument he owned, Chris drove a van across the country and landed in a New England city he had never encountered before: Boston.

Erin and Chris met and began a journey that spanned broken strings and broken relationships and first formed  a solid friendship, and then a brilliant musical duo. Like the cold nights of October, Herego is the wool sweater you pull on before walking amongst the reddened, dropping leaves; intense, yet caressing, commanding and promising. 

Patrik Gochez is a songwriter, illustrator, and leader of the band White Shoe Brown Shoe. He won the 2006 Granite State Songwriters Competition with the title track from his debut album Strawberry Bitter Chase. Considered a "jukebox" writer, he covers an eclectic number of musical styles, from prewar jazz to R&B to danceable pop/rock, while retaining his own identity. His second album, Heavy Loader, showcases songs influenced by yesterday, inspired by today, and sung for tomorrow.

Casey Sullivan's indelible melodies, accomplished songcraft, and memorable voice are the mark of a great singer-songwriter.

Sullivan has been writing and performing since she was a young teenager. She's performed with such gifted musicians as James Montgomery and opened for musicians as beloved as Jon Pousette-Dart. She studied at Berklee and played regularly with up-and-coming Boston independents Air Traffic Controller at shows in the U.S. and Canada. She released her astonishing debut, For the Birds, independently in 2010.

Her songwriting prowess, which doesn't need any official validation to prove its sterling quality, has nevertheless resulted in her being a two-time finalist in the Boston Folk Festival songwriting contest. But what really makes Casey an artist to be reckoned with is that voice: an instrument of incredible emotional depth and versatility that makes any accomplishment seem like window dressing compared to its unmistakably gripping power. 

Chasing Blue came together in the fall of 2008 at a bluegrass ensemble at Berklee College of Music. Band members hail from across the United States and Canada, and now reside in Boston. Chasing Blue gigs heavily in the New England festival circuit.

Chasing Blue plays a mix of original and traditional bluegrass material with unique arrangements and hard-driving style. Original material holds true to the bluegrass tradition but strong lyrical ideas and progressive musical ideas make the Chasing Blue sound.

The Olive Trees are a four-piece rock 'n' roll band. Guitar player Jerry Wilson and bass player Dan Bernfeld are the songwriters and singers and are joined by guitar player Jon Monroe and drummer John Farquharson.

Drawing upon the richness of American folk music traditions, the signature power of the Stray Birds' sound lies in outstanding songwriting that soars in three-part harmony. Though raised within a few miles of farmland from each other in Lancaster County, PA, Maya and Oliver had put miles of road behind them before first sharing a song in 2010. Oliver Craven had performed widely as the fiddler, guitarist, and harmony vocalist for Grammy-nominated artist Adrienne Young, and Maya had spent months criss-crossing the United States, Canada, and Europe as a traveling street musician. Grounding their sound in the unshakable groove of bassist Charlie Muench, the trio released their Borderland EP one year later, a recording of captivating chemistry and sensitive musicality. Oliver continued to tour nationally with Virginia-based Americana band the Steel Wheels. While attending the Berklee College of Music, Maya began receiving national recognition for her songwriting, including fourth place in the 2011 Telluride Troubadour Competition. Charlie received a degree in music education from West Chester University in December 2011. The Stray Birds will release their first full-length album in the summer of 2012.

In the short time they've been together, Me vs. Gravity has been blowing up the Boston scene with its epic pop/rock style. Since its first show a year ago, Me vs. Gravity released a self-produced, self-titled seven-song EP, along with a music video for the EP's lead single, "Walls," which now has over 200,000 views on YouTube. With a strong online presence, a bombastic live show, and a drive like no other, Me vs. Gravity is a force to be reckoned with.

Founded in 2007 by Colombian singer and bass player Fabio Montenegro, Numasbala was taken to the next level while he was attending Berklee College of Music. There he met Brazilian producer/engineer Pablo Friedman, who both influenced and helped shape Numasbala's vision and music.

In 2010 Numasbala was once again taken to a higher place when Guatemalan cook, keyboardist, singer, and accordionist Javier Samayoa (a.k.a. Capitan Clavier) joined forces with Fabio Montenegro and helped him put a band together. They then recruited Colombian lick-smacking guitar master Felipe Piedrahita (a.k.a. El Caido) and magical drummer from Colombia Gabriela Jimeno (Gabi), who helped the band take its first steps. Together, they played under the name Muamut at Cafe 939 at Berklee, All Asia Cambridge, and Kea in Bogotá, Colombia. In 2011 Gabi departed the band on friendly terms and the band kept on, renaming themselves Numasbala, adding a flavorful horn section, and experimenting with various drummers, until finding the current Peruvian drummer and beat master David Cornejo.

Now Numasbala has grown to be a powerful band with a five-horn section, percussionist, and backup singers (amongst them we find the famous Elsa "la anti-siniestra"). Numasbala has played at the Berklee Performance Center and several Latin parties around Boston, and has been invited to play more promising concerts this upcoming summer.

Be ready and be steady, because Numasbala is currently in the studio in Boston producing their new album, sure to seduce and enchant your ears and dance your soul!

The dark winters of Boston bore a child that crawled out of the womb and called itself Bent Knee. Orchestral textures, haunting vocals, dynamic sound, and charismatic presence are all calling cards for this twisted little rock group. The pinnacle of the Bent Knee experience is the deafening silence between loud explosions, syllable, word, and phrase that leaves the listener hanging in anticipation and uncertainty.

Acclaimed as "avant-indie," Bent Knee's original music, performances, and imaginative covers have been reviewed favorably throughout the northeast, west coast, and many online music blogs, and internet radios. Their self-distributed eponymous album from 2011 has gained support from many avid listeners, and it appeals and resonates with the artsy and dark parts of the human mind.

As current students and alumni of Berklee College of Music, the group features dynamic musicians that come together with a new outlook on writing, performing, and collaborating. Bent Knee goes beyond the typical rock show at conventional music venues, and often hosts creative live music events such as one-day albums, "coloring parties," improvised scores for silent films, and benefits for mental health. 

If Radiohead and the Red Hot Chili Peppers were to have a child and name J Dilla the godfather, the resulting offspring would be Bear Language. Heavy riffs meet esoteric musical landscapes under delicate but gritty vocals. Born in early 2011 at Berklee College of Music as the creative outlet of three friends, the band is a fusion of musical styles and influences ranging from the Mars Volta to Lettuce. Bear Language is a constantly evolving project that never fails to disappoint live, breaking down all preconceived notions of what can be achieved with only a trio of musicians.

Originally from New York, guitarist and singer Luca Buccellati is an accomplished songwriter. While his songwriting with Bear Language draws heavily from Radiohead, Buccellati is equally at home in the pop idiom, a side that manifests itself through catchy hooks and edgily accessible riffs.

Bassist Archi Denis was born in Paris but was raised in Asia. He grew up emulating Flea and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and now proves that bass isn't just a background instrument. A true performer, he's known for his onstage antics without ever losing sight of the groove.

Drummer and St. Louis native Ian Barnett rounds out the trio. Also a producer following in the footsteps of J Dilla, he brings a love for all things off-kilter. On stage and in the studio he pushes the envelope and defies the traditional box in which a drummer operates, but always in the service of the music.

Together the three are captivating and fresh. In September of 2011 Bear Language released their self-titled debut EP, the first step in what will be a long journey. Always writing new material and playing to new audiences, word continues to spread, along with the question "are you speaking Bear Language yet?"

Italo Cunha, born in Brasilia, Brazil in 1992, is an award-winning, up-and-coming jazz guitarist, vocalist, producer, and musical director who quickly gained recognition in his country.

He's received such awards as first prize Festbandas (2004), Musical Revelation at the Toque de Classe Institute (2005), the youngest recipient ever of a contemporary musical education degree from the Toque de Classe Institute, the Guitar Department Award (2011), the Jimi Hendrix Award (2010), and third prize in the International Guitar Competition of Souza Lima/Berklee College of Music.

He's also had several television, newspaper, magazine, and radios appearances in Norway, Brazil, Dominican Republic, and U.S. Cunha has been performing professionally since the age of 12 and has toured Brazil, Norway, Argentina, Chile, Dominican Republic, and the U.S. He arrived at Berklee at age 16 on a scholarship, where he had the opportunity to work with many great artists such as Marc Johnson, Mark Walker, Hal Crook, Lee Ritenour, Eliana Elias, Dave Santoro, Leo Blanco, Greg Osby, Mark Turner, Terri Lyne Carrington, and many more.

Currently Cunha on the jazz label Jazz Revelation Records for the second consecutive year. He also has recorded for Paramount Pictures Studio.

To Jaime Woods, music is storytelling. It connects us all through common experiences, and relatable issues. Music has the power to manipulate our emotions, evoke us to action, it facilitates healing, and causes us to think and see things differently.  

Woods began music in Chicago at 15, and sang with numerous choirs and local groups. In 2010, she was accepted to Berklee College of Music. She made enough noise in Chicago to raise half of her tuition money through her debut concert, themed "Lifespeak" in November 2010. Now as a student, she's focused on songwriting and production. Since she's been at Berklee, Jaime has performed at the Beantown Jazz Fest, Sculler's, Johnny D's, and other local shows and open mics. She became part of an ensemble that performed with neosoul artist Bilal, and will be performing with Lalah Hathaway in February 2012.  She has collaborated with many fellow Berklee students, and is a member of an a cappella group that will tour Europe in the winter. She is also preparing an EP for summer 2012.

Nick Hakim is a singer/songwriter from Washington D.C. who recently formed a band consisting of his close friends. Playing venues around Boston and New York, Hakim and his band have been cultivating a new sound in preparation for his record that will be coming out in summer 2012. Some of his influences include Jimi Hendrix, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, and the Beatles.  

Hailing from Minneapolis, Adrianne Lenker is an authentic and passionate singer, songwriter, and performer. Her debut CD, Stages of the Sun, produced by Steve Hodge (Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Sting), was released on LucidTunes when Lenker was only 14. The title cut was a 2005 Independent Music Awards top 5 finalist in the Singer/Songwriter category. Lenker's "My Bliss" was a finalist in the 2005 International Songwriting Competition. Four tracks from the album were featured on MTV's The Hills in 2007 and 2008.

Lenker's follow-up CD/DVD, Live at the Southern, was recorded just before her 15th birthday in July 2006 at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. Her third release, Then the Rain Came, will be released in 2009.

Tim Cain, a writer with the Herald and Review (Illinois), wrote of the singer-songwriter, "I saw her perform in Chicago with an audience largely consisting of musicians. She held this group of professionals enraptured, and we all found one thing unbelievable and asked each other the same question as one voice: 'Is she really 14?' Apparently so, and she's a little like Jewel, except tougher, and a little like Liz Phair, but not quite as edgy. She writes a heckofa song."

Hamish Napier grew up in the Scottish Highlands and was steeped in traditional music from an early age. A multi-instrumentalist (flute, whistles, vocals, piano, and traditional Scottish stepdance), Napier was a finalist for Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year and a nominee  for Best Up and Coming Artist at the Scots Traditional Music Awards. Napier has recorded with leading Scottish musicians Donald Shaw, Martyn Bennett, and Eddi Reader, and has collaborated with many of the U.K.'s finest folk musicians for festivals, national, T.V., and radio.

Before beginning his studies in jazz piano at Berklee last fall, Napier toured throughout Europe, Canada, and the U.S. with award-winning traditional Scottish folk quartet Back of the Moon, as well as teaching on the Scottish Music degree course at the National Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. As one of the UNESCO Cities of Music, Glasgow is internationally recognised for its diverse and talented music scene: a vibrant, fresh, and highly-innovative melting pot of Scottish and Irish folk music, jazz, funk, dance music, classical, and indie styles. Amid this inspiring atmosphere, Napier's latest folk/jazz fusion solo project was born: the Hamish Napier Band.
 
In this new American version of his acclaimed group, who performed at the Celtic Connections Festival and the Glasgow International Jazz Festival last year, Napier invites a band of brilliant Berklee jazz and bluegrass musicians to join him for a unique blend of traditional Scottish and American folk music, original compositions, and jazz improvisation.

Hailing from the United Kingdom and Canada, Brooklyn-based songwriter Tamsin Wilson pulls from the warm folk sounds of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, with a dash of Feist, to create a welcoming ambiance and heartfelt songs. Now she's supported by a full band and electric sound, adding edge and dynamism to the music's arcane undertones.

Hannah Read is Scottish-born singer, songwriter, and fiddler player currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. Her new music draws on folk, jazz, and indie influences, forming a unique alternative sound, which can be heard on her debut solo album, Wrapped in Lace. Read has toured extensively in the states, as well as in Europe.

Holiday Mountain was created by singer, pianist, and songwriter Laura Patino in 2010. Named after two of her great loves, Billie Holiday and the Colorado Rocky Mountains, whose beauty and sincerity have moved people throughout the ages. Patino was born in Colorado, where she was heavily influenced by the power of nature and rock 'n' roll as a young teenager. Trained in jazz and classical piano from a young age and a graduate of Berklee College of music, Patino composed songs for solo piano and voice for several years. While attending Berklee, she was fortunate enough to meet her fellow bandmates through the Boston DIY music scene, where she discovered that sometimes the most beautiful connections can happen in the dirtiest of Allston basement shows. Drummer Zander Kagle, bassist Brad Will, and guitarist Mike Simonelli all share the same core desire with Pation to make people groove hard until they have forgotten any qualms they have with existence.

Holiday Mountain incorporates reggae, indie, psychedelia, and dance styles to create a magical potion that will make even a dung beetle feel like an optimist. Their style has been described as a mixture of artists such as Man Man, Deerhoof, Andrew Bird, Santogold, M.I.A., and "the female version of Mr. Bungle."

Holiday Mountain is independently releasing their debut album, Become Who You Are, in the spring of 2012. The gang will be moving to the great city of Austin, Texas in September 2012, where they intend for their groovy sound to bloom and flourish in the Texas heat. 

Cosmodrome is a four-piece band whose style is a forward thinking and eclectic blend of soul, funk, and hip-hop. The enchanting lead vocals of Madison McFerrin intertwine and lock with guitar, bass, and drums to create a sound and live show that is captivating and always groove heavy.

Cosmodrome is based out of Boston, where all of the members are currently studying at Berklee College of Music. Although the core band consists of only four members, Cosmodrome is often accompanied by a horn section with the occasional addition of special guests.

From a wide range of musical backgrounds, the members of Cosmodrome quickly became best friends during their freshman year in college. Fueled by their passion for creation and love of all music "stank face inspiring," the four began to write their own original songs and in the late spring of 2011, Cosmodrome was born. The band has recently finished recording their first official EP and continues to write original music and perform in the Northeast. Cosmodrome is excited to share its constantly evolving and unique musical vision with all who will listen.

Like a palm tree in a Russian winter, the Yesberger Band is bringing its shine to the music scene, inspiring audiences one by one with a jazzy approach to poetry and pop. Its unique musical vision, earthly in its ideals and thick with danceability, has taken the group cross-country and internationally, sharing bills with acts such as Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, the Temptations, and the Yellowjackets.

Fascinated by the world, Devon Yesberger writes songs that channel joy and light-heartedness, spinning the usual themes of life and love into unique sonic worlds with unusual interpretations. On stage, positivity comes to life with a presence that is unmatched by most young musicians, and is evidence of a strong passion for music, as well as a deep connection between the performers and audience.

Samantha Schultz is a singer and songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta who started playing guitar at the age of 11. Her original songs fuse folk, blues, and soul, and her ability to deliver powerful live performances has earned her several honors, including being nominated in the Young Performer of the Year category at the 2006 Canadian Folk Music Awards, when she was only 14. At the age of 16, Schultz released her first album, Both Sides, consisting of 12 original songs.

Schultz has performed at several popular music festivals in Canada-including two appearances at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival-and has opened for a long list of high-profile artists, including Jennifer Warnes, Ruthie Foster, and Lynn Miles.

She began her Berklee studies through the Slaight Family Scholarship in fall 2009. She is a member of Pitch Slapped, an award-winning a capella group composed of Berklee students and alumni. She currently serves as assistant musical director of the group and will become musical director in fall 2012.

Ink To Paper, her 2011 release, earned her two Edmonton Music Awards (Blues Album of the Year and Female Artist of the Year).

Canary is a band that has quickly grown from a brainchild to a full-fledged rock 'n' roll powerhouse unit. Drawing on influences from the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Fleetwood Mac, Canary plays classic rock with a modern flair. Its music hits you where rock 'n' roll should—straight in the gut. Made up of friends that met at Berklee College of Music, this rock 'n' roll quintet knows how to bring it hard night after night. Canary has been impressing audiences across New England with a live show dressed to kill and songs that will stick with you for a lifetime.

The Luke Mulholland Band was formed in fall 2007 and over the past couple of years has toured extensively alongside rock legends Dickey Betts, Blue Oyster Cult, and Blues Traveler, to name a few. As Berklee graduates, Luke and the band will begin touring full time with an immediate focus on the New England area. Please visit facebook.com/lukemulhollandband or myspace.com/lukemulhollandmusic for more music and tour dates.

Meet Sounds of Venus, an alternative rock band breaking the Boston music scene. Composed of five Berklee musicians, with lush male and female vocal harmonies, surging electric guitar, a solid foundation of bass, and dynamic percussion, its sound is open to limitless possibilities. Influenced by the likes of Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Bjork, and Bon Iver, its live performance cannot be missed. Their set varies from ambient soundscapes that make the crowd sway to sheer rocking energy and adrenaline. The band is a large supporter of art communities. It often welcomes visual artists to display their work and incorporate their creativity with live performances. It is currently recording their first album at the Record Company, Inc. Previous performances include the Middle East, Bonnaroo, Maxwell's, and the Chameleon Club.

Since their creation in 2010, The Jauntee has quickly erupted into the New England jam band scene. Their Bi-Weekly themed shows (The Jauntee’s Regal Ball) along with many local and festival gigs (The Middle East, WonderBar, Church, Camp Coldbrook, Heads in Harmony) have given them a steady increase of loyal fans in a relatively short amount of time. With a focus on live improvisation, set list variety, and musical exploration, every show is different from the last, truly making The Jauntee a live act to see again and again.

Drawing influence from a wide variety of bands, The Jauntee's improvisational landscape spans multiple genres, including: funk, rock, jazz, progressive, bluegrass, psychedelic, and ambient music. Their willingness to explore genres, abandon all song structure, and dive into "the weird" sets them apart from your average upcoming jam  band.  They aim to push the boundaries of improvisation, embrace the moment and engage the audience. With a large arsenal of covers, countless original tunes, and an inclination for open ended improvisation, every show promises to be a unique experience.

Zilch is a New England based, improvisational rock outfit focused on live, high-energy jamming. The sound consciously spans many diverse genres, telling countless tales, all while taking the listener to refreshingly new space.

Zilch currently consists of three musicians who consistently push the envelope in terms of improvisation.

Guitarist Tim Norton, a Massachusetts native, leads Zilch. The band was born in 2009 when Norton met Houston drummer/composer Josh Nathan. Nathan has an instinctive sense of harmonic motion and complexity, stemming from his love for piano. Nathan compliments Norton's writing, resulting in a distinct, eclectic, and harmonically accessible sound. With improvisation as the foundation of much of their writing, Norton and Nathan sought out to experiment with other musicians who could solidify and contain the sound. In 2010, Norton and Nathan met Connecticut-native Jeff Liffmann, an outside-of-the-box keys player also committed to live improvisation. Zilch quickly grew legs, utilizing Norton, Nathan, and Liffmann's innate ability to read one another while improvising.

Since then, many new compositions and ideas have developed from this trio. They constantly pushes each other into complex and diverse musical settings. The end result is a perpetually flowing groove of funk, jazz, reggae, ambient, and, of course, rock music.

After only a year and half, the Boston-based rock, funk, jam band Blue Mountain Bustdown has been making a name for itself up and down the East Coast. Founded by friends Stephen Malinowski, Ben Teters, and Josh Carter, Blue Mountain Bustdown focuses on blending traditional roots music with original grooves.

In December of 2009 Blue Mountain Bustdown saw their first action in the studio recording their debut album Paper War at Dryden Street Studios in Asheville, North Carolina. Their first full-length album, Paper War displays the many facets of Blue Mountain Bustdown's diverse sound, ranging from politically charged anthems to raging funky jams and everything in between. Most importantly, Paper War captures the raw Blue Mountain Bustdown sound and energy that they bring to every live show the band plays. 

To fully experience Blue Mountain Bustdown you must see them live. Their high-energy performances makes every show fun and special.

Blue Mountain Bustdown has shared bills with national touring acts such as Rebelution, Badfish (Sublime Tribute), Rusted Root, Railroad Earth, Perpetual Groove, Rubblebucket Orchestra, The Pimps of Joytime, The Bridge, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Donna The Buffalo, Moon Taxi, and countless other regional and local acts in the northeast and beyond.

Julia Easterlin is a vocalist and loop artist who wields composition, production and performance in one fell swoop. One part siren and one part technologist, she uses looping hardware to build a one-woman chorus live onstage. This rare sound has driven Easterlin to recent performances at Lollapalooza, South by Southwest, MIDEM, CMJ, and the TEDxWomen Conference.

You can find more information about her work and upcoming performance dates at www.facebook.com/juliaeasterlin.

April Bender has been a singer since birth and a songwriter since age 3, when she wrote and performed her first full song. It was about a horse, and a family friend played along with her on guitar. Sure, her songs and voice have changed since then, but her passion for music hasn't.

Growing up, she was involved in many musical theatre productions and choirs, such as the NJ All State Chorus, where she was ranked one of the top five sopranos in the state. She has done several benefit concerts over the years for organizations such as Relay For Life and the Make A Wish Foundation. During high school, April was awarded the Jeffrey Carollo Music Scholarship through the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, which allowed her to study opera there for four years.

Although she was classically trained, she still always knew she wanted to sing and write contemporary music, which is what she continued to do over the years. 
She started looking for opportunities to get her original music heard, and began performing at venues such as The Bitter End and CBGB in NYC. She was also a semi-finalist for the WOR radio Shining Star contest, and was the only contestant to perform an original song. The song, "Karma," was featured on WOR radio. April was also one of 12 singer/songwriters from around the country selected to attend GRAMMY Camp, a 3-week program that allowed young artists to work with top industry professionals including Earth Wind & Fire, Lamont Dozier of Motown Records, Brandi Carlile, Rickey Minor and many, many more.  She recently completed an EP of original songs, entitled Stay A Little Longer, and is currently writing and recording new material.

Columbus is a funk/soul band with an authentic 1970s-era sound, celebrating the legacy of funk pioneers like James Brown, George Clinton, and Sly and the Family Stone. 

Blending a tight horn section, an unyieldingly solid rhythm section, and expressive vocals, Columbus guarantees to make you dance and give you a funky performance you will not forget.

Links

www.facebook.com/columbusfunk

www.reverbnation.com/columbusfunk

www.twitter.com/columbusfunk

Jenna Moynihan and Lukas Pool come from completely different musical backgrounds, but when they come together musical magic occurs. Jenna, a native of Lakewood, New York, grew up playing Scottish- and Cape Breton-style fiddle and has made a name for herself as a solo artist, a member of a folk music quartet, and a much-sought-after instructor. Pool grew up in Mountain View, Arkansas playing old-time banjo, folk, and bluegrass while jamming on the town square. He also is in demand as a solo performer, plays regularly in a folk group, and teaches his craft to individuals and at national workshops. Pool is the 2011 National Old-Time Banjo Champion.

Both Moynihan and Pool attend Berklee College of Music, where they came together as a duet. Their musical styles just clicked from the start. It's been said that when they play as a duet the sounds synchronize so tightly that it becomes as one instrument, an unforgettable music experience.

Since moving to Boston just a short time ago, 22-year-old Lee Dynes has continued to achieve major musical milestones. After receiving a full-tuition scholarship from Berklee, he began his studies with a focus in guitar performance and jazz composition. He quickly became noted for his unique and passionate guitar style resulting in opportunities to appear at premier jazz venues across the country.

Dynes has recently performed at the 2009 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco as part of a West Coast tour in the alt-strings group, Dr. Magpie. Later, he combined musical forces with his colleagues to perform across the states as the Jazz Tellers, a trio described as "Berklee's brightest and most promising..."  In 2010, Dynes was invited to join the Ben Powell Quartet playing in and around Boston including appearances at Club Passim, Salem Jazz Festival, and most notably Sculler's Jazz Club where his technical brilliance brought extended audience applause.

Great stage performances are nothing new for Dynes. At a very young age, he picked up his dad's guitar and his life changed. He absorbed the sounds of blues, rock, and heavy metal while also being exposed to his father's roots; bluegrass and the best of American acoustic. After he heard a Joe Pass recording, his relationship with jazz music began and grew rapidly. Dynes's talent as a guitarist was evident, leading him to be named a "prodigy" and "virtuoso." His reputation led him to play hundreds of professional gigs while still in high school. During that time he shared the stage with Jane Monheit, Dianne Shurr, Patti Austin, James Moody, Phil Woods, and a memorable evening where he played for master guitarist Pat Metheny.

By high school graduation, Dynes had garnered numerous awards as a guitarist and composer including: ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composers Award, National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts in Jazz Guitar, National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts in Composition, and the coveted guitar chair for the 2007 Grammy Jazz Ensemble.

This past year also proved to be very exciting for Dynes. Jazz Revelation Records signed with him to record his original, "Finding Strength in Change," on the 2011 compilation CD, Octave, presenting the finest jazz composers at Berklee. In May, the Jazz Tellers completed the second consecutive Summer 2011 International Tour with Callum MacKenzie on saxophone and Nate Wong on the drums. Dynes is working on other musical collaborations that reflect his versatility with the start of The Acoustic Project, a duo with mandolin virtuoso, Jacob Jolliff, and his ongoing work with gyspy jazz violinist, Jason Anick.

As Dynes strives for excellence and originality in music, he continues to study with the masters at Berklee College of Music including, Mick Goodrick, Hal Crook, Tim Miller, Dave Samuels, Dave Santoro, and David Gilmore. 

Alex Baboian is a guitarist, teacher, and composer from Boston, Massachusetts. While primarily a jazz guitarist, he keeps a busy schedule performing, recording, and teaching in several styles in and out of Boston.

He has performed at the Kennedy Center, the Isabella Stuart Gardener Museum, and Boston Symphony Hall, in groups ranging in size from solo guitar to big band. Festival appearances include the Washington D.C. Jazz Festival, the Louisville Jazz Educators conference, and the Boston Beantown Jazz Festival. He has been awarded the Berklee College of Music Guitar Department Acheivemet Award in both 2011 and 2012.  In 2010 Alex spent time living, studying, and performing abroad in Japan and South Korea. Alex has had the privilege to study with wonderful teachers such as Hal Crook, Phil Wilson, Jamey Haddad, Dave Tronzo, and Jon Damian.

The Jazz Tellers are a trio that comprises Berklee scholarship students Callum Mackenzie on saxophone, Lee Dynes on guitar, and Nate Wong on drums. They are currently on their second international tour in consecutive years and are excited to be sponsored by Berklee College of Music again. Last year they performed 30 dates, including live performances on Fox 45, NBC 15, WMSE, and RTHK. This year their tour will travel from Boston to New York, Ohio, California, and Hong Kong.

The music is wildly improvisational, interactive and exciting. The band performs a variety of originals, free improvisations, and standards performed in a completely unique way but dripping in jazz tradition. The trio format allows the three to communicate quickly and spontaneously and showcase their agility on their instruments and as a collective group.

Come experience a day of music that is energetic, beautiful, thought-provoking, and spontaneous all at once.

Matt Savage, 20-year-old jazz pianist/composer/arranger, entered Berklee in the fall of 2009 at the age of 17. He has performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, the Late Show with David Letterman, the Today show, and NPR's Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland.

Savage tours as a solo artist and as the leader of the Matt Savage Trio. He has played at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and some of the most prestigious jazz clubs in America (including the Blue Note, Birdland and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center). Matt's ninth and latest CD, Welcome Home, features Bobby Watson and Jeremy Pelt, among others.

He has studied with many eminent professors at Berklee, including Joanne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Hal Crook, Dave Samuels, Ray Santisi, and Darren Barrett.  He will graduate from Berklee in December 2012.

Born and raised in Israel, saxophonist Lihi Haruvi is now living in Boston studying on a full-tuition scholarship at Berklee, majoring in performance and film scoring.

Haruvi studied in the prestigious Thelma Yellin High School of the Performing Arts; was awarded with the America Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship, the Tel-Aviv Conservatory scholarship, and Excellent Musician status in the Israel Defense Forces; and was an official arranger for the army orchestra.

During her military service, she was chosen to represent Israel by performing as a soloist around the world, and she received a scholarship to study at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.

These days she is a part of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute directed by Danilo Pérez and Marco Pignataro and has the honor of working with Joe Lovano, Ben Street, John Patitucci, Jim Odgren, Terri Lyne Carrington, George Garzone, Kenny Werner, Eddie Gomez, and many other outstanding musicians.

Haruvi is a signed artist of Berklee's Jazz Revelation Records label. She has performed at respected jazz festivals and venues such as the Red Sea Eilat Jazz Festival, Birdland, and the Berklee Performance Center.

Revelación Cubana The Latin Project is a group of diverse individuals whose mission is to educate, collaborate, and design a platform to unite all of the performing arts through the sound of Latin music. Under the management of Mariano Neris and artistic direction of Berklee scholar Gerami Groover, the Latin Project provides Cuban salsa music with American influences. Having studied a number of years under renowned Latin musicians, Groover amalgamated members from different parts of the world, cultures, and backgrounds to promote the power of music in all its forms.

Hosted by the Hyde Square Task Force.

Specializing in Latin jazz and dance music, Combo Sabroso promises to be an exciting addition to this year's Tito Puente Latin Music Series. This concert is hosted by Sociedad Latina and Boston Centers for Youth and Families.

Homenaje a la Salsa will perform as part of the 2012 Tito Puente Latin Music Series. The free outdoor concert is hosted by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA).

This group of talented musicians will come together to perform in the final concert of the 2012 Tito Puente Latin Music Series. Hosted by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA).

Hail Laveau is the collaboration between musicians Corey Cook and Emily Higgins. The two began writing songs together over the past year, with Emily handling the vocals, Corey writing the music and both contributing to the lyric writing. They finished recording an EP over the summer in New Orleans and plan on bringing the finished product to the Boston music scene.

Due to the time split between Louisiana and Massachusetts, Hail Laveau has an ever-changing backing band of local musicians ready to bring the house down. Hail Laveau is named after the Creole "Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" Marie Laveau.

Born in Colorado, Cameron Galpin spent much of his early childhood traveling around the world with his family. With two English Beatles fans for parents, it isn't surprising that he naturally fell in love with the art of the song. Trapped on various trains, planes, and automobiles, he had plenty of time to listen.

He received his first guitar at sixteen and began taking weekly lessons. By eighteen he had produced his first full-length album of original material. At nineteen he was awarded a scholarship to Berklee. Upon arriving at Berklee, Galpin found himself drawn into a network of talented musicians who loved nothing more than sharing their ideas and supporting each other's musical visions. Carving out a style reflecting influences from John Mayer, D'Angelo, and the Band, he set out to record his first EP of original music. By 2010, the ten-piece band had finished the EP, complete with a five-piece horn section. 

Over the past seven semesters, he spent his time studying and playing with great instrumentalists such as Jamie Haddad, Julian Lage, and David Grisman, saturating his style with a mix of jazz, bluegrass, funk, and soul. He currently lives and performs in Boston while completing his degree at Berklee.

Felix Peikli, a 22-year-old clarinetist from Oslo, Norway, began uncovering his musical identity as a child when his grandfather gave him a Benny Goodman recording. He has played at festivals around the world and is a student in Berklee's Global Jazz Institute.

His first performance was at a jam session session at the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2002, when saxophonist Joe Lovano was in the audience, leading to a gig the next day with a visiting band in the Grand Hotel. Peikli won a series of prizes, became a student at Barratt Dues Classical Institute of Norway, and studied there with Fredrik Fors. He was selected to compete on Nation TV, won the National Dreamprize in 2005, and began performing several gigs per week.

He has performed at festivals and concerts in many countries, including Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Croatia, and the U.K. Peikli received the Capital of Norway Honors Prize in 2007, its youngest recipient ever. After attending Berklee's Five-Week Summer Performance Program, he earned a full-tuition scholarship.

Peikli has led his own group on two tours since enrolling at Berklee, and in 2011, was asked to be a sideman in Ralph Peterson Jr.'s jazz group, Ralph Peterson Fo'tet.

Peikli has dedicated himself to helping others through music, including efforts to raise awarness and money for battling amnesia and AIDS.

Mango Blue blends an exciting mixture of musical styles to create a refreshing new sound in Afro-Latin and world music, through songs of celebration and social conscience. Mango Blue is a high-powered, all original music ensemble based in New York City, that has delighted audiences and promoters alike with its infectious sound. Led by Ecuadorian composer, bassist, and singer Alex Alvear, this invigorating hybrid playfully integrates a wide array of influences from R&B, jazz, and funk to Caribbean roots, with a strong rhythmical foundation that draws from diverse Afro-Latin musical traditions. This stylistic fusion allows for a concoction that translates into music that transcends ethnic boundaries, providing a new color in the Latin music palette.

This concert is hosted by Zumix.

Melanie Lynx discovered she had a talent for singing at an early age and began her musical journey, succeeding at competitions both locally and nationally. Some noteworthy accomplishments include her participation in Hollywood Week on Fox's American Idol Season 10 television show, performing at the Apollo Theater and Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as, performing in over 350 shows with one of New England's top cover bands.

Lynx is currently developing her original music with producers Chris Leon and Jay Weiss, as well as producing YouTube covers.

April Bender has been a singer since birth and a songwriter since age 3, when she wrote and performed her first full song. It was about a horse, and a family friend played along with her on guitar. Her songs and voice have changed since then, but her passion for music hasn't. Growing up, she was involved in many musical theatre productions and choirs, such as the New Jersey All State Chorus, where she was ranked one of the top five sopranos in the state. She has done several benefit concerts over the years for organizations such as Relay for Life and the Make a Wish Foundation. During high school, April was awarded the Jeffrey Carollo Music Scholarship through the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, which allowed her to study opera there for four years.

Although she was classically trained, she still always knew she wanted to sing and write contemporary music, which is what she continued to do over the years. 
She started looking for opportunities to get her original music heard, and began performing at venues such as The Bitter End and CBGB in New York. She was also a semi-finalist for the WOR radio Shining Star contest, and was the only contestant to perform an original song. The song, "Karma," was featured on WOR radio. Bender was also one of 12 singer/songwriters from around the country selected to attend GRAMMY Camp, a 3-week program that allowed young artists to work with top industry professionals including Earth Wind & Fire, Lamont Dozier of Motown Records, Brandi Carlile, Rickey Minor, and many, many more.  She recently completed an EP of original songs, entitled Stay A Little Longer, and is currently writing and recording new material.

Music was an essential part of Norwegian Siv Jakobsen's early years, when she listened to her mother's recordings of Vivaldi and Debussy, and her fathers soul and funk CDs. It was no surprise, then, when she started singing in a children's gospel choir at the age of 4, before entering a classical church choir at age 8.

At age 16, Jakobsen got into the prestigious High School Music Program at Oslo City Waldorf School, where she studied vocal performance, music theory, and music history for three years. Her extended choir background enabled her to be apart of the Oslo Concert Hall choir when performing Giuseppe Verdi's requiem with fellow music students and the top classical musicians in Norway.  During her high school years she also worked as an event singer, performing in weddings and various private parties in Oslo. She started collaborating with fellow student and guitarist Hauk Røsten in 2008, recording and performing original material and covers in the greater Oslo area for the last four years. The duo is still active during the summer and winter holidays when Jakobsen travels to Norway.

Raven Katz is a singer/songwriter with roots in both New York City and Philadelphia. Born to creative parents, she grew up splitting time between art lessons at Manhattans Art's Students League and piano lessons in Brooklyn. Upon her family's pilgrimage to Philadelphia, Raven decided to focus on her music studies and began taking joint voice and piano lessons. In high school Katz had decided jazz was her calling, and took lessons from some of Philadelphia's finest instructors at Temple's Boyer College of Music.

Today, Katz specializes in songs that have a vast musical range; from drone based Arabic grooves to finger-picked folk. In addition, she sites the story as the most important part of each song. She hopes that with each piece she writes, the story is told in a way that captures the audience through both lyrical and musical tension. Upon graduation from Berklee next spring, Raven plans on moving back to Brooklyn to start again where she began. 

Meet Sounds of Venus, an alternative rock band breaking the Boston music scene. Comprised of five Berklee College musicians, with lush male and female vocal harmonies, surging electric guitar, a solid foundation of bass, and dynamic percussion, their sound is open to limitless possibilities. 

Influenced by the likes of Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Björk, and Bon Iver, their live performance cannot be missed. Their set varies from ambient soundscapes that make the crowd sway, to sheer rocking energy and adrenaline. The band is a large supporter of art communities. They often welcome visual artists to display their work and incorporate their creativity with live performances. They are currently recording their first album at The Record Company, Inc.  Previous performances that they have played both collectively and individually include: The Middle East, Bonnaroo, Maxwell's, and The Chameleon Club.

Hannah Christianson was born smiling, or so her mother says. Growing up in a lively family of seven in rural Minnesota, the young Christianson learned to perceive art and the world around her in a unique way. Even at a very early age, she became enamored with the piano and immersed herself in jazz and pop music. Years later, she developed into an accomplished songwriter and found herself playing various clubs around the upper Midwest and New England, a performance at the 2008 Winnipeg Folk Festival, a featured performance at the 2011 Minneapolis Aquatennial, and direct support for Quebec’s Cœur de Pirate.

Christianson is now a Music Therapy major at Berklee College of Music, where her songs have won the Perfect Pitch and Performing Songwriter contests, and she has performed in the Best of Berklee's Songwriters Showcase. This April, her song "A Hundred Hearts" will be featured in Berklee's 2012 Songwriter's Night at the Berklee Performance Center.

Her thoughtful writing encompasses the human condition with honesty, charisma, and hope. "A good mix of sweetness and pop sensibility, with an engaging voice that sounds like fine wine," Peter Swenson, Director of Social Media, CD Baby. Her song "Let's Be Frisbees" was recently featured on a compilation CD for the Raising the Blues Foundation, which distributed uplifting music to children's hospitals around New England.

Originally from New York, guitarist and singer Luca Buccellati is an accomplished songwriter. While his songwriting with Bear Language draws heavily from Radiohead, Buccellati is equally at home in the pop idiom, a side that manifests itself through catchy hooks and edgily accessible riffs. After recording many pop tunes on his own, he has decided to team up with with fellow singer-songwriter Jesse Beauchamp to write and record a debut pop album, which will be released in late 2012.

A Minneapolis Native, Sarah Walk now lives in Boston and attends Berklee, where she is a songwriting major and touring artist. With a distinct voice and a unique rhythmic and chordal piano playing style, her music is aggressive and complex both rhythmically and lyrically. Backed by bassist Lenny Brown and drummer Ale Giuliani, they have a high energy piano rock sound with tight rhythmic changes and a wide range of musical styles. Walk's music has been said to mix "cynically optimistic and in-your-face lyrics with rock music, every bit as raw and passionate as one could hope." She leaves listeners believing they have "just seen one of those rare moments of witnessing a breathtaking new talent about to blossom." She has been performing professionally for over six years in many different cities, including Minneapolis, Eugene, Boston, and New York. She is currently finishing up her debut EP, which will be released during the spring of 2012.

While
 born 
and 
raised
 in
 South 
Africa, 
Byron
 Manchest 
has 
made 
his
 current
home
 Boston. 
Growing 
up
 in 
Cape
 Town, 
Manchest
 was 
heavily
 influenced 
by 
the 
surrounding 
hype
 of 
soccer 
and 
rugby. 
After 
years 
of
 being 
a 
great
 asset
 to 
the 
national 
rugby 
team,
 he reconnected
 with
 his 
first 
love, 
music. 

Manchest's impressive 
melodies 
and 
harmonies 
were
 founded
 at 
the 
Drakensberg 
Boys'
 Choir 
School, 
where 
he 
trained 
under
 the 
top 
classical 
vocalists 
in 
the 
country. As 
he 
was attending
 school
 four
 hours 
away 
from
 his 
family, 
he
found 
himself 
filling 
his 
free 
time
 listening 
to 
who 
now 
are
 some 
of 
his 
favorite 
artists 
such
 as 
Marvin
 Gaye.
 During 
this 
time,
 he 
made
 it 
his 
mission 
to 
accompany 
his
 original 
tunes
 as 
his 
idol 
Stevie 
Wonder 
had
 done. 
Moving 
forward,
 Manchest 
wrote 
lyrics 
and 
melodies which 
reminded 
him
 of 
family
 and 
the 
hardships 
of 
his 
hometown.

At 
17, he 
flew 
himself 
to 
Boston
 for 
one 
of 
the
 biggest 
auditions 
of 
his 
life,
 now
 resulting
 in
 his
 attendance 
at 
Berklee
. Manchest is 
working 
with 
some 
of
 the 
top
 professors, 
producers, 
and 
talent 
managers 
to 
become
 the
 artist
 he 
has 
always 
dreamed 
to 
be 
and 
is
looking 
forward 
to 
sharing 
his
 music
 with 
anyone 
willing 
to 
listen. 
He 
looks 
forward
 to
 the 
future 
and
 his 
upcoming
 career.

Colombian bassist and arranger Esther Rojas leads her quartet comprised of tenor sax, piano, bass, and percussion. Members are from a host of Latin American countries including Cuba and Puerto Rico. 

They have individually performed with an array of world-renowned artists such as Issac Delgado, Maria Mulata, and Cesar Lopez, as well as in countless Berklee events such as Iván Lins, Jorge Drexler, Joe Lovano, John Pattitucci, and Oriente López. Their repertoire on this occasion will consist of a selection of Latin jazz standards composed by Chucho Valdés, Paquito D'Rivera, and Oscar Hernández among others.

Italo Cunha, born in Brasilia, Brazil in 1992, is an award-winning, up-and-coming jazz guitarist, vocalist, producer, and musical director who quickly gained recognition in his country.

He's received such awards as first prize Festbandas (2004), Musical Revelation at the Toque de Classe Institute (2005), the youngest recipient ever of a contemporary musical education degree from the Toque de Classe Institute, the Guitar Department Award (2011), the Jimi Hendrix Award (2010), and third prize in the International Guitar Competition of Souza Lima/Berklee College of Music.

He's also had several television, newspaper, magazine, and radios appearances in Norway, Brazil, Dominican Republic, and U.S. Cunha has been performing professionally since the age of 12 and has toured Brazil, Norway, Argentina, Chile, Dominican Republic, and the U.S. He arrived at Berklee at age 16 on a scholarship, where he had the opportunity to work with many great artists such as Marc Johnson, Mark Walker, Hal Crook, Lee Ritenour, Eliana Elias, Dave Santoro, Leo Blanco, Greg Osby, Mark Turner, Terri Lyne Carrington, and many more.

Currently Cunha on the jazz label Jazz Revelation Records for the second consecutive year. He also has recorded for Paramount Pictures Studio.

To Jaime Woods, music is storytelling. It connects us all through common experiences, and relatable issues. Music has the power to manipulate our emotions, evoke us to action, it facilitates healing, and causes us to think and see things differently.

Woods began music in Chicago at 15, and sang with numerous choirs and local groups. In 2010, she was accepted to Berklee College of Music. She made enough noise in Chicago to raise half of her tuition money through her debut concert, themed "Lifespeak" in November 2010. Now as a student, she's focused on songwriting and production. Since she's been at Berklee, Jaime has performed at the Beantown Jazz Fest, Sculler's, Johnny D's, and other local shows and open mics. She became part of an ensemble that performed with neosoul artist Bilal, and will be performing with Lalah Hathaway in February 2012.  She has collaborated with many fellow Berklee students, and is a member of an a cappella group that will tour Europe in the winter. She is also preparing an EP for summer 2012.

Nick Hakim is a singer/songwriter from Washington D.C. who recently formed a band consisting of his close friends. Playing venues around Boston and New York, Hakim and his band have been cultivating a new sound in preparation for his record that will be coming out in summer 2012. Some of his influences include Jimi Hendrix, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, and the Beatles.

Hailing from Minneapolis, Adrianne Lenker is an authentic and passionate singer, songwriter, and performer. Her debut CD, Stages of the Sun, produced by Steve Hodge (Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Sting), was released on LucidTunes when Lenker was only 14. The title cut was a 2005 Independent Music Awards top 5 finalist in the Singer/Songwriter category. Lenker's "My Bliss" was a finalist in the 2005 International Songwriting Competition. Four tracks from the album were featured on MTV's The Hills in 2007 and 2008.

Lenker's follow-up CD/DVD, Live at the Southern, was recorded just before her 15th birthday in July 2006 at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. Her third release, Then the Rain Came, will be released in 2009.

Tim Cain, a writer with the Herald and Review (Illinois), wrote of the singer-songwriter, "I saw her perform in Chicago with an audience largely consisting of musicians. She held this group of professionals enraptured, and we all found one thing unbelievable and asked each other the same question as one voice: 'Is she really 14?' Apparently so, and she's a little like Jewel, except tougher, and a little like Liz Phair, but not quite as edgy. She writes a heckofa song."

Hamish Napier grew up in the Scottish Highlands and was steeped in traditional music from an early age. A multi-instrumentalist (flute, whistles, vocals, piano, and traditional Scottish stepdance), Napier was a finalist for Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year and a nominee  for Best Up and Coming Artist at the Scots Traditional Music Awards. Napier has recorded with leading Scottish musicians Donald Shaw, Martyn Bennett, and Eddi Reader, and has collaborated with many of the U.K.'s finest folk musicians for festivals, national, T.V., and radio.

Before beginning his studies in jazz piano at Berklee last fall, Napier toured throughout Europe, Canada, and the U.S. with award-winning traditional Scottish folk quartet Back of the Moon, as well as teaching on the Scottish Music degree course at the National Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. As one of the UNESCO Cities of Music, Glasgow is internationally recognised for its diverse and talented music scene: a vibrant, fresh, and highly-innovative melting pot of Scottish and Irish folk music, jazz, funk, dance music, classical, and indie styles. Amid this inspiring atmosphere, Napier's latest folk/jazz fusion solo project was born: the Hamish Napier Band.
 
In this new American version of his acclaimed group, who performed at the Celtic Connections Festival and the Glasgow International Jazz Festival last year, Napier invites a band of brilliant Berklee jazz and bluegrass musicians to join him for a unique blend of traditional Scottish and American folk music, original compositions, and jazz improvisation.

Hailing from the United Kingdom and Canada, Brooklyn-based songwriter Tamsin Wilson pulls from the warm folk sounds of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, with a dash of Feist, to create a welcoming ambiance and heartfelt songs. Now she's supported by a full band and electric sound, adding edge and dynamism to the music's arcane undertones.

Hannah Read is Scottish-born singer, songwriter, and fiddler player currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. Her new music draws on folk, jazz, and indie influences, forming a unique alternative sound, which can be heard on her debut solo album, Wrapped in Lace. Read has toured extensively in the states, as well as in Europe.

Holiday Mountain was created by singer, pianist, and songwriter Laura Patino in 2010. Named after two of her great loves, Billie Holiday and the Colorado Rocky Mountains, whose beauty and sincerity have moved people throughout the ages. Patino was born in Colorado, where she was heavily influenced by the power of nature and rock 'n' roll as a young teenager. Trained in jazz and classical piano from a young age and a graduate of Berklee College of music, Patino composed songs for solo piano and voice for several years. While attending Berklee, she was fortunate enough to meet her fellow bandmates through the Boston DIY music scene, where she discovered that sometimes the most beautiful connections can happen in the dirtiest of Allston basement shows. Drummer Zander Kagle, bassist Brad Will, and guitarist Mike Simonelli all share the same core desire with Pation to make people groove hard until they have forgotten any qualms they have with existence.

Holiday Mountain incorporates reggae, indie, psychedelia, and dance styles to create a magical potion that will make even a dung beetle feel like an optimist. Their style has been described as a mixture of artists such as Man Man, Deerhoof, Andrew Bird, Santogold, M.I.A., and "the female version of Mr. Bungle."

Holiday Mountain is independently releasing their debut album, Become Who You Are, in the spring of 2012. The gang will be moving to the great city of Austin, Texas in September 2012, where they intend for their groovy sound to bloom and flourish in the Texas heat.

Cosmodrome is a four-piece band whose style is a forward thinking and eclectic blend of soul, funk, and hip-hop. The enchanting lead vocals of Madison McFerrin intertwine and lock with guitar, bass, and drums to create a sound and live show that is captivating and always groove heavy.

Cosmodrome is based out of Boston, where all of the members are currently studying at Berklee College of Music. Although the core band consists of only four members, Cosmodrome is often accompanied by a horn section with the occasional addition of special guests.

From a wide range of musical backgrounds, the members of Cosmodrome quickly became best friends during their freshman year in college. Fueled by their passion for creation and love of all music "stank face inspiring," the four began to write their own original songs and in the late spring of 2011, Cosmodrome was born. The band has recently finished recording their first official EP and continues to write original music and perform in the Northeast. Cosmodrome is excited to share its constantly evolving and unique musical vision with all who will listen.

Like a palm tree in a Russian winter, the Yesberger Band is bringing its shine to the music scene, inspiring audiences one by one with a jazzy approach to poetry and pop. Its unique musical vision, earthly in its ideals and thick with danceability, has taken the group cross-country and internationally, sharing bills with acts such as Bobby McFerrin, Jamie Cullum, the Temptations, and the Yellowjackets.

Fascinated by the world, Devon Yesberger writes songs that channel joy and light-heartedness, spinning the usual themes of life and love into unique sonic worlds with unusual interpretations. On stage, positivity comes to life with a presence that is unmatched by most young musicians, and is evidence of a strong passion for music, as well as a deep connection between the performers and audience.

Born in Madrid, Ariadna Castellanos began playing the piano at 6 years and at 17 won a full scholarship to Guildhall School of Music where she studied classical piano. But she was always close to flamenco music and when she returned to Spain, she worked with numerous flamenco artists such as: Niño Josele, Jorge Pardo, Agustín Carbonell "El Bola," and Javier Limón.

Last year, she led the honorary tribute to Paco de Lucía. She has also been touring through the big stages of America and Europe with her Middle Eastern flamenco quintet.

She has recorded for Alejandro Sanz, Sandra Carrasco, and José Mercé, and in the spring she will start her tour with other young rising flamenco talents from Spain.

She just recorded her first album with acclaimed producer Javier Limón.

Israeli pianist Yakir Arbib performs jazz with his trio.

Born in Jerusalem in 1989, Arbib started playing classical piano at the age of 4. At 7, he enrolled at Tel Aviv's Stricker Conservatory of Music, where he also took up flute and trumpet.

At just 14, he attracted the attention of the only jazz piano teacher of the conservatory at the time, who started then giving him jazz lessons. In 2004 he was admitted to the prestigious Thelma-Yellin Highschool of the Arts in Tel Aviv where he continued his studies in jazz with some of Israel's most influencial artists such as Amos Hoffman, Eli Degibri, and the Cohen brothers.

During the years in which he studied classical music, Arbib performed many concerts and recitals in the conservatory and has won a number of scholarships. His trio got the chance to perform in some of the most important jazz clubs in Israel and Italy including The Shablool, Ha Gada Ha Smalit, Shoony, Charity Jazz Cafe, Diavolo Rosso, and Villa Celimontana.

Enjoy the unique jazz stylings of a promising young saxophone player.

In 2009, the Berklee College of Music World Tour arrived in Israel and after attending auditions, saxophonist Daniel Rotem was awarded a full-tuition scholarship.

In May 2011, Rotem started full-time studies at the Berklee College of Music towards a degree in music and jazz performance. He's spent two semesters on the school's dean's list. He has performed at the different Berklee venues with numerous ensembles, including the Rainbow Big band led by Phil Wilson; the Concert Jazz Band led by Greg Hopkins (with which he performed and was featured as a soloist in a concert featuring the great drummer Peter Erskine); and as a featured guest at a joint performance of India Arie and Israeli composer-singer Idan Raichel. 

Up and coming jazz guitarist Lee Dynes combines musical forces with San Francisco jazz vocalist and pianist Amanda Addleman to create a performance that is a striking blend of lovely melodies and virtuosic improvisation. This talented duo will be drawing on the standards of the Great American Songbook as well as a selection of pop and original music. Both Dynes and Addleman are graduates of the prestigious Berklee College of Music and whenever they come together, the audience is promised an evening of music that is fresh, passionate, and beautiful.

Ohio native Lee Dynes has continued to achieve major musical milestones since moving to Boston to study guitar performance and composition on a full scholarship from Berklee College of Music. He quickly became noted for his unique and passionate guitar style and had opportunities to perform at premier jazz venues across the country with great reviews, "Dynes guitar work roars across traditional jazz guidelines. You can hear the Metallica he listened to during his boyhood in the way he makes his hollowbody electric sound like an entire band." (Isthmus Daily, Madison WI, 2011). Recently, Dynes signed with Jazz Revelation Records to record his original tune for the compilation CD, Octave, presenting the finest jazz composers at Berklee. 

Amanda Addleman's interest in voice and piano started at a very young age and now she is an established artist in the San Francisco area. She received her bachelor's degree in vocal performance from Berklee College of Music after four years of total immersion in jazz and vocal practice. Upon completion of her degree, she began working in the Bay Area as a singer, pianist, arranger, composer, and educator. Amanda continues to expand her increasingly impressive list of venues including a long residency at the historic Palace Hotel. In addition to her live performances, Addleman is currently working on her first studio record, Aglow, scheduled for release this year.

Albino Mbie was born in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, a country in southern Africa known for its rich musical and cultural heritage. Taken by the sounds of neighborhood street musicians just over a decade ago, he began to pursue the guitar at the age of 16. With the resourcefulness and determination that characterize Mozambicans, he built his first guitar from a five-liter can of oil, scrap wood for a neck, and cords strung over an electric cord.

Mbie currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts, where he is a student at Berklee. He was also selected to participate in the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, which is directed by Danilo Pérez. 

His compositions and performances incorporate his musical experiences from Mozambique, the U.S., and many other places around the world, combining rhythmic patterns and musical concepts to create a unique Afro-jazz sound. 

Albino Mbie's original composition "Mozambique Dance" was recorded by Jazz Revelation Records (a student-run record label at Berklee) for its eighth-annual album released in 2011. He has performed in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Italy, the U.S., and Mexico, produced, and recorded various project in Mozambique and in the United States.  

Born and raised in Israel, saxophonist Lihi Haruvi is now living in Boston studying on a full-tuition scholarship at Berklee, majoring in performance and film scoring.

Haruvi studied in the prestigious Thelma Yellin High School of the Performing Arts; was awarded with the America Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship, the Tel-Aviv Conservatory scholarship, and Excellent Musician status in the Israel Defense Forces; and was an official arranger for the army orchestra.

During her military service, she was chosen to represent Israel by performing as a soloist around the world, and she received a scholarship to study at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.

These days she is a part of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute directed by Danilo Pérez and Marco Pignataro and has the honor of working with Joe Lovano, Ben Street, John Patitucci, Jim Odgren, Terri Lyne Carrington, George Garzone, Kenny Werner, Eddie Gomez, and many other outstanding musicians.

Haruvi is a signed artist of Berklee's Jazz Revelation Records label. She has performed at respected jazz festivals and venues such as the Red Sea Eilat Jazz Festival, Birdland, and the Berklee Performance Center.

Vocalist Vanisha Gould was raised in a household where jazz was the music of choice. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Carmen McRae have all influenced her, as well as Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis. She wants her music to inspire her audience and unite people of all walks of life.

Pianist Caili O'Doherty, 20, is currently a sophomore at Berklee, studying jazz performance on a full scholarship.

Growing up as a classical pianist, O'Doherty was exposed to a variety of musical styles before discovering her love for jazz at age eleven when she transferred to an arts school in Portland, Oregon. Since that time, she has focused on developing a career as a jazz pianist.

In high school, O'Doherty began receiving national recognition for her compositions and performance. She received an ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award as well as two Downbeat Student Music Awards for jazz piano performance and composition, and was selected for the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop band led by Terri Lyne Carrington. In 2010, Caili was one of five female jazz pianists invited to participate in the inaugural Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Emerging Artists Workshop held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and to perform at a showcase concert. O'Doherty was chosen to become a member of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI), an intensive performance program headed by highly acclaimed pianist Danilo Perez.

O'Doherty  has recently performed with the BGJI at the Toronto Jazz Festival and at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, opening for French pianist Martial Solal. She has studied with Dr. Billy Taylor, Danilo Perez, Joanne Brackeen, Terri Lyne Carrington, Hal Crook, and Greg Osby. She has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Portland Jazz Festival, and the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival (as pianist for Terrell Stafford).

Jenna Moynihan began playing the violin at the age of 6. It was not long after that she was introduced to Scottish and Irish fiddle styles, and since that time, she has never looked back. At the age of 19, she is quickly making a name for herself in the Celtic fiddling traditions. Hailing from a small town in Western New York, she has earned champion titles in Scottish Fiddle Competitions, studied with distinguished musicians such as Alasdair Fraser, Darol Anger, and Hanneke Cassel. Moynihan has been a leading member of the fiddle group Bonnie Loch, and contributed many original compositions to their 2008 album, Darach. She has performed across both the United States and Scotland, and is currently based in Boston, pursuing a performance degree from the Berklee College of Music.

Hamish Napier is a pianist, singer, flautist, and whistle player from Strathspey, Scotland. He has been taught by top Scottish whisters Iain MacDonald and Marc Duff amongst others. He was a finalist in the Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year Award 2006, was nominated for Best Up and Coming Artist at the Scots Trad Awards 2005, and is also a previous winner of the All Britain whistle competition. Hamish performed alongside virtuoso whistler Brian Finnegan in the Master and Apprentice whistle and flute concert at Celtic Connections 2003.  He has recorded on over a dozen albums of Scottish traditional music including three with multi-award winning folk group Back of the Moon.  

Ali Amr is a vocalist and qanun performer. His work incorporates and reflects a legacy of Arabic music while it forges ahead to new frontiers, embracing many different styles in the process. Amr was honored with three advanced Marcel Khalife Competition prizes as the Best Arabic Music Performer, 2004-2007. Amr dazzles his audience as he smoothly leaps from traditional Arabic sounds to jazz and other contemporary styles. His soaring technique, melodic ingenuity, and unparalleled grace have earned him acclaim as a virtuoso on the qanun.

Moroccan born in the Rabat, Amr's childhood was steeped in music. His mother, Najat Brigui, is a professional singer. Amr began playing qanun at the age of six at the Edward Said National Conservatory.

Amr has performed in countless cultural events throughout Palestine and worldwide in countries such as Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Germany, Holland, Spain, and Turkey. In 2002, he was invited to Simon Shaheen's acclaimed Arabic Music Retreat in Massachusetts, where he earned praise from leading musicians and Arabic music specialists. In 2006, he completed a two-month tour of the United States with a dancing group, starting at the United Nations in New York and ending with an audience of 85,000 at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas. Amr has performed in world-renowned venues such as the Boston Symphony Hall (Boston), Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), Auditorio Nacional (Spain), Berklee Performance Center (Boston), and many others.

His most recent appearances includes the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival (Indiana); Monterey Jazz Festival (California); North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands); Istanbul Jazz Festival (Turkey); and BeanTown Jazz Festival (Massachusetts), where he played with world-renowned drummer Jack Dejohnette; the 23rd annual International Folk Festival at the Berklee Performance Center; and the Middle Eastern Festival at Berklee College of Music with Bassam Saba, in addition to other performances with artists such as Alejandro Sanz, Javier Limon, Simon Shaheen, Husnu Senlendirici, Joel Smirnoff, Concha Buika, Quiny Jones, Carmen Linares, Aynur Dogan, Esparanza Spalding, Glykeria, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Dhafer Youssef, Rita, La Shica, Leo Blanco, Robin Eubanks, Glen Velez, Eggie Castrillo, Sandra Carrasco, and many others. Amr also worked with very important artist managers in the music industry, such as Mariana Gyalui, EMI, and Universal Studios.

Amr had the honor of performing for the princess of Jordan (2005) and the president of Palestine (2008), Paco de Lucía (2010), Lang Lang (2011), and Ed O'Neil (2012). Amr is a scholarship student at Berklee College of Music and a touring musician worldwide.

This free concert will feature some of today's most gifted and revered jazz musicians collaborating and coming together to show appreciation for Jazz History with musical performances drawing upon momentous jazz standards that influenced and inspired some of hip-hop's most popular anthems.

Rain location: Mainstage Theater at Roxbury Community College (Media Arts Center)

Cosmodrome is a four-piece band whose style is a forward-thinking and eclectic blend of soul, funk, and hip-hop. The enchanting lead vocals of Madison McFerrin intertwine and lock with guitar, bass, and drums to create a sound and live show that is captivating and always groove heavy.

Cosmodrome is based out of Boston, where all of the members are currently studying at Berklee. Although the core band consists of only four members, Cosmodrome is often accompanied by a horn section with the occasional addition of special guests.

From a wide range of musical backgrounds, the members of Cosmodrome quickly became best friends during their freshman year in college. Fueled by their passion for creation and love of all music "stank face inspiring," the four began to write their own original songs, and in the late spring of 2011, Cosmodrome was born. The band has recently finished recording its first official EP and continues to write original music and perform in the Northeast. Cosmodrome is excited to share its constantly evolving and unique musical vision with all who will listen.

Cosmodrome is Madison McFerrin (vocals), Finnegan Bryan Singer (guitar), Charely Ruddell (bass), and Taylor Robinson (drums).

The Yesberger Band, an East Coast college band founded in early 2010 at the Berklee College of Music, is the project of lead singer and pianist Devon Yesberger, backed up by good friends Spencer Stewart (bass) and Gabriel Smith (drums). They are a sensible, groovy, and poetic trio, mixing jazz nuances with catchy original pop.

Inspired by the untapped bounty of wisdom hidden amongst the stars and spread throughout daily life, Yesberger writes songs that channel the feelings of laughter and smiles that everyone desires. The resulting performances only strengthen these feelings with a positive energetic stage presence that is unmatched by most young musicians, and is evidence of a strong passion for music, as well as a deep friendship between the performers and audience.

The Yesberger Band has completed a successful summer tour that took them cross-country, opening for acts including Bobby McFerrin, the Yellowjackets, and the Temptations. Along the way they played 22 dates, sold over 500 CDs, met hundreds of new fans, and had the incredible opportunity to share their music with many open ears: just a small glimpse of their bright future. Their debut album, The Bad Weather EP, features six catchy original tracks and one original cover of the popular Beatles tune "Blackbird." The CD is an independent release featuring the talents of many Berklee students making appearances on most tracks, as well as behind the scenes engineering and mixing.

In the short time they've been together, Me vs Gravity has been blowing up the Boston scene with their epic pop/rock style. Since their first show a year ago, Me vs Gravity released a self-produced, self-titled 7-song EP along with a music video for the EP's lead single, "Walls," which now has over 200,000 views on YouTube. With a strong online presence, a bombastic live show, and a drive like no other, Me vs Gravity is a force to be reckoned with.

Nick Hakim is a singer-songwriter from Washington D.C. He and his band have been playing venues around Boston and New York, cultivating a new sound in preparation for his record that will be released in the summer of 2012. Some of his influences include Jimi Hendrix, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, and the Beatles. 

To Jaime Woods, music is storytelling. It connects us all through common experiences, and relatable issues. Music has the power to manipulate our emotions, evoke us to action, it facilitates healing, and causes us to think and see things differently.  

Jaime began music in Chicago at 15, and sang with numerous choirs and local groups. She's performed and recorded with musicians who've played with artists from Yolanda Adams to D'Angelo. In 2010, she was accepted to Berklee College of Music. She made enough noise in Chicago to raise half of her tuition money through her debut concert, themed "Lifespeak" in November 2010. Now as a student, she's focused on songwriting and production. Since she's been at Berklee, Jaime has performed at the Beantown Jazz Fest, Sculler's, Johnny D's, and other local shows and open mics. She became part of an ensemble that performed with Neo-Soul artist Bilal, and will be performing with Lalah Hathaway in February 2012.  She has collaborated with many fellow Berklee students, and is a member of an a cappella group that will tour Europe in the winter. She is also preparing an EP for summer 2012.

Jaime is inspired by the writings of Lauryn Hill, Emily King, Smokie Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. Jaime appreciates the natural and experimental sounds from artists across the music spectrum like Gretchen Parlato, Bobby McFerrin, and Mushinah, and also gleans from the oldies of jazz and soul, from Ella Fitzgerald to Sam Cooke.

Armeen Musa is a singer-songwriter from Bangladesh, currently studying in Berklee College of Music

Her debut album, Aye Ghum Bhangai, comprised of 10 original songs and one cover, was released in 2008. The album features musicians from Bangladesh and London including Buno, Arnob, Labik Kamal Gaurob, Adil Hadi, Bart Areng, Shahriar Rafique, Zoe Rahman, Idris Rahman, Saif Quadir, and Mashadi.

In Bangladesh, Musa leads a band called "Armeen and the Grasshoppers" who perform original and cover songs in the lounge music scene of Dhaka.

Musa is currently working on an electronica project "ara" with producer Rousseau Mannan due to release in 2012, and is composing the soundtrack for a film "Shongram" by London Film maker Munsur Ali

 Berklee Summer in the City culminates with Boston's biggest and best block party, the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival. Launched in 2000, BeanTown has delighted tens of thousands with a mix of jazz, Latin, blues, and groove acts.

Berklee students and faculty have shared the stage with such jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Claudia Acuña, Mike Stern, Donald Harrison, Kenny Garrett, Delfeayo Marsalis, Bobby Hutcherson, and Geri Allen. The city comes out in force—more than 70,000 strong in 2010—to enjoy world-class music on three stages, great food, and good times stretching six blocks in Boston's historic South End. It is a family-friendly affair with face painting, inflatable rides, and an educational instrument petting zoo.

The Soul of a Man pours so much energy into its music that audiences are guaranteed a rollercoaster ride of emotions and excitement. The individual players add so much of themselves, and collectively, they contribute something unique and special to the music. The Soul of a Man truly is a band to be seen. Whether it is in a small club or a larger venue, this group never fails to deliver. It prides itself on delivering the best in live entertainment.

Amelia Sophia Ali was born and raised in Boston, and has a cultural heritage in Trinidad and Tobago, Syria, and India. A multilingual singer-songwriter, her voice and her songs translate the impassioned state of a true artist of the ages.

Her early musical endeavors led her around the world, touring in Hong Kong, Beijing, France, London, Brazil, and Ireland before the age of 21. In the summer of 2007, New York City, Ali graduated from Pace University, and simultaneously landed the opening act for the Hip Hop mogul, Ludacris's bicentennial performance in Pleasantville. For some, sharing the stage with Ludacris would represent a career height, but for Ali, it was a mere stepping stone.

Ali is studying composition and arrangement at Berklee, intending to graduate in 2013 with plans to launch a career as a musical artist, activist, community organizer, and entrepreneur.

Composed of Alex Baboian on guitar, Jared Henderson on upright bass, and Jon Aanestad on violin, the trio was born after Aanestad needed a guitarist to fill in on a gig he had booked. Baboian and Henderson were brought into the mix to play on a few of the gigs that had been booked for a trio. The chemistry seemed to be palpable immediately. 

The Sugarcane Trio loves catchy hooks and makes a point to pay close attention to melody in spontaneous improvisation. During live performance, each band member's influences are imbued on a musical canvas that becomes spontaneously unique: Henderson's nimble fingers drive the trio forward with an intellectual, woody bass line, while Baboian mixes tasteful jazz stylings with a Motown groove. Aanestad's hearty and overt vocals soar above violin lines that are heavily influenced by his classical background as well as gritty blues players like Stuff Smith, fiddle players Stuart Duncan and Bobby Hicks, and jazz contemporaries such as Regina Carter.

Cosmodrome is a four-piece band whose style is a forward-thinking and eclectic blend of soul, funk, and hip-hop. The enchanting lead vocals of Madison McFerrin intertwine and lock with guitar, bass, and drums to create a sound and live show that is captivating and always groove heavy.

Cosmodrome is based out of Boston, where all of the members are currently studying at Berklee. Although the core band consists of only four members, Cosmodrome is often accompanied by a horn section with the occasional addition of special guests.

From a wide range of musical backgrounds, the members of Cosmodrome quickly became best friends during their freshman year in college. Fueled by their passion for creation and love of all music "stank face inspiring," the four began to write their own original songs, and in the late spring of 2011, Cosmodrome was born. The band has recently finished recording its first official EP and continues to write original music and perform in the Northeast. Cosmodrome is excited to share its constantly evolving and unique musical vision with all who will listen.

Cosmodrome is Madison McFerrin (vocals), Finnegan Bryan Singer (guitar), Charely Ruddell (bass), and Taylor Robinson (drums).

Erena Terakubo, from Sapporo, Japan, began playing the alto saxophone at age 9. She immediately began playing in the Sapporo Junior Jazz Orchestra, and taking part in clinics with famous jazz musicians, such as Herbie Hancock. At 15 and 16, Terakubo attended the Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Program where she was awarded a full tuition scholarship and selected to be a member of the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop. In 2010, she recorded her first album, which reached No. 1 on several Japanese jazz charts. Since then, she has performed at the Tokyo Jazz Festival, Sapporo City Jazz Festival, Jazz Week Osaka 2010, Nagoya Jazz Festival, Kitara Hall, and more. In 2011, she recorded a second album, New York Attitude.

Vanessa Collier is of the fastest-rising young stars currently turning heads at Berklee College of Music, following in the footsteps of Diana Krall and Esperanza Spaulding. This refreshing young saxophonist and singer is being hailed for her mesmerizing blend of soul, spirit, and sultriness. The winner of multiple scholarships and honors, she has already performed and recorded with Grammy-winning artists Kathy Mattea and Patrice Rushen, and is captivating new fans with her soaring saxophone style and sensuous vocals, her captivating and confident on-stage presence, and her infectious passion for music.

Born in Modena Itally just 21 years ago, Noe´ Socha has already developed a guitar style that has brought him international acclaim. Deeply steeped in both jazz and blues, Noe´ has brought audiences to their feet at the Umbria Jazz Festival, where he won a scholarship to Berklee. He's performed with the Mississippi Blues Explosion at the at the B.B. King Blues Museum and the Robert Johnson Museum, with Nyol Manswell at the Central Bank Auditorium of Trinidad and Tobago, and recorded with famed flamenco producer Javier Limon. 

Will Lydgate is a bass player, music producer, recording engineer, and music teacher based on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i. He belongs to the fifth generation of Lydgates making Hawaii their home, and his work combines sunny tropical vibrations and the best elements of an island-style way of doing things with the highest level of professionalism. Trained at Berklee, Lydgate plays reggae, jazz, soul, blues, country, funk, pop, and R&B with talent and authenticity, and manages Kauai's Steelgrass Recording Studio, the island's only state-of-the-art recording facility. 

Virtuoso drummer Jordan Roe was born and raised in Houston, Texas, but after graduating high school lived in the islands of Hawaii, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, and is now in Boston, with a scholarship to attend Berklee. He's played with New York trumpet great Tim Hagans, Sunnyside recording artist David Caceres, and saxophone legend Don Menza. He has studied with Joel Fulgham, Stanton Moore, Kendrick "Oracle" Scott, Rick Latham, Terreon Gully, Jay Lawrence, Ed Soph, and others.

Hailing from Humacao, Puerto Rico, Mario Castro began his musical studies at the age of 12, and later became interested primarily in jazz. 
He has performed in the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Martha's Vineyard Jazz Festival, and Nancy Jazz Festival both as a sideman and leader.

He has performed with the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra, Dave Liebman, Greg Osby, Giovanni Hidalgo, Humberto Ramirez, Mike Clark, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Gene Perla, and many more. The Mario Castro Quintet met in 2008 at Berklee College of Music, where Mario finished his studies in 2011. The group's debut CD,  Primavera, was released in April 2012 by Greg Osby's label Inner Circle Music. The quintet consists of David Neves, Jonathan Pinson, Tamir Shmerling, and KyuMin Shim.

Born in 1989, trumpeter David Neves is the winner of the 2010 International Trumpet Guild Jazz Competition. He completed his studies at Berklee College of Music and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute in 2011, where he's had the pleasure of studying with some of his favorite musicians including Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Ben Street, John Patitucci, Tiger Okoshi, and Hal Crook, to name a few. 

Jonathan Pinson's dynamic and explosive percussion sound has been described as that of a "young Elvin Jones." His formal music training began at the age of six with instruction on the piano. He transitioned to the drum set in 1999 with instruction by Jerry Kalaf, at Los Angeles' Colburn School of Performing Arts, up until 2007. He's been fortunate to have the opportunity to study with the late, great Billy Higgins, at the World Stage in Los Angeles, California. Pinson came to Berklee on the full-tuition Jimmy Lyons Scholarship. He graduated in 2011, and was recently accepted into Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz Performance.

A double and electric bassist from Israel, Tamir Shmerling completed his mandatory national service as a bassist for the Israeli Defense Forces Orchestra from 2005 to 2008, performing with the  orchestra around Israel, Europe, and the U.S. He held the bass chair in both the Tel Aviv and Holon big bands, directed by Amikam Kimelman and Guri Agmon respectively, and in the "Israeli Idol" TV show band. Shmerling studied at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music on a scholarship, and was a student of Eli Magen from 2008-2009. Since graduating Berklee in 2011, he has toured with Terri Lyne Carrington. 

KyuMin Shim was born in Seoul, Korea in 1984 and began to play the piano at age 5. He began with a focus on classical music, but soon after he started playing the jazz piano and won the performance prize in Jazz Music Competition held by Seoul Institute of The Arts (SITA), one of the best music schools in Korea. A year later, SITA presented him with a full scholarship. Since 2009, he's been studying at Berklee on scholarship, where he works with Joanne Brackeen, Danilo Pérez, and Ed Tomassi, to name a few.

The Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI) is a performance program designed to foster creativity and musicianship through various musical disciplines, with pianist and composer Danilo Pérez as its artistic director. The BGJI provides a comprehensive contemporary music environment where students are given opportunities to explore their creativity to the highest level possible, advance the power of music as a tool for the betterment of society, and connect musical creative thinking with the natural environment.

Silvina Moreno is an indie pop singer/songwriter from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The New York-based Berklee alumna performed with Jorge Drexler and Bobby McFerrin during her student days and released her debut album, Mañana, in April 2012.

In Buenos Aires, Moreno performed frequently over a ten-year period, joining a Pink Floyd tribute band when she was 16, later becoming a member of London Eye. She performed at venues such as Teatro Metro and the well-known Teatro Opera.

Moreno graduated from Berklee in May 2011. While there, she took the stage in several high-profile shows, including three commencement ceremonies in the Agganis Arena. In January 2011, Silvina sang with Uruguayan singer/songwriter Jorge Drexler. A month later, Moreno performed with Grammy-winning artist Bobby McFerrin as a member of a group of talented Berklee singers called the Singing Tribe.