Francis Kofi Akotuah is drummer and teacher from Ghana. Born and raised in the capital city of Accra, Francis grew up in a melting-pot neighborhood immersed in the sounds of many of Ghana’s diverse musical cultures. After an 18-year career at the University of Ghana, Francis relocated to the US and has been based in the Bay Area since 2017. He is a lecturer and ensemble director at UC Santa Cruz, Sacramento State University, and the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. He also teaches children of all ages through the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, CA....
Ian Erickson is a composer and performer currently living in Berkeley, California. He is a graduate of Missouri State University with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music Composition and Jazz Studies with an emphasis in Drum Set Performance. He also attended the Port Townsend School of Woodworking, where he completed their 12-week intensive Foundations of Woodworking course.
Many of his works aim to explore polyphonic textures through the use of complex rhythms and dense harmonies. As a composer he has worked with PARMA Recordings and the Sirius Quartet on a compilation project of...
Ryan Huber is a multimedia artist with over a decade of experience providing musical and visual services for Bay Area dance and theater groups. He is a member of the San Francisco-based band, Battlehooch. In addition to music and video editing, he is passionate about yoga and biology. Visit Ryan's YouTube channel.
Ben Juodvalkis composes original music for dance, film, theater, corporate events, and museum installations. He has created scores for over 50 organizations and has had his music performed on four continents. Ben works from his studio in San Francisco as well as on location with his mobile custom built electronic instruments. Visit Ben's website.