Transplanted from NYC to Washington, D.C. nearly two decades ago, saxophonist/flutist Fred Foss finally debuts as leader, blowing straightahead with a tight-playing eight-musician team.

They deliver six harmonious, well-arranged (mostly) originals that scan the African-American social evolution and spotlight young trumpet ace Marcus Rabb, arranger Roger Woods (alto/tenor sax, bass clarinet), pianist George Colligan, and others. Acoustic bassist James King donates his ballad "When We Were," an engaging vehicle for Foss' honeyed flute solo. A sterling maiden voyage. - Nancy Ann Lee

Ernest, a second generation musician, was born in Naples, Italy to Ernest and Rebecca Coleman. His father, Ernest Jr., was a jazz musician who played tenor sax and was also a great arranger and composer.

Ernest studied at the Naval Conservatory of Music in Norfolk, Virginia and was awarded a special honor for being the youngest student to graduate from this conservatory. After his tour with the Navy Band, Ernest moved to Los Angeles, California and began his true musical quest. He performed for Guys & Dolls, Ain't Misbehavin, Bourbon Street Review, and A Chorus Line.

Ernest received the call of a lifetime! He was offered an opportunity to play with the great jazz legend–the one and only jazz bassist, Al McKibbon. Mr. McKibbon was the bassist for a Broadway show out of New Orleans, entitled The Bourbon Street Review.

Ernest recently recorded his second CD, as a Bandleader, entitled, Her Eyes at Sunset. He recorded his CD and began his tour in Atlanta, GA, in March of 2011.

Led by Brazilian born, Washington-bred brothers Alejandro and Leonardo Lucini, Origem spends much of its time on 'Ijexa' commuting between continents, blending Brazilian music with elements of contemporary and straight ahead jazz.

The brothers make for a nimble rhythm section - bandleader Alejandro on percussion; Leonardo on electric and acoustic bass - beginning with the opening track, a breezy reprise of Joao Bosco's engaging samba, 'Preta Porter de Tafeta,' featuring flutist Enrique Rios. Another highlight the pan-cultural 'Point of View,' a richly textured ballad composed by Alejandro, also demonstrate the band's resourcefulness and dexterity.

Born in Myrtle Beach, SC. Attended Howard University in 1965 graduate with a Bachelors of Music Education. Has resided in DC for over 40 years. Jimmy plays jazz, Latin, Caribbean, Reggae in various clubs in the DC area. Played trumpet and arranged music for featured artist and shows for 10 years at the historic Howard Theatre in NW DC. Toured the country with various highly acclaimed rock and jazz artist.

JIMMY BURRELL - PIANO
DAVID REESE - BASS
CHALMAN HOLMES - TRUMPET/TROMBONE
VINCE STROMAN - DRUMS

With her warm expression and voice of elegance, Tiya! has recorded and performed with a variety of bands throughout her musical career. The range and quality of her voice takes her from R&B to hip hop, to Jazz to gospel. She has shared the stage with a vast array of renowned artist, including Roberta Flack, Nona Hendricks, Queen Latifa, Dave Chapelle... too numerous to mention all. Tiya!, a native Washingtonian, has been the resident vocalist at the Channel Inn Hotel on the DC Waterfront for thirteen years. In addition, for ten years she has been working as the lead female vocalist with Bobby Felder and his Blue Notes Big Band, providing music for a variety of private venues on the east coast.

Tiya! sings, writes, arranges, and co-produces for "In Process" a four woman, a capella group that sings songs of consciousness, and self-awareness. The group, developed over 30 years ago from a workshop given by the world-famous Sweet Honey in the Rock, has traveled throughout the east coast and has performed with legendary singers and actors that include Cisely Tyson, Ruby Dee, Odetta, Pete Seeger, Bill Cosby, Nelson and Winnie Mandela, and Roberta Flack.

As a vocalist and entertainer, Tiya! is a natural artist that leaves a dynamic and lasting impression on those whose lives she touches through song. Each time she walks onto a stage to perform, she reinvents herself as an artist/entertainer to be reckoned with. Her ability to reach out and capture the heart, soul and minds of the listener is a clear indication that Tiya! will be around for a long time to come.

Luci Murphy is a native of D.C. where she is a vocalist who often leads group singing, but “sun-lights” as a medical interpreter of Spanish and English. She has a long history of community activism, especially working with children at risk. She has visited Lebanon to observe Palestinian Refugee Camps, China just before the normalization of relations with the U.S., Brazil for a grass-roots organizing conference, and Cuba to oppose U.S. travel restrictions.

A past president of the D.C. League of Women Voters, she has also served on the Steering Committees of the People’s Music Network, "Health Care Now!,” and Washington Inner-city Self Help. Most recently she was convener of the Gray Panthers of Metro D.C., an associate producer of Sophie’s Parlor Women’s Radio Collective at WPFW 89.3 FM, the Pacifica Station in D.C. and contact person for the Community Coalition for Peace and Justice. Currently she assists Zarinah Shakir with the production of WPFW's public affairs program,"We Ourselves/The Struggle Continues" which airs Mondays from 10 to 11am.

Luci has been performing since her childhood in the 1950s. To reach the members of our diverse human family, she sings in ten languages: English, Spanish, French, Creole, Portuguese, Zulu, Arabic, Hebrew, Cherokee, and ki-Swahili. She draws on the folkloric traditions and musical idioms of all these cultures, as well as her own roots in Spirituals, Blues and Jazz.

From Washington DC, Sharon is also a flautist and keyboardist. The piano was her first instrument. From this start, she began playing drums, the flute, and ended with the sax. She began playing sax in high school and said "believe it or not I wanted to hang out with the sax players after hearing Grover Washington and several funk songs that had horn sections".

She started a career in computers as a programmer and a web designer, but after being laid off several times due to riffs, realized that she had the sax to fall back on. She says "its a struggle, but I love performing and touching others through my music and I have been doing it full time as a career for 4 years. Since starting her musical career, Sharon has jammed with a number of well-known bands.

More recently she has been performing locally with the band "Uncharted Waters", which features flautist Arch Thompson. Her band, The Sharon Thomas Experience, has performed with Ginuwine, Ralph Tresvant, Dawn Robinson of EnVogue, Mr. Cheeks, Tony Terry, and Teena Marie just to name a few. Sharon is committed to her musical journey and to sharing her musical talents with the world. Sharon can be seen and heard performing at numerous venues in the DC area.