Bill Matthews is a devoted student and teacher of African and Afro-Caribbean drum rhythms. Bill is the owner of the Fremont Drum Shop/School, which offers a wide variety of hand drums and classes. He is the author of several books, videos and CDs on traditional rhythms in a clear, easy to read format. For over 10 years Bill has been teaching beginning through advanced drum classes.

Barb Pitcher has been playing drums over 40 years and was the first 'girl' drummer in her high school in the late 60's. She has been studying world drums for many years with master drum teachers. Her focus on the frame drum began in 1997, and has studied extensively with Layne Redmond, and Glen Velez. She teaches frame drum workshops/classes and her teaching style can incorporate the beginner to the advanced frame drummer. Barb presents frame drum workshops at festivals and conferences including Michigan Women's Music Festival and Ontario Women's Drum Camp. She has performed in collaboration with many artists and orchestras including the Michigan women's Music Festival, the West Michigan Concert Winds, Ubaka Hill and the ShapeShifters, and with Layne Redmond at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention as well as producing concerts with Layne and 35 frame drummers in the historic Howmet Theater in western Michigan. Barb seeks to make the ancient art of frame drumming accessible to anyone who is drawn to this tradition. Her passion is to allow everyone to experience the powerful, diverse rhythmic culture created when we drum together.

Miguel Bernal is a Cuban Folklorist Musician who brings students a wealth of knowledge about percussion and it's cultural orgins. From Havana, he was the principle percussionist for "Raices Profundas," a top notch folkloric dance company, for 20 years. Miguel has toured and taught all over the globe,specializing in bata, conga, song, clave, cajon and guiro. He has been featured on highly acclaimed CDs such as Carmello, and Drum Jam. In 2006, he took first place in an international percussion contest, "Festival del Tambor." Miguel resides in Portland, Oregon where he teaches a weekly song class (Orisha/rumba,) private and group lessons, and performs with his his group ODDUARA.

Brianca Delaney-Yemoyali of The House of Yemoyali is an emerging performance artist that shares art as an avenue of healing, self-discovery and creative expression. She began writin poetry at the age of 5 and eventually gained her Master's Degree in Human Communications and Advanced Certification in Creative Writing at the University of Denver in 2003. Although she has health challenges surrounding PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) she hopes to inspire others to find the courage and creative ways to follow their dreams in harmony with such health challenges. She produced a documentary called, Healing My Broken Womb in 2007 and is currently working on a one woman show called Giving Birth to Death - A Warrior's Journey of Love.

Kerfala "Fana" Bangoura was named “Master Drummer” by the Guinean Ministry of Culture in 2008. He has been featured as a soloist for two national groups of Guinea, Percussions de Guinee and Les Ballets Africains, for over 8 years. He has also served as Percussion Director for Ballet Fareta, and his own ensemble, Sekha-Kan Kolon, has toured and performed throughout Guinea. Fana has been teaching and performing in the United States since the spring of 2009. His powerful, dynamic performances and friendly teaching style have won accolades from audiences and students, leading to high-profile engagements such as an appearance on the nationally syndicated Mo'Nique Show.

Blake has been teaching, playing, and performing for 13 years. He is schooled in African and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, songs, and dances. He believes that drumming and dance is for everyone, regardless of who you are or where you come from. The drum is our teacher, healer, and friend. May the drum and dance lead us back to wholeness!

Bill has been teaching Freestyle Djembe Hand Drumming since 1998. Bill started with a background in Traditional African Style, playing with EARTH BEAT and PHOENIX RISING Drum & Dance Troupes. He has played with the Rock Band BENT, Spiral, and Planetary people where I got experience in Southern Rock, Blues, Jazz , and Reggae. He was also the founder of the Rock Band Outlaw Drummer Band.-- Music Therapy--- He has an Bachelor of Arts Degree from The Evergreen State College in Rhythm/Meditation Therapy. He has done Internships with VA Medical Center in Lakewood, Wa, a local LMHC and Evergreen Nursing & Rehabilitation working with PTSD, Mood Disorders, Drug & Alcohol, and Dementia/Alzheimers paitents. He is currently sessions at the Low Income Housing Institute in Olympia, wa.

Award-winning marimba artist Jane Boxall is "in a genre of one," according to Vermont’s SevenDays. Born in the UK, Jane completed two degrees in music at the University of York before relocating to the United States in 2004 and earning her DMA. Jane has performed in concert halls, art galleries, cafes, kindergartens, universities and festivals from London to Chicago, and Manhattan to Seattle. In 2013-2014, Jane is touring throughout the United States, and internationally, as a concert artist and clinician. Her new solo marimba album, ‘Zero To Eight Mallets’, is available at janeboxall.com.