Kymberlee O'Brien

Born: February 17

Kymberlee O'Brien is a multifaceted artist blending the rich nuances of Jazz, Latin, pop, and R&B with a soulful, powerful voice that tells stories of resilience, love, and self-discovery. An award-winning singer, songwriter, and choreographer, Kymberlee brings an undeniable warmth and authenticity to her music. She draws on her experiences and influences to create a sound that resonates deeply with her audience, combining her training in musical theatre, dance, and world percussion to create unforgettable live performances and recordings. Her dedication to her craft and her love for storytelling make her a unique voice in today’s music scene.

Rivkah Ross

Rivkah Ross is a jazz drummer-composer-bandleader based in Portland, Oregon. Rivkah is poised to carve her own trail with the release of her debut album, Dare to Hope. This bold offering gives a glimpse into a world that's both deeply personal and informed by the language of giants like John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and Steve Swallow.

Rivkah isn't merely channeling her heroes; she's using their vocabulary to craft a singular artistic statement that shows a path to new territory. Her compositions demonstrate technical prowess, and harmonic acuity. But they are also sonic narratives that grapple with themes of acceptance, resilience, and the unwavering human spirit. 

Eve Minor

Born: November 13

Eve Minor is a multi-talented artist known for her versatility as a musician, filmmaker, and writer. Born and raised in New York City, Eve's creative journey began at a young age when she showed a natural inclination towards the arts. Growing up in a culturally rich environment, she was exposed to various forms of expression, which greatly influenced her eclectic style.

Eve's passion for music ignited during her adolescence, inspired by a diverse range of genres including hip-hop, punk, and electronic music. Drawing from her own life experiences and observations of the world around her, she began crafting lyrics that reflected her introspective and socially conscious mindset.

Carrie Jahde

Born: March 16

     Carrie Jahde has earned national awards and a great deal of notoriety over the past decades for her versatile, passionate, and unique approach to drumming. Currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she maintains a full-time touring, recording and teaching schedule, working with musical groups ranging in style from jazz to Latin to funk to R&B. Strongly committed to creative, improvised music, she also composes for her longtime jazz trio NoCoasters, which performs regularly throughout the West Coast.

     Carrie's musical background began with classical piano at the age of 8. By the age of 13 she had added singing and trombone into her life, and began performing locally. It was not until the age of 24, however, that she discovered her love for drumming. Carrie immediately exploded onto the Northwest music scene, recording her first full-length album only six months after purchasing her first drum set. Though initially self taught, Carrie later studied with Alan Tarpinian and Alan Jones, and attended the University of Oregon as a percussion performance major.

Roni Kaspi

Kaori Yamada

Born: December 23, 1971

KAORI YAMADA DRUMMER Jazz drummer Kaori Yamada was born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Pref., Japan. Kaori started to learn the piano at the age of 4 and she graduated from the School of Music, at Takamatsu Junior College, majoring in classical piano. Kaori began to play drums on her own initiative at the age of 14. She was particularly interested in Soul, R&B, and Jazz, music her brother was listening to at the time, and she developed a strong desire to become a professional drummer. From 1991 to 1995, Kaori was based in Hiroshima where she qualified as a drum instructor under the R.C.C. Takeshi Inomata Drum School at YAMAHA Music Shops, Chugoku Region

Mareike Wiening

Mareike Wiening, percussionist and composer, spent six years in Brooklyn, New York, where she cultivated her musical career. Since 2019, she has been commuting between the United States and Cologne, Germany, while actively participating in the international jazz scene.

Her career as an independent jazz musician encompasses a diverse array of projects and ensembles in New York and Europe. Since 2022, she has been serving as a lecturer in jazz percussion at the Zurich University of the Arts.

The Mareike Wiening Quintet, featuring longstanding musical partners Rich Perry, Glenn Zaleski, Alex Goodman, and Johannes Felscher, was nominated for the 2022 German Jazz Award. In November 2023, their third album, Reveal, is set to release on the renowned New York label of Dave Douglas, Greenleaf Music.