About the Artists

Summer Breeze

Chinese fusion ensemble featuring Vince Dimura & Lina Zha

The ensemble's sound and style are rooted in the Latin/Jazz tradition with stylistic

references to John Coltrane, Carlos Santana, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Tito Puente, and Gato

Barbieri. Lina Zha and her gift and style are at the center of everything the group creates.

The result is a true fusion of East meeting West and a testament to the beauty of both worlds. Summer Breeze has recorded and released 3 full-length albums, Nostalgia, Serendipity, and Odyssey. The group produced an award-winning documentary on its recording process, 6 music videos, and has headlined the Somerset County Diversity Festival. Numerous concerts have followed, including their acclaimed performances at the Philadelphia Art Museum, Nash Hall, and the Nicholas Music Center. Most recently, the group won 2 silver medals from the Global Music Awards, in the categories of Best Music video and Most Outstanding CD recording. Their first tour of China is currently in the planning stages with the hope of sharing the musical culture of both East and West to foster goodwill and understanding.

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Ultra S

A jazz fusion band that has been stirring up the NJ music scene with their unique and captivating sounds. With musicians well-versed in various musical styles, including jazz, fusion, video game music, rock, etc. This eclectic group produces a vibrant concoction of sounds and tones to delight any music lover. ULTRA’s releasing its debut album, entitled “Universe Less Traveled Reveals Authentic Self” in the winter of 2024. The group is comprised of seasoned professionals, each with a truly unique voice on their instrument. Equally at home performing on the street, the concert hall or the jazz club. The band’s signature style can be attributed to its ability to create a cohesive sound from each member’s distinct approach to playing and composition.

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John Lee and Friends

John Lee (Bass) is a Grammy Award winning record producer and audio engineer. He has produced over 100 recordings and is the co-founder of the record label JLP, Jazz Legacy Productions. From 1984 through 1993, John Lee was Dizzy Gillespie’s bassist. Performing and recording in the trumpet master’s various bands including the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and Dizzy’s Grammy Award Winning United Nation Orchestra. After Dizzy’s passing, his family asked John to create an ongoing tribute to the great man and his music—and the concept for the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars was born. John is the bassist and director of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience. He has also worked in the bands of Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Jon Faddis, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Gregory Hines, Claudio Roditi, Sonny Rollins and McCoy Tyner.

Karl Latham  (Drums) was born into a musical family in Trenton, New Jersey. He attended Rutgers University and the Berklee College of Music. He has performed with Claudio Roditi, Slide Hampton, Clark Terry, John Lee, Don Braden, Vic Juris, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, The Shirelles, and Mark Egan among others. As a sideman, Karl has appeared on countless recordings. To date, he has released three CD’s as a leader: Dancing Spirits (1999) , Resonance (2007), and his latest release Living Standards. As a co-leader Don Braden/Karl Latham Big Fun(K) Live (2012) and Karl Latham/Ryan Carniaux/Mark Egan Constellations (2014).

Tomoko Ohno (Piano), born in Tokyo, began piano studies at the age of 4. As a teenager, she began playing professionally in the Tokyo area jazz scene. After graduating from Rikkyo University in Law and Politics, Miss Ohno moved to the United States and entered the Jazz Studies Program at William Paterson University in New Jersey, where she studied with Harold Mabern and Rufus Reid. During this time, she had the opportunity to perform with such artists as Jerome Richardson, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson and Joe Henderson. A recipient of the Student Award of Outstanding Performance and a member of the Dean’s List, Miss Ohno graduated with a B.A. in Jazz Studies. She has performed at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital, Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Birdland, in addition to appearing on live radio broadcasts by WBGO and WNYC, and ABC TV’s Good Morning America. She has performed and/or recorded with Slide Hampton, Claudio Roditi, James Spaulding, Houston Person, James Spaulding, Rufus Reid, Scott Robinson, The John Lee Quartet, The Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Big Band and Sherrie Maricle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra, Diva Five Play, Jay Leonhart trio.

​Freddie Hendrix (Trumpet) Over the past two decades, Freddie Hendrix has become one of the most in demand trumpeters in Jazz, and beyond. Also, an accomplished composer, arranger and educator, the Teaneck, New Jersey native's skill and versatility has resulted in him working with a wide array of performers that range from the Count Basie Orchestra and The Christian McBride Big Band to Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys.

One of music’s most exciting players, Hendrix has forged his own sure footed, full toned sound, out of the tradition of Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, and Clifford Brown. A powerful septet recording, JERSEY CAT, a scintillating septet debut, impresses from the opening bars of the powerful first track, "St. Peter's Walk". At home on fiery, up-tempo tracks, or on ballads like "You Don't Know What Love Is", Hendrix shows that he can handle any tempo and interpret any song with ease, and when called for, nuance. And on originals like "On The Rise" (one of his first compositions), "Madeira Nights", (inspired by his first trip to Europe), and "Whims Of A Waltz", Freddie's aforementioned composing and arranging talents are on full display. Among the other selections on this well-rounded project is a wonderful performance of the Horace Silver classic "Peace", and a swinging rendition of Freddie Hubbard's "Hubtones".

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Nat Adderley Jr.

This Grammy Nominated Pianist was also a songwriter for 20 years for Luther Vandross in addition to Natalie Cole, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, and Doc Powell. Adderley also worked as a keyboardist for R&B singer Valerie Simpson. Nat's jazz lineage includes Cornetist Nat Adderley and the legendary Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Nat Adderley, Jr. is an American pop, rhythm, and blues music arranger and pianist who spent much of his music career arranging as music director for Luther Vandross tours and contributed as co-songwriter on most of Vandross’s albums. His father Nat Adderley was a composer, jazz cornet, and trumpet player, while his uncle Cannonball Adderley was an alto saxophonist. Nat has returned to his jazz roots and will be performing his own works, as well as tributes to both his father and uncle. He cites his influences as Chick Corea, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk.

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Rich Barrata

Grammy Nominated Richard Baratta was born into a musically oriented family in Poughkeepsie, NY in 1950. He began his musical journey at the age of 12, playing saxophone, flute and drums, and eventually, exclusively drums. He played mostly jazz all through his teens. After earning a BA in History from Wagner College in 1973, and after studying with Jack DeJohnette, Bob Moses and Steve Haas he moved to NYC in 1975 to pursue his musical career. From 1975 to 1984 Baratta played gigs and recorded in and out of NYC. Some of his bandmates and associations were with John Stubblefield, Joe Ford, Frank Strozier, Hal Galper, Mike Richmond, Saheb Sarbib, Dennis Irwin, Vernon Reid, Billy Bang, Jack Wilkens, Ryo Kawasaki, Jessica Hagedorn and the Gangster Choir, Guilherme Franco, Pe De Boi, Cyro Baptista, and a very memorable one day hit with Hank Mobley and then Johnny Hartman.

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Ty Stephens Jazz and The SoulJaazz

A consummate multi-talented entertainer and performer, Ty Stephens has performed around the world, gaining an international audience with a cool, urban-tinged adult-contemporary sound, based on jazz, funk, and R&B. He has appeared on Broadway in the original productions of Sophisticated Ladies and Marilyn, An American Fable. He has recorded with industry legends Harry Belafonte, Peggi Lee, dance music icon Dan Hartmann, disco pioneer Nile Rogers (Beavis & Butthead), master drummer Baba Olatunji, renowned trumpeter Chuck Mangione, singer Gwen McCrae, Def Jam premier artist Alyson Williams, among others.

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Charisa - The Violin Diva

A progressive jazz artist and in-demand innovator, Charisa Rouse has collaborated with some dynamic artists across the musical borders, including Wynton Marsalis, Savion Glover, Quincy Jones, Kim Burrell, Common, Diana Krall, Musiq Soulchild and William McDowell, to name a few. As an opening act, she has set the stage ahead of Melissa Morgan and Freddie Jackson. In 2011, Charisa won grand prizes in both the McDonald’s Gospelfest Competition in Newark and the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival Competition in Philadelphia. She was also a semi-finalist in the Apollo Competition in front of an audience of 10,000. Her other festival performances include the Baltimore African American Heritage Festival (Baltimore), the Lincoln Park Music Festival (Newark, NJ), JVC Jazz Festival, (NYC, NY), Soul of Brooklyn (Brooklyn, NY), and the Ailey Dance Company (NYC, NY), and many more cultural organizations around the world. Ailey Dance Company (NYC, NY), and many more cultural organizations around the world.