Alex Gao 高紫旗 is a Chinese-Canadian singer-songwriter, performer, and director whose work lives at the intersection of cultures and disciplines.    As a second-generation Chinese-Canadian woman and artist from Toronto, Canada, Alex is deeply committed to pushing creative boundaries and building bridges between East and West. Her unique sound blends pop, soul, musical theatre, and world music – a personal cocktail that reflects her multifaceted identity and global perspective.   A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Alex earned her Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance on the prestigious World Tour and Sylvia M. Zunz Scholarships. With a diverse background of performances to her name, she views every stage as an opportunity to celebrate cultural convergence with authenticity and heart.   Alex Gao’s Debut Single “Miss Mind” is available to stream on all platforms.  “It is a privilege to love what I do and do what I love. Thank you—for you, and all that you are. Thank you for being.”    

Francisco Mela is a favorite amongst jazz's elite instrumentalists, among them, McCoy Tyner Trio, Joe Lovano “Us Five”, Kenny Barron, Quincy Jones All Starts, Esperanza Spalding, John Scofield, Cooper Moore, William Parker, Ingrid Laubrock, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, George Garzone and the Fringe. He moved to Boston in 2000 and quickly began as a thereafter at Berklee College of Music, Mela rapidly made a name for himself on the Boston scene, becoming the house drummer at the legendary Wally’s Cafe ́Jazz Club. It was at Wally’s that Mela began developing a concept for his own band, one that would feature the sounds of modern jazz with the traditional music he grew up with in Cuba. Fellow Berklee faculty member and world-renown saxophonist, Joe Lovano, heard Mela and was immediately impressed, hiring him shortly after to play in his quartet. Since 2005, Mela has been an integral part of Joe Lovano’s quartet and his new group, “Us Five,” a two-drummer quintet. Their 2009 Blue Note Records recording, titled Folk Art, was considered by many critics to be Lovano’s most adventurous to date. In 2009, he was tapped by jazz legend McCoy Tyner to join his trio. Said Tyner of his new young drummer, “Mela is just a fantastic player. He has his own style and his own sound, which is what I look for in a drummer.” Mela has released ten albums, Melao, Cirio, Tree of Life, Fe, Ancestros, MPT trio Volume one, Music frees Our Souls Vol 1, 2 and 3 with Master Bass player Willian Parker and Cooper More, Causa y Efecto Vol 1 and 2 With Zoh Amba. affirming Mela’s unique niche in the melting pot that is now New York’s “jazz and Avant-Garde” scene. Mela is also a faculty member at Berklee College of Music and Mentor of the International Free Jazz Residence Sounds of Freedom in collaboration with Record Label 577. Recently, Mela has recorded an album with the extraordinary Grammy-winning bassist, Christian McBride.