Jamaal 'Black Root' Collier is an emcee, beatboxer, poet, master teaching artist actor, and host. With over 20 years of experience, he incorporates all aspects of his artistry in stage performances, residencies, and workshops. He has a charge to challenge his listeners to think carefully and critically. Affectionately & respectfully known as Mr. Root, Jamaal has a gift for making natural connections and truly listening to the needs of the students and the teachers with which he works. He cares deeply about people and helping them to achieve.
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, recording artist and educator. Leader of the Unified Jazz Enaemble.
CHRISTEN MORRELL is a singer/songwriter and an electronic producer and performer from Annapolis, Maryland. Inspired by artists like Maggie Rogers, Quinn XCII, and Vera Blue, Christen is starting a new chapter within her music that embodies her adventurous nature through innovative electronic sounds and her introspective lyrics. Currently, a student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Christen takes pride in representing Women in music tech, as a female producer-songwriter in the electronic music genre. She has music out on all streaming platforms and is currently working on a co-
Kwame Shaka Opare is a classically trained West African dancer with an MFA in Dance from the University of Maryland. At 14, he became a principal dancer with Kankouran West African Dance Company (Washington DC). As a young adult, Kwame Shaka moved to New York where he established himself as a dynamic instructor and choreographer. In the late 90s, he began touring with the Broadway show STOMP, in the lead role and as rehearsal director where he remained for 8 years.
SSUUNA: Is a dancer, percussionist, singer, songwriter, storyteller, and recording artist from Uganda with a wide range of performing experience. Raised in a small village by grandparents, He found comfort in the Ugandan traditional music that was played at school. As a result, his musical influence was born, thus encouraged, natured, and reinforced by his elders through proverbs, stories, songs, dances, and instrumentation. This bestowed priceless cultural entertainment, which proved to be educational as well as alleviating of the poverty, hunger, hopelessness, and suffering that SSUUNA
Yvette Spears - Jazz Vocalist
Virtual performance from the Pandemic Parlor Series created by Yvette Spears
Year: 2021