Hugo Cruz Machado (Musical Director & Percussion) is a Cuban-born, award winning, internationally renowned drummer and composer who has performed in South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela. Hugo is the leader of Caminos, who fuse rhythms and melodies of Afro-Cuban, Cuban, American jazz and funk styles. Caminos released their first original album Punto de Partida in 2022, and have made appearances at Fábrica de Artes in Havana, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, among others.

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Pria Dahiya (Director) is a director, visual artist and writer exploring internet culture through literary adaptation, movement and media design. With a passion for exploring the intersection of technology and humanity, Pria’s work transcends the boundaries of traditional art forms, seamlessly blending literary adaptation, movement, and media design.

 

 

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E. Lieu Wolhardt (Media & Lighting Designer) is amulti-cultural /multi-media/ multi-disciplinary artist, as well as a lighting and projection designer. a child of globalization, their work addresses themes of violence, non-bodies, exilic spaces, self obsession, self repulsion, and the existential nature of being everything & nothing at all. 

 

 

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Degnis Bofill (Percussion) is a Cuban percussionist, vocalist, and composer based in Havana. Degnis is well versed in an array of Latin percussion instruments and a connoisseur of Cuban’s unique rhythmic tradition. He has toured the world, performing alongside Arturo O’Farrill, Orlando Valle “Maraca”, Néstor Torres, Bobby Carcassés, Dave Weckl, Blondie and Roberto Fonseca. Degnis’ directs his own ensemble, Golpes Libres (Free Hits), mixing Afro-Cuban traditional music and modern jazz, combining intricate textures, improvisation, and elaborate harmonic work.

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Chantal Joseph (Vocals) is a dynamic and versatile musician and educator based in Pittsburgh, PA. Originally from Cape Cod, Chantal has played at the Newport Jazz Festival and with renowned ensembles such as the Boston Pops and Cape Symphony. She continues to perform with New York based Perry Rossi Orchestras. Since relocating to Pittsburgh, she has continued to captivate audiences and was even named Best R&B Performer by the Pittsburgh City Paper.

 

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Mike Tomaro (Sax) is a saxophonist, composer, arranger and jazz educator. He is the Jazz Studies Program Director at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Mike is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Diamond Artist. He has many credits to his name on nationally-released CDs, including 5 of his own and over 200 published compositions and arrangements.  Mike is co-author of the textbook, “Instrumental Jazz Arranging: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide” 

 

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Brian Stahurski (Bass) received his formal education at Duquesne University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance in 1989 while studying with Jeffrey Mangone, and a Master’s degree in Performance in 1992 while studying with Anthony Bianco. Since then he has performed with the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra, major Broadway touring productions, the Wheeling Symphony, WQED’s “Live from Studio A”on PBS television and various Jazz, Blues, Salsa, Pop and Rock artists around Pittsburgh.

 

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Joe Sheehan (Piano) is a composer, pianist, and educator immersed in three music environments: jazz, classical, and global folk traditions. His music and performances embrace a diversity of music traditions and perspectives, woven together to express ideas of tolerance, unity, and wisdom. He has performed with jazz masters, folk musicians, classical ensembles, and rappers; and his music has been heard in Canada, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, Uganda, and throughout the U.S. He teaches Musicianship at Duquesne University.