Jerry Leake; World Music Explorers Summer Program Degree in Professional Music, BerkleeCollege of Music.
Faculty Positions: New England Conservatory of Music NEC Intercultural Institute NEC Continuing Education TuftsUniversity LearnQuest Academy of Indian Music Berklee College of Music University of Southern Maine
Publications:Relating Sound & Time Master Drummers of West Africa African Bell Ritual Series A.I.M. Percussion Text (3 vols.): Vol. I: Afro-American Aspects; Vol. II: Indian Influence; Vol. III: Mallets, Meters & Multiple Percussion Drum Set Adaptations of North Indian Tabla Clave
Performing Groups: Natraj (Indian/African/Jazz quintet) Club dElf (dub/trance/groove) Raga and Rhythm Ensemble (Karnatak) Agbekor Drum and Dance Society (trad. W. African) Moksha (Berklee faculty) Portland Symphony Percussion Trio
Select Appearances:JazzYatra, Bombay, India; Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto; Lake George Jazz Weekend, NY; PANAFEST, Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana; Oberlin College, OH; Prayojana Festival, Bangalore and Chennai, India; Guelph Jazz Festival, ON; New Year's Portland ME; Festival of Black Music, MA; Saranac Lake Concerts, NY; U. of Texas, TX; Portsmouth Jazz Weekend, NH; Tsai Performance Center, MA; Musikfest, PA; First Night, MA; Boston Globe Jazz Festival, MA; Regattabar Jazz Festival, MA; Waterfront Park Concert Series, MA; Columbia University, NY.
Lisa Leake; World Music Explorers Summer Program Ms. Leake, M.Ed., Massachusetts K-12 licensed, has trained in dance and music, internationally, in Europe, Boston, San Diego and L.A., with the past seven years devoted to Afro-Caribbean studies.African Teachers include: Nani Agbeli, Fatou NDiaye Davis, Lamine Toure, Pas Seck, and Caro Diallo.Currently performs West African dance/drumming, and contemporary dance, while teaching in public and private high schools and colleges. She is a member of the Agbekor Drum and Dance Society (ADDS), under Professor David Locke at Tufts University; co-founder of BodyGrooves world dance/music, with Jerry Leake; dancer with Silimbo Senegalese company; a founding member of the Massachusetts Dance Festival; and the Indie Connect Boston Chapter President (for independent musicians).Lisa is enrolled at New England Conservatory of Music, studying music theory and voice, in the continuing education department.
Jannatha Coffin-Malia; Kids' Cabaret Music Director for April Program
Jannatha Coffin-Malia is an experienced singer, dancer, actress, and teacher. She received her B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University where she performed in many diverse projects from mystery dinner theater, to stage, to film. She then continued her studies at Emerson College where she earned an M.A. in Theatre Education in May of 2002. In addition to singing, Jannatha also plays piano, flute, bells, and xylophone. She has taught voice and piano as well as dance and drama to children ages 6 through 18. While living in Maine, Jannatha had her own dance studio, "Janna’s Jazz." She has also directed, musical directed, and choreographed several productions. Jannatha has an extensive performance history, having appeared in productions from Maine to Florida. Her favorite roles include Amanda in Private Lives, and Sister Mary Leo in Nunsense II. Most recently she portrayed herself in two self-scripted pieces entitled Today is My Day and New Beginnings in Boston. Jannatha’s first CD titled In My Dreams was released in 2004. She currently owns Lights Up Performing Arts Studio in Mansfield where she teaches piano, voice, and acting.
Mathew Spano; Kids' Cabaret Summer Program Originally from New Jersey, where the theatre bug bit him in high school, Matt came to Boston to attend NortheasternUniversity where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in theatre performance. Since that time, he has performed throughout the greater Boston area with the American Repertory Theater, Devanaughn Theatre Co., Stoneham Theatre and the Boston Theatre Marathon. With the Boston Globe-spotlighted SouthCity Theatre Ensemble, he performed in a number of pieces that he helped to create, author and direct, and which were seen in venues across Cambridge and Boston. More recently, Matt received rave reviews for his portrayal of the "Snail with the Mail" in Stoneham Theatre's production of A Year With Frog and Toad, the musical adaptation of the Frog and Toad children's book series. For his major solo number, a reviewer remarked: "...Matt Spano is to the the frog pong what Gypsy Rose Lee is to burlesque", a quote he was quite proud of!
Matt has taught with Stoneham Theatre's youth theatre program, teaching theatre games, voice, crafts and directing weekly presentations given by the students. Additionally, he can be seen performing at KidStage, the resident children's theatre at the Boston Children's Museum during the day and as a House Manager at the American Repertory Theatre at night. Matt enjoys being able to bring his knowledge of the performing arts to students of all ages and feels it an honor to do so.