Tara Janique & the Art
Katie Ginn
Katie, (Assistant Professor/Director of Dance at William Carey University) has taught and developed original programming, curriculum, and creative work in both the private and public sectors across south Mississippi, San Francisco, the California Bay Area, and New Orleans. She is a co-founder of the Mississippi Dance Leader Alliance, a dance festival, which is hoping to host its first post-pandemic event in 2022. Artist Statement: I am a Southern artist, choreographer, dancer, and designer who believes in collaboration as the essential element to meaningful dance making and artistry. I create dances that connect peoples through the context of the human condition in order to better serve and contribute to my local and global communities. I strongly believe that the audience is essential in providing social and cultural relevance to the work I create; dance/arts, people, and connecting people through dance/arts is what drives me.
View more: https://www.wmcarey.edu/program/dance
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Gino Rosaria
Gino Rosaria, born and raised in Curaçao, developed an interest in music at an early age. Growing up on a very culturally diverse island, Gino learned to speak four different languages fluently. The influence of the many cultures allowed him to learn and play many different kinds of music, which became a part of his identity. Later on he grew to enjoy Jazz, Latin, and Classical music the most. Gino started performing on a regular basis in his early teens.
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Gino moved to the US in 2003 to study music under the world-renowned Daisy De Luca Jaffe. In 2009, he graduated with a master’s degree in Classical Music Performance. Gino then started taking private jazz lessons with jazz pianist David Shelander, who studied with Bill Evans. During his time in the US. Gino went on to win many competitions and appeared on national TV and radio stations performing solo, chamber, and with orchestra. Today Gino performs and does studio work on a regular basis with some of the best musicians around, including award winning artists such as violinist Karen Briggs, Jazz clarinet player Tim Laughlin, flutist Kim Scott, jazz guitarist Adam Hawley, and flutist Althea Rene.
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Jason KrazyJay Spencer
Jason KrazyJay Spencer
Jason A. Spencer (aka Krazyjay) is an independent music producer and internet entrepreneur that specializes in the monetization of content. He is the owner and founder of Krazyjaydotcom LLC, which is a media company that provides pre and post production services to creators all around the world. As a marketing expert, he has helped to re-establish brand recognition for several top charting artists in the music industry. He's also the author of the book entitled "Star Status: The Ultimate Income Generating Guide for Creators".
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www.Krazyjay.com
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Sabrina Howard
Sabrina Howard
Ms. Howard’s astounding ability to capture the essence of unspoken words and abstract images by transmogrifying them into an oasis of clear, distinct expressions speaks volumes of her educational accomplishments, her inventive repertoire of ideas, and her undeniable love for the Arts.
This Jackson, Mississippi native earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Communication Design & Illustration from Atlanta College of Art. As a graphic artist and painter she is impulsive- at least that is one way she describes her vibrant and expressionistic portraits that give subtle nods to social challenges and themes. With her preferred medium, acrylic, Howard handles a brush the way a seasoned writer uses a pen. Taking repurposed canvases and readily recyclable wood, Howard assembles the materials into abstract platforms. The result of her passionate, bold strokes are emotion-laced, multi-dimensional pieces that pay tribute to cubist style with a gritty urban twist. The mother of four burgeoning creatives is one to watch.
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Shane Philen
nstructor of Instrumental Music
A GRAMMY® nominated and DOVE® award winning performer, Mr. Philen has devoted his skills and experience as a performer, arranger, composer, producer, clinician and adjudicator since 1992. He is also active in the recording industry as a session artist for LiveHorns.com, a recording company that allows artists and songwriters to include a real, “live” horn section to any recording project.
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Mr. Philen has been featured with Big Daddy Weave, Travis Cottrell, Johnny Diaz, 4Him, Natalie Grant, Group 1 Crew, Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), Gloria Gaynor, Philip Lassiter, Dan McMillion Jazz Orchestra, Mandisa, Marvin Sapp, the Moscow Sax Quintet, The Temptations, TRUTH, Veggie Tales, Hezekiah Walker and Ayiesha Woods. His arrangements have been featured at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Legends in Concert, Jazz Education Network’s JEN Conference, Mobile Big Band Society, NBC Universal, Sony EMI, Integrity Media, and Bollywood Films.He has also served as musical director for the Distinguished Young Women Program (formerly America’s Junior Miss), coordinator of the Mobile County High School Jazz Honor Band, and has performed with numerous ensembles, theatre productions, society events, cruise lines, and festivals such as Bayfest, Gulf Coast Ethnic and Heritage Jazz Festival, Halifax Jazz Festival, Pensacola Jazz Fest, and Arts Alive.
Mr Philen plays and endorses exclusively the SAX DAKOTA TENOR SAX MODEL SDT-XG 505 at all live and recording venues and events.
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Cassandra Reed-Naylor
Cassandra Reed-Naylor
Cassandra Naylor, a Mississippi native is the owner of Concealed Crowns, All Things Beauty. Concealed Crowns originally began as a cosmetology business . She branched out into her love for design and created Concealed Crowns Fashion which launched September 2020. She thinks of her work as wearable art. She enjoys creating things that spark conversation. Creative expression is her labor of love. She cherishes the process sometimes more than what's produced. The majority of her design work is jewelry. In addition, she re-purposes clothing, up-cycles, and dabbles in sewing. Her ultimate goal is a non-profit branch that advocates for mental health and helping women feel and be their kind of beautiful.
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Ugen Lord Gerson
Ugen Lord Gerson
Ugen Lord Gerson was born in Uganda. He is a Worship leader, songwriter, independent recording artist, guitarist, and accolated music educator. Ugen’s zeal for sound teaching of the Bible is evident in his music and passionate worship leading. He has written over 200 songs since he began at 15 years old, inspired by his father- a pastor and musician.
Ugen has accomplished the recording of songs like Where My Help Comes From, which landed a spot of the largest television network in East Africa along with an interview that can be found on NTV and UBC. He was named the best Educator in Uganda. He has led worship in various churches in the United States and Africa. His influences include names like Phil Wickham, Shane and Shane, and Sovereign Grace Music. He continues to pursue his vision of spreading the Gospel through the medium of music.
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