International award-winning ukulele duo Uke 66 delivers ukulele music with skill and depth, playing songs in an unexpectedly diverse repertoire that demonstrates the small instrument’s ability to handle anything from jazz and swing to originals and covers, along with vintage and contemporary Hawaiian songs. Performances can be tailored for children, seniors, and everyone in between.

Created in 2014 by husband-and-wife duo Rick and Karen Maxson, Uke 66 has performed throughout the Midwest and in Hawaii, Mexico, and Japan, providing an intimate, evocative soundtrack for a variety of celebrations and community events.

Uke 66 also offers “Introduction to Ukulele” workshops for up to 20 participants ages 12 and up. Student ukuleles and instructional handouts are provided. The class learns easy chords and a simple strum, playing its first song within 10 minutes and four or five songs by the end of the workshop.

Ryan Marquez, a dynamic artist from Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, masterfully blends pop, hip-hop, and jazz to create music that captivates and inspires. As a keyboardist, producer, songwriter, arranger, and vocalist, Ryan draws from Missouri’s rich jazz and blues heritage, infusing it with contemporary elements from progressive R&B, house, and hip-hop. Influenced by literary and spiritual giants like Joseph Campbell and Maya Angelou, his compositions offer profound social commentary and celebrate the power of the written word.

Ryan’s music, characterized by its “feel-good vibes” and infectious energy, has garnered acclaim on major platforms like MTV and BET. His 2023 Blues Music Award-winning keyboard work on Dylan Triplett’s Who Is He? and collaborations with artists like Kingfish, Terence Blanchard, Randy Brecker, Wiz Khalifa, and Chance the Rapper highlights his versatility and talent. His collaborative album Saint Unity embodies the spirit of “The Confluence of Cool” in Missouri.

Chris Shepherd, St. Louis singer/songwriter, is known for his soulful vocals and smooth delivery of the blues. From intimate acoustic concerts to major festivals featuring a full band, Chris delivers quality. With an expansive catalog of original songs, classic blues, and soul, he excites audiences. Chris has been lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Kingdom Brothers for several years. They were semi-finalists at the 2015 International Blues Challenge and have opened for artists such as Victor Wainwright, Curtis Salgado, and Nick Moss, establishing them as an esteemed group. In 2020 Chris joined guitarist extraordinaire Rich McDonough performing as Shepherd and McDonough. They opened for the great Robert Cray in 2021. In October 2024, they will embark on their fourth European tour.  Chris also originated the Chris Shepherd Band, which includes some of St. Louis’s best bluesmen. Chris Shepherd spreads the news that St. Louis has a prominent blues legacy and hosts a dynamic blues scene.

With the unlikeliest of instruments—the accordion—Ernest James and his band Ernest James Zydeco travel on a soulful musical journey, from the most traditional Louisiana Zydeco to irreverent foot-stomping dance parties. EJZ plays upbeat music featuring the accordion and scrub board with a fulfilling, authentic grittiness. Ernest, a professional zydeco musician for over 15 years, draws on southern roots to share his joyful music. Weaving multiple styles into their unique brand of traditional Zydeco music, the band creates a sound that taps into the heart of American music. And where better to experience that tradition than in the heart of American itself: Kansas City. The upbeat, traditional sound of EJZ engages people of all ages the world over. Headlining the International Cajun and Zydeco Festival in the Netherlands in 2014 won Ernest James Zydeco new audiences, turning observers into dancers, each show a celebration.

45° Flamenco presents both traditional and cutting-edge flamenco singing, music, and dance with music director and guitarist Beau Bledsoe; singer from Sevilla, Spain, Antonio Rojas Flor; dancer/choreographer Melinda Hedgecorth; and various guest artists on percussion, cello, bass, and/or saxophone. Our performances are bilingual and full of rhythm and high energy. We have a variety of presentations which range from a typical mainstage flamenco show in Spain to educational presentations: Orígenes, a music and dance timeline about the different cultures that passed through the South of Spain from medieval to modern times; and Ida y Vuelta, which acknowledges “borrowed songs” from Cuba and Mexico and how they came to be woven into the fabric of Flamenco. 45° Flamenco is also available for classes, workshops and residencies and has experience working with both adults and children in English and/or Spanish.

Pythons Drill Team is a community-based youth performing arts organization that provides a safe outlet for girls and boys to express their talents through music, drums, drills, precisions, and props. The team has traveled throughout the United States and has been featured in documentaries and reality shows.

Alberto Racanati is a genre-bending musician originally from Bari, Italy, now based in Kansas City. His musical journey began at age 11 when he played his first notes on the trumpet, which in time took him to study at the Piccinni Conservatory (Bari, IT), the Moniuszko Academy (Gdańsk, PL), Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL), and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He can be seen performing as a freelancer in various genres on international stages. With his solo project Alber, he has released a self-titled album (2020), Journey (2021), and Lento (2024), creating an idiom at the crossroads between beat culture, acid jazz, and electronica. In May 2024, Alberto premiered Born At Sea, a multimedia show, as part of the ProdoLAB series at the Charlotte Street Foundation. Born at Sea centers around life near water from different perspectives, and features footage from Alberto’s hometown in Southern Italy, Bisceglie.

Vince Martin is a world-class Vocalist/Guitarist and Entertainer with amazing versatility, having the vocal characteristics of George Benson, Elvis Presley, and Roy Orbison and the instrumental prowess of Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton. He has opened shows for maestro Barry White, Gladys Knight, War, Kiss, Howlin Wolf, and many others. His repertoire spans from Blues to Broadway, Sinatra to Santana. Vince emanates joy in every performance and is known for his superb musicianship.  His many tribute performances include George Benson, Tom Jones, Chuck Berry/Aaron Neville/ Linda Ronstadt, Blues, and The Legends of Country tributes as well. Vince Martin is the complete package, technically skilled and aesthetically gifted. He is a true gem in the entertainment industry. Holding steadfast to the philosophy that his God-given talent was meant to be shared with all people. But best of all, he is a wonderful human being.

An adept guitarist, Todd Mosby has garnered award-winning acclaim for his sophisticated, broad-minded blend of contemporary jazz, folk, new age, and North Indian raga traditions. After four releases and national tours, he continues to explore a mix of Western, Eastern, and Folk sounds. With his 2023 album Land of Enchantment, he turns his attention to the arid landscapes of America’s Southwest. A world-class lineup of award-winning musicians join Mosby’s Blue Horizons Band to present an exciting concert version of Land of Enchantment, a musical exploration into the beauty, mystique, and passion that the American Southwest held for artist Georgia O’Keefe. Painting a musical landscape from jazz to samba to folk-rock with Sergio Mendes-style vocals, Mosby’s upbeat compositions leave audiences dancing in their seats. Reimagined renditions of songs like By the Time I Get to Phoenix re-connect listeners with hits of the past. LINEUP: Solo-Quartet. OUTREACH: All Levels.