Tommy Davidson is most recognized for his performances on Fox's "In Living Color". Davidson started out performing stand-up in local talent showcases where he was spotted by concert promoters who booked him as the opening act for such major music stars as Patti LaBelle, Kenny G, and Luther Vandross. The next step was Hollywood. He performed at many small clubs, including the Comedy Act Theatre, where he met Robert Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans, who would later prove instrumental in Davidson's career.   Currently Davidson can be seen cracking jokes and doing what he does best, making people laugh, in "The Fox NFL Show," which airs weekly on Saturday nights. Tommy co-hosts this new and unique show with football greats Michael Irvin and Tony Siragusa.  An actor, stand-up comedian, songwriter, and singer, Davidson's exceptional range has made him a rising force in entertainment.

Najee

With two platinum and four gold albums, Najee is one of the pioneers of what is commonly known as contemporary jazz. A native New Yorker, Najee began his career playing clarinet and later saxophone and flute in his hometown Jamaica, Queens New York. While in high school Najee began studying under the direction of Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, and Billy Taylor at Jazzmobile in Harlem. Najee also studied flute with Harold Jones at the Manhattan School of Music.  Najee has worked with many great artists such as Quincy Jones, Patti LaBelle, George Duke, Lionel Richie and Jonathon Butler. Most recently he performed as a special guest artist on the "Hit and Run" tour with Prince.

Will Downing

Suffice it to say that after nearly two decades of remarkable recordings and performances around the globe, Will Downing is recognized as a premier male vocalist for the embodiment of his singular, sensuous blend of R&B, jazz and pop.  Born in Brooklyn, New York, he is an accomplished vocalist and composer.  Downing's began singing with Arthur Baker's "Wally Jump Junior" group, and later employed Baker as his producer when he signed with Island. He did session work in the ‘80s, singing on dates with Daryl Payne, Marc Sadane, Warp 9, and Jennifer Holiday. In 2007, under the most difficult conditions for most people, he released what is unquestionably the most crucial album of his career - After Tonight. The crux of After Tonight, Will's 13th album and first for the Peak Records label, is the commitment in the face of adversity he summoned to complete it - the sheer "force of Will" that inspired the man to see it through to its fruition.

Amel Larrieux

An urban chanteuse by birth, the bi-coastal Amel Larrieux grew up in a West Village "artists building" in New York where her parents exposed her early to bohemian characters and experiences that would mold her eclectic sensibilities. By 18, sure that she wanted to express herself musically, she wrote a song and created a demo tape, which led to her pairing with Bryce Wilson to form the duo Groove Theory. As lead siren and co-writer for the group, Amel enjoyed success with "Tell Me," which broke the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top five on the R&B charts before being certified gold in October 1995.  Amel fuses a range of genres – R&B, soul, hip-hop, jazz and folk, with flashes of Middle Eastern, West African, and Indian styles.

Jeff Lorber

With a smooth sound that blends elements of funk, R&B, rock and electric jazz, keyboardist Jeff Lorber helped pioneer a genre of fusion later formatted under such names as NAC and Contemporary Jazz. Born in Philadelphia in 1952, he began playing the piano at the age of four, and as a teen performed with a variety of local R&B bands. Lorber's infatuation with jazz began during his stay at the Berklee College of Music, and after forming the Jeff Lorber Fusion he issued the group's self-titled debut in 1979. During the first half of the following decade, the band became one of the most popular jazz acts of the period, touring non-stop and even scoring a Best R&B Instrumental Grammy nomination for their radio hit "Pacific Coast Highway." He recorded for Verve and Zebra in the 90's before moving over to Narada in the 2000's and releasing successful smooth jazz albums like 2003's Philly Style and 2005's Flipside.

Maysa

MAYSA is a singer/songwriter/activist. A smooth jazz artist, she is consistently on top of Billboard's Sales Chart. Born and raised in Baltimore, MD, Maysa is graduate of Morgan State University with a degree in classical performance. In the early 90s, Maysa auditioned over the phone to become a member of the acclaimed British jazz/funk/R&B band Incognito and in 1992 she relocated to London and recorded Tribes & Scribes, featuring the hit single "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing." Maysa has appeared on seven Incognito recordings including their latest CD, Bees and Things and Flowers. She recorded her self-titled debut in 1995, followed by her solo ssophomore effort All My Life in 1999, Out of The Blue in 2002, Smooth Sailing in 2004, Sweet Classic Soul in 2006, and now Feel The Fire, 2007.

Michael Franks

Over the languorous course of 33 years and 16 albums, Michael Franks has mesmerized an international legion of fans with his one-of-a-kind artistry. Seamlessly weaving lyrics of stunning sensuality, wit, reflection and literary eloquence over music that tastefully utilizes top shelf shadings of jazz, soul, pop, chamber and music from around the globe, Michael Franks the songwriter has set a bar in the music world that places him as nothing less than a statesman of song craft.  He made his first album in 1973, and enjoyed success with a string of late '70s albums on Warner Brothers. He has worked with the likes of Flora Purim, Kenny Rankin, Ron Carter, the Crusaders, David Sanborn, Toots Thielemans, Eric Gale, and others, and has had songs recorded by The Manhattan Transfer, Patti Labelle, Carmen McRae, and the Carpenters.

Freddie McGregor

Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer, Freddie McGregor, has been moving people with his conscious lyrics for over 40 years.  Equally at home in lovers rock or roots & culture, this unstoppable wonder boasts many hits like Push Come to Shove, Africa Here I Come, Just Don't Want to Be Lonely, I Was Born A Winner, Guantanamera, his signature Big Ship and Lock Dem’ Down and Bangarang, both chart topping #1 hits from his album - Comin' in Tough.  Freddie McGregor is one of reggae's most durable and soulful singers, with an incredibly steady career that started all the way back in the '60s, when he was just seven years old. He continues to maintain a strong presence on the reggae scene well into the new millennium.

Musiq Soulchild

Philadelphia-born Taalib Johnson, aka burgeoning R&B artist Musiq (Soulchild), grew up the oldest of nine children.  Musiq, whose influences include James Brown, Patti LaBelle, Billie Holiday, and Sly & the Family Stone, participated in Philadelphia's open mic scene in his early teens. Musiq's debut album, 2000's Aijuswanaseing, was recorded mostly at the Touch of Jazz Studios in Philadelphia. Musiq's first single, "Just Friends (Sunny)," appeared on the soundtrack to Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, and two years later Musiq released his second album, the spiritual and personal Juslisen, which debuted at number one on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop charts. The following year brought the widely-acclaimed Soulstar, and in 2007, after moving to Atlantic, Musiq released the more mature Luvanmusiq.

Jesse McBride

Jesse McBride officially started playing the violin at the young age of four. Through elementary and middle school, Jesse entered and won many solo violin competitions. In 1994, Jesse entered the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX where he was encouraged to pursue jazz piano through his teacher Charles Rhinhardt, a local pianist, and Robert Glasper, a fellow classmate. This encouragement proved to be important for development as Jesse has made jazz his first love. He can humbly note his regular performances in New Orleans jazz clubs like Snug Harbor, The Funky Butt, and Sweet Lorraines.
After high school, Jesse entered the University of New Orleans' (UNO) music program where he studied under the watchful eye of Ellis Marsalis, Peter Martin, and Doug Bickel. Jesse has performed with Donald Harrison, Jason and Delfeayo Marsalis, Harold Battiste, Alvin Batiste, Stefon Harris, Carmen Lundy, Vanessa Rubin, Wess Anderson, Tim Warfield, and Hannibal to name a few. He has taken on the direction of The Next Generation, with new young talent in New Orleans (begun by Harold Battiste), whose focus is music for the 2nd 50 years of New Orleans Jazz. They have been compared to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in New Orleans. From straight-ahead to contemporary jazz, funk, and R&B, Jesse continues to bridge gaps of the styles and generations.

Doug E. Fresh

Dubbed the "World's Greatest Entertainer" for his unrivaled ability to rock a crowd, Harlem native Doug E. Fresh began his musical career at age 13. The originator of the human beat box (vocally simulating the sound of drums and other musical instruments), he spawned an international hip-hop trend. He was the first rapper to play Africa and the Caribbean, heralding the global popularity of hip-hop. Throughout his 20-year career, Fresh has collaborated with the world's top artists, has taken on the big screen, performed on television, written music for McDonalds, Coors, Gatorade and Tangueray commercials, and his hit "I-Ight" was selected as a theme song by the NBA for MTV's NBA Slam & Jam Wrap-Up Show.

As concerned with the welfare of others as he is with rockin' the mic, Fresh has embraced hip-hop activism and used his voice to speak out against a variety of social ills. With the same ease as he takes the mic, Doug E. takes on social responsibility. A tireless hip-hop activist, he has fought against racism, drugs, illiteracy, police brutality and homelessness in communities around the world. A vocal proponent of artists' rights, he's a hands-on board member of The Artist Empowerment Coalition. A typical month sees him in the studio putting down tracks, working on a book on hip-hop and on animation of his new children's book (Think Again!, Scholastics), hosting events and rocking the house at concerts around the world - all while finding time to support his favorite causes. Keeping up with the rap master is truly a challenge.

Vickie Winans

Award-winning singer Vickie Winans comes from a large family of impressive gospel singers. She completed her debut solo album, Be Encouraged, in 1985. It was the first of a long line of recordings that would bring her a number of hits and music awards. Born the seventh child of a still-growing family, Winans was raised in Detroit, MI. Her entire family was a musical one, and deeply religious as well. She was eight years old when she began singing at the family church, astounding the audience with her vocal ability. She has shared success with the famous Winans family, for she married Marvin Winans and eventually joined forces with the gospel group. Vickie's first solo album carries a track that became her signature song, "We Shall Behold Him." In 2002 she released Woman's Journey, followed the next year by Bringing It All Together and, in 2006, Woman to Woman: Songs of Life, a 33-track live and studio album that was ten years in the making.

Fred Hammond

For more than 18 years, gospel listeners around the world have known Fred Hammond as a talented songwriter, bassist and vocalist. Throughout that time he has been known within the music industry as a gifted musical arranger and producer. But, his work with Face to Face Productions Corporation, the company for which he is both founder and CEO, has earned him the title the "Babyface" of gospel. In 1997 Fred shared the stage with Kirk Franklin & the Family and Yolanda Adams before more than 500,000 people on The Tour of Life, the most successful tour in gospel music history, and in 1998, Hammond continued to find touring success as the featured artist on Walt "Baby" Love 's Power 98 Gospel Tour.

Crystal Aikin

Gospel singer Crystal Aiken won BET's national Sunday Best” competition in 2007. Aikin, a Fife resident who grew up in Tacoma, was selected from thousands of contestants to perform on the show, a gospel version of the popular American Idol” singing competition. When she's not singing gospel music, she works as an emergency room nurse at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. She is a graduate of Foss High School, class of 1992, and Pacific Lutheran University. Her home church is Christ Life Center Church in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood.

Terrion Nelson
Celebrating the release of her contemporary gospel CD, "I YIELD", this multifaceted woman keeps busy as a devoted wife, mother, music teacher, and private vocal instructor; while nurturing her flourishing music career. Terrion is a native of Daytona Beach, FL but has spent most of her life in West Palm Beach, FL. Although Terrion played the clarinet in her early years, her main instrument was and still is her multi-layered voice. Most recently, she opened for the Mighty Clouds of Joy at the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida. Voted Female Gospel Artist of the Year at the first Palm Beach Gospel Music Awards, she is held in high regard by her peers.

Elder Jimmy Hicks

In 2001, Elder Jimmy Hicks formed a group, The Voices of Integrity (VOI). Being inspired by God, he completed his first CD project "Turn it Around." In 2002, it went national and stayed on the National Billboard for 1 year and listed as "The Highest Gainer on the National Billboard." In 2003, Elder Hicks released Crossroads-Reloaded under record label World Wide Music, Inc. fully loaded with hits like Blessed Like That, Babylon, Crossroads, just to name a few. His latest project, "Born Blessed," has proven to be another national chart gainer.
From teaching to preaching, and from ministry to outreach--Elder Jimmy Hicks wants to "pull out of the fire" those who would be otherwise lost to the world; lift up the name of the Lord as he encourages everyone to elevate their confidence in Christ by declaring, "I'm Blessed Like That!"