Anne Waldman is a poet, performer, editor, Beat-archivist, and cultural activist. She has read and performed all over the world- from Berlin to Mumbai, from Tokyo to Beijing, from Rome to Prague. She is co-founder with Allen Ginsberg of the legendary Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics in Boulder, Colorado where she is the Artistic Director of its Summer Writing Program. Waldman traveled with Ginsberg during his lifetime to many international festivals and was also poet in-residence – with Ginsberg- during Bob Dylan’s historic Rolling Thunder Revue. Her poem “Fast Speaking Woman” is on the soundtrack of Dylan’s movie, “Renaldo & Clara”. Ginsberg referred to Waldman as his “spiritual wife”. Waldman is the author of 40 books of poetry. Her work has been published in Rolling Stone, Bomb, The Nation, The Beat Scene (London) and has been translated into French, Italian, Czech, Spanish and Chinese. She is a celebrated performer of her own work, especially for her original “modal structures” and “sprechstimme” (speak-singing) vocalizations, and she has performed with Jazz giants Don Cherry and Steve Lacy.

Ambrose Bye, musician and composer, started playing piano at age 8, and has studied drumming, Balinese gamelan, and blues (with Taj Mahal) at Naropa University. He graduated from The University of California, Santa Cruz and is currently in the music/production program at the Pyramind Institute in San Francisco. He has performed on stage with Anne Waldman, and Bob Holman in New York’s Issue Project Room, and accompanied Anne Waldman at The Boulder Theatre’s “Music and Poetry for Progressives” headlined by Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys). His previous composing/ production credits include “In The Room of Never Grieve”, and “The Eye of the Falcon” with poetry by Anne Waldman. He is currently working on a new project which includes the poet Amiri Baraka.

From Connor Moore’s experience growing up immersed in an environment of jazz and world music, he has developed a unique style of production combining ethereal melodic concepts with heavy breaks and syncopation. Later adopting the moniker C.moore, his sound has been compared to the likes of DJ Shadow, Four Tet, and Bonobo. Throughout his youth, C. Moore played guitar, bass, piano and drums which have helped to shape his organic sound. His ability of blending live instrumentation with electronic music through unique forms of production, distinguishes C.moore from many other producers working in similar genres. While in college, he began to embrace DJ culture and hosted various radio programs over a four year period which enabled him to discover many different styles and genres that made a profound impact on his song writing and production style.

Currently a sound designer and composer in San Francisco, C.moore has always associated sight and sound. His compositions tell a unique story, one that is usually dark and groove heavy, but also soulful and melodic. Through his compositions, C.moore is able to create a unique listening experience that is sure to resonate deeply.

There are times in your life that you just know, and I've always known that I love to write songs and create music. I try to think that every situation is an opportunity for inspiration. The people I know, the places I have been, and the things I still haven't done all fuel my creative side. I went to school for music production at Pyramind and I work mainly with Reason and Logic along with my Yamaha keyboard. The awesome people at Pyramind in San Francisco, CA were kind enough to take me in and teach me everything anyone could need to know in order to write, produce, and record my songs. "Love Sick Crazy" is produced by G.2. All my other songs except "In My Hands" are produced by Keith Varon.

Singer songwriter Shawn Strub moved from her native South Dakota to Denver, Colorado to study classical music, but soon after joined the locally renowned band The 40th Day as lead singer. The band recorded two CD’s - Something Hidden Here, and Lovely Like a Snake, under indie label Greenhaus Records. After parting ways with The 40th Day, Shawn relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a solo career, teaming up with producer Keith Olsen (Fleetwood Mac, Heart, The Grateful Dead, Whitesnake, Pat Benetar,) to produce a 3-song EP, Cat Dreams. With hints of musical influence ranging from 60’s jazz to Radiohead, Nick Drake, Bjork, PJ Harvey, Beck, Portishead, & Kate Bush, Strub crafts evocative songs with dissonant backdrops, quirky grooves, and sensual melodies. Touring has taken her across the country from New York to L.A. including numerous gigs at Austin’s SXSW, CBGB’s, opening for bands including The Smashing Pumpkins, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, and The Saw Doctors. She is currently based in San Francisco, CA.

Frost Raven is the solo project of Dustin Musser making waves in the San Francisco Bay Area's whirling pool of talented electronic producers. In 2002 while in High School Dustin began experimenting and training with some of the software tools used in media production. Soon thereafter he used those tools to produce his own music material and form an album which he circulated among the underground scene. After some time he saw how his music was well received and in 2005 took up more formal training in advanced digital audio production. In the same year Frost Raven completed a full album called "Desert Walker" which includes a cross-style combination of psychill breakz and oldschool goa influenced psytrance. The album was released on the web through the digital label INgrooves. Then in early 2007 he released an Electro House EP called " Fire City " including the original track and 2 remixes by other producers. Towards the end of 2008 marked Frost Raven's second album titled "Star Muse" which was released on the Digital Drugs Coalition label. This new album contains a very unique take on the psychedelic trance style, mixing electro and progressive elements together. Frost Raven has other music projects going as well such as a down-tempo EP called "Into The Blue" which is set for a web release in the spring on Epiphyte Records.

Camdensound is Camden Stoddard. Born in Orlando, FL, raised in New England, Camden now makes his home in San Francisco. Entranced by the magic of sound since he could hear, Camden has been on journey of knowledge for the past 4 years, first interning at Studio 132 with famed music producer B.Z. Lewis, and then continuing his education at the excellent and progressive Pyramind School of Digital Production and Music. Now when not working on various projects at studios such as Ghost, EMB, and 132, he is engaged in an exciting and challenging new internship with the wonderful video game powerhouse, Double Fine. Camden is looking forward to creating new, great recordings and strengthening his relationships with all the artists and producers he met while at Pyramind. He is also starting his own music library company: Kookaburra Music.

Ramon Wesselink was born and raised in a small village in the east of Holland. In his teenage years he and three of his friends created the anarcho-punk band "Corruptus Politicus" in which he played guitar and wrote songs and lyrics. When the band fell apart, he decided to continue his passion for writing music in the digital realm, and started producing on a Yamaha QS300 synthesizer with built-in sequencer. Years later he produced in Cubase, and his productions got more serious, including recording singers and rappers in Holland. Another year or two went by and he traded in his computer and synth for a laptop, a portable USB-soundcard and a small USB-MIDI controller. He then spent the next couple of years traveling and working his way around the world with his American wife and was able to use his laptop to produce music wherever they went. Finally they decided it was time to 'get serious' and move to the Bay Area to find a place to call home.

After 10+ years of music production Ramon enrolled at Pyramind, a digital audio engineering school and facility in the heart of San Francisco, and graduated from the DPC program one year later. By that time he had done two internships, one at school and one with AudioSFX, an audio post-production facility in Novato, Marin, which specializes in post-production work for film, commercials, videogames, 5.1 mixing, sound design, foley recording, dialogue editing, music production, mixing, and mastering. When he graduated, AudioSFX kept him on board, and Ramon has since then worked on several motion pictures, independent films, videogames for XBOX360 and PS3, commercials, short films, and recently the Warner Bros motion comic series 'Watchmen'.

Atalanta is an Oakland based alt-folk group distinguished by minimalistic chord progressions, bittersweet lyrics, and powerfully catching melodies. Front woman Carly Benham's tender and lovely vocal styling contrasts heart wrenchingly candid tales of pain and betrayal. Reminiscent of such acts as Mazzy Star and Elliott Smith, Atalanta set themselves apart with their unique blend of folk, alternative, and country.

Chris Austria grew up in a musical family. His father was a violinist in the San Francisco Symphony for 35 years and his mother was a flamenco guitarist. Austria grew up studying classical piano and guitar. In addition to music, he has been a tiger and lion trainer for many years. He worked at Six Flags Marineworld, training the big cats. While at Marineworld, Austria also composed and produced music for the tiger show. He has worked for network television and production companies as a tiger consultant. Austria is Director of Music Licensing for Independent Distribution Collective, placing music in TV and Film. He works with JT The Bigga Figga, Deuce Eclipse and Eric Daniels from Mariah Carey. He graduated from Pyramind and continues to produce music for the IDC catalogue.

Bucky, aka Michael Faiella, hails from NY and brings his multi-instrumental multi-genre experience to the West Coast. He attended Berklee College of Music for jazz performance, and later went on to play with Wyclef Jean, Buddy Cage, Leo Nocentelli, and Stuttering John amongst others. He's been busy writing, recording, and producing his solo project in collaboration with veteran guitarist Bill Titus.

Michael Faiella is forming a new project with old friends, and together they will take Bucky songs on the road and team up to write new songs. The new band has Lauren Hill’s former guitar player John Krimstock on lead guitar and vocals with Michael on rhythm guitar and vocals, backed up by New York hailing studio musicians, bass player Mark Calderon and drummer Andrew Bertrand.

Charles L. Geoghegan comes from an artistic and musical family but did not start producing his own music until his senior year in college when a friend introduced him to a freeware midi program. After graduating with a degree in photography and studio arts, Charles moved to San Francisco where he attended Pyramind, receiving the Digital Producer Certificate in 2006. Since his education at Pyramind, Charles has been writing and producing a variety of genre-blending musical works with classical, acoustic and electronic influences. In addition to an interest in remixing, he has also mixes the works of other artists. His main instruments are keyboard and guitar...and the camera- Charles is currently on staff at Pyramind as Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro instructor. He is also Pyramind's company photographer and video producer.

I started playing guitar about 7 years ago. I found out quickly that playing music was a great way to make myself feel good, and it always worked. I have learned a few different instruments since then, and they all produce the same effects. My influences range from classic rock to folk to alternative. There are certain aspects of many different genres that I can learn from and use in my song writing and arrangement process.

Rootbeer, in its original configuration was formed in 1998, with singer and guitarist Chris Pendergraft, drummer Kyle Personen, and bassist Danny Simon. Mike Blodgett replaced Kyle, then Kyle re-joined and Mike became the guitarist.The band was originally formed as a rock trio, kicking out four records over six years. The band took a vacation for a few years in 2003, due to spawning band members, and was reformed in 2006 with a new line up that welcomed a horn section, a keyboardist, and the enchanting vocals of Denalda Gilligan. Rootbeer now has eight members and plays a groove-based mix of rock, soul and deep funk. The tunes are a wall of sound movement that blends the best of old and new, echoing the early days of the 1970's pre-disco eclectic fuzz rock, funk and latter days motown. The lyrics are politically charged and topical, and harken to the days when so many voices cried for a change. The overall mood is positive, uplifting and beyond all: soulful.