Ra Ra Riot - Led by guitarist Milo Bonacci, Ra Ra Riot formed while the band's six members were attending college in Syracuse, NY. Combining indie-rock with chamber pop flourishes (courtesy of a small string section), the band quickly picked up a local and regional following. After pulling up stakes and relocating to New York City, they recorded a self-titled EP and prepared to release it during the summer of 2007. After the tragic loss of their drummer John Pike the group persevered, later touring with bands like Death Cab for Cutie. During a lull in the group’s schedule, RRR decamped to a peach orchard in upstate New York, where the members wrote songs and recorded demos. Those songs eventually comprised Ra Ra Riot’s 2010 release, appropriately titled “The Orchard.”

JJ Grey- Born and bred in Florida, JJ Grey’s music mixes raw, rural blues with tough, swampy Southern rock. Growing up in a small town south of Jacksonville, FL, he spent several years wandering the world's beaches as a surf bum. After returning home, he teamed up with guitarist Daryl Hance to form JJ Grey & Mofro. After a deal with a UK label went sour, he returned to the U.S. and signed with SF indie Fog City Records. Two CDs - and opening slots for the likes of Jeff Beck and Ben Harper - later, he inked a deal with blues stalwarts Alligator. Gregy and his group Mofro released their third record for the label, titled “Georgia Warhorse,” which features cameos by Derek Trucks and Toots Hibbert.

Susan Werner - A talented and versatile artist who The Chicago Tribune called "the most innovative songwriter working today," Susan Werner’s influences range from Nanci Griffith and Thelonious Monk to Joni Mitchell and Sting. She earned a degree in voice before going on to study opera at Temple University. In 2008 Werner was named “Best Contemporary Folk Artist” at the International Folk Alliance music conference. Following up 2009's “Classics,” a pop-meets-classical album of contemporary standards supported by the members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is “Kicking the Beehive.” Produced by Rodney Crowell, “Beehive’s” 11 originals feature cameos by Vince Gill, Keb’ Mo’ and lap steel ace Paul Franklin.

Khaïra Arby - Born in the village of Abaradjou in the Sahara Desert north of Timbuktu, Khaïra Arby’s music reflects her diverse ethnic background. The cousin of Ali Farka Toure, she sings in several languages while the instrumentation ranges from electric guitar and bass, to calabash, ngoni, traditional violin, and percussion. Arby was a schoolgirl when she won her first singing contest and was chosen to represent Mali internationally. After 10 years of marriage, she returned to Timbuktu and made her first recording with the Orchestre Regional de Tombouctou. Soon, she was invited to sing with the famous Orchestre Badema in the nation’s capitol of Bamako. With five CD releases, Arby, who still lives in Timbuktu, has become the voice Mali’s North. 

Elizabeth & The Catapult - Showcasing the songs of Elizabeth Ziman, the music of Elizabeth & The Catapult incorporates pop, coffeehouse folk, and downtown jazz. Ziman studied classical piano until age 16 when she began concentrating on singing. In 2002, Ziman and then-unknown Esperanza Spalding were both background singers for soul legend Patti Austin. Returning to New York, Ziman put together a trio with drummer Danny Molad and guitarist Peter Lalish. They caught the ear of several major labels with a self-released EP, which lead to a deal with Verve Records in 2008. They recorded their major label debut “Taller Children” in Mike Mogis' Omaha, NB studio. Then, while working on the Lincoln Center song cycle (performed last spring for a commission from NPR’s John Schaefer), Ziman read Leonard Cohen’s “Book of Longing” collection which gave the group’s latest CD, “The Other Side of Zero,” its title. Tony Berg (Peter Gabriel, Phantom Planet, Jesca Hoop) produced “Other Side.”

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For more information, including hi-res photos, please contact Adam Harris 304.556.4900.