Mike "Roof" Rufo is a local singer/songwriter and activist. His songs arc across the waves of life, reflecting his impassioned engagement with the world. Rufo's musical language builds upon powerful lyrics, soaring vocals, driving rhythms, and melodic riffs that explore emotional depths and transformation. Mike also plays his original songs, and those written by co-band leader, David Johnson, in the Bay Area rock group No Exit.

Far I Shields: A beautiful sunrise, the rush of a waterfall, and the flight of the phoenix, all can be heard and felt in the music created by the Far I.  Far I’s music flows from a reggae foundation with vibrations from the entire Diaspora.  Far I has performed at numerous shows and venues including Oakland Art and Soul Festival, Kimball’s East, Reggae in the Park, Harmony Festival, Big Time Pow Wow, and Maritime Hall, among others.  At the core is his commitment to create healing music that will uplift the listener. 

Musically, Mingus never played it safe. His artistic intent was to create an immediate emotional statement through what he created. While he relied on the individual strength of his players, he would always inspire and channel their creative energies toward collective expression. 

Charles Mingus is one of the most difficult players and composers of the bop and post-bop era to define. His complex rhythms and tempos made him a stand-out artist within the jazz genre. His thematic compositions, were often inspired by political events and/or people, such as "Fables of Faubus," named after Orval E. Faubus, Governor of Arkansas who, in 1957, deployed the National Guard to prevent a few black children from entering Little Rock's Central High School. His music covered a wide range of styles, from his earliest work with Louis Armstrong to his later free-form orchestral compositions.