Kinahn

Azula
Lead Vocals

Azula began her vocal training singing in her grandmother's garden. Since she can remember, she has been singing, growing up in a house always filled with music, whether from her mother's love of classical, Italian folk music, her fathers' love of Barbershop Quartet, or her Grandmothers; one of whom loved Opera, the other Sunday Choir.

While studying classical vocal training as a mezzo soprano colorotura at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, she became entranced with Jazz and Blues, and the global music scene. She continued to study foreign languages, moving to Europe to study in France and Austria, and traveling extensively in Eastern Europe and into her Hungarian ancestry.

While in graduate school in Chicago, IL she discovered the issue of genetic engineering and it's effect on human and environmental health and its long-ranging implications on humans and the planet in general. She continued to sing during her many years of activism coordinating and managing public education projects and the issue and developing local food policy councils. In 2006 she began to study and research the relationship between DNA and consciousness, music, sound frequency, physical, mental and emotional health.

During her time in Chicago, she performed professionally at various venues with repertories including Edith Piaf, jazz and blues, Spanish, Fado, expanding into performance art projects with local musicians, composers, and DJ's in Chicago.

She currently sings in French, Spanish, Portugese, Arabic among others, and is studying independently to complete a sound healing certification course in the future. Azula is a founding member of the group Avaaza, based on Vashon Island.

Terri Garrett,
Clarinet, Vocals

Terri Garrett is a professional clarinetist and teacher. She regularly performs with the Pacific Northwest Ballet and Northwest Sinfonietta, and freelances with the Seattle Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, Saratoga Chamber Orchestra as well as local recording studios. Terri is a graduate of the University of Southern California and is a winner of the Léni Fé Bland Competition. She has studied with the renowned Mitchell Lurie, Yehuda Gilad, David Howard, Michele Zukovsky and Jennifer Nelson.

Leif Totusek, Guitar

Raised in a musical family on Capitol Hill in Seattle, WA, Leif first began performing at age 15 with Seattle's F.A.M.E and St. Teresa Gospel choirs and numerous musical groups, including: "Lora and Sukutai"( Zimbabwe) . "Paisley Sin"( Seattle-grunge). "MTQ" Martin Totusek (jazz) and others.

At age 17, Leif traveled to London, England and immersed himself in the London ethnic/jazz scene. He toured with Soukous veteran Mose se Fan Fan, (former member of the late Franco Luambo Makiadi and TPOK Jazz) and his group "Somo Somo" - members included: Roy Dodds, John Glyn, Huw Warren,Doreen Webster, T. Daniel Howard. He also performed with Nigerian jazz artist Gasper Lawal "The African Oro Band" - Salah Dawson Miller's World fusion band "Orquesta Chakckouka" - Eddie Edem "Hi-life" and with many other world and jazz musicians. In 1982, Leif created his African/jazz influenced band "Freestyle Candela" adding Arne Livingston on bass and percussionist Mamadi Kamara on percussion in 1984. It was originally called "Seattle Jazz" then "Freestyle" before settling on "Freestyle Candela".

At age 26, Leif relocated to Boston hiring local musicians Joshua Redman, Mark Turner, Scott Gilman, Jessica Lurie and others. Blending Soukous, blues and jazz in his original compositions, Leif helped popularize Zairian Soukous guitar in the Boston music scene. He also performed and recorded with the Haitian band Batwel Rada and the Senegalese band Ibrahima Camara.
At age 29, Leif returned to Seattle creating his new band name Freestyle Candela ." Today he resides in Seattle still performing shows with his groups "Leif Totusek and 1-2-3", "Freestyle Candela" and other artists.

Arturo Rodriguez, Percussion

Coming from a musically infused childhood, LP-endorsed drummer Arturo Rodriguez shares his passion for percussion with the Pacific Northwest and beyond. An accomplished musician, author, and teacher, Rodriguez has performed worldwide, sharing the stage with music legends that include Tito Puente, Dave Valentin, Paul Horn, and Pete Escovido. Rodriguez grew up in a household where his mother was an impassioned mambo and salsa dancer, and his father was an avid conguero who played with the Hispanic Music Association (HMA), and formed the group Salsa Express. They made certain music was integral to everyday family life. Rodriguez admits it is no surprise that he wound up in a career so completely reflective of his childhood experiences. Although Arturo graduated from the University of California at Davis in 1986 with a degree in Physiology, he gave up a career in scientific research to pursue his life-long passion for music.

Rodriguez' early love of percussion led him to study with prominent e