Alorwoyie is from Anlo-Afiadenyigba in the Volta Region of Ghana, West Africa and is highly regarded as one of Ghana's foremost virtuosos of traditional music and dance. He is professor of music, principal dancer/choreographer and Director of the UNT African Percussion Ensemble. Gideon Foli Alorwoyie is a wonderful musician, a superb dancer and has command of a vast repertoire. He is a virtuoso instrumentalist who has expanded the range of traditional African drumming and possesses extraordinary control of tonal inflection over a wide dynamic range. When he performs, one senses his total command of the medium. Read more about Gideon here.

The YELI Ensemble is named after the word 'Yeli', also called Djeli or Griot in French. A Yeli is a 'living archive' of West African people's traditions. It is someone who has learned their artform from the youngest age, initially from their parents and then from their community and different masters of the art form.

Ibrahima Dioubate and Mohamed Cisse both come from the Yeli tradition. Ibrahima was born into it as a Dioubate. Mohamed was initiated into it through his father. They are both masters of their craft and celebrated internationally for sharing the rich and amazing culture of Guinea Conakry, a culture which dates back as far as the Mali Empire. Ibrahima is a djembefola, specializing in the solo instrument the djembe, the 'star' of West African percussions. Mohamed excels in Guinea dance although he also plays several instruments. Together they give us a real taste of this incredibly dynamic and rich culture.

Roy “Futureman” Wooten is an artist known for bridging the gap between the past, the present and the future. Deriving from a rich musical background, FutureMan is an inventor, scientist, musician, composer and five time Grammy award winning performer with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. FutureMan is an artist that is able to bring many gifts to his music. While widely admired for his ingenuity, imaginative spirit, and eclectic style, it is his world class musicianship and stage presence that has earned him the respect of some of the best musicians in the industry, and fans alike.