5th Annual Johnson Pak Arts & Music Festival

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SoundEVR is a band centered around making music that gets people to dance, drawing from Funk, RnB, Pop, Jazz and especially House Music. The band originally formed in 2016 in Oberlin, Ohio under the leadership of Daniel Spearman. After a number of dormant years, and a move to Philadelphia, PA, the band reformed in 2023.

Daniel Spearman is a Trumpeter, Pianist, Composer and educator from Camden, New Jersey. Daniel graduated with highest honors from the Oberlin College and Conservatory of music with degrees in Africana Studies and Jazz Piano and has studied under the likes of Dan Wall, Sean Jones, Eddie Henderson and Sullivan Fortner. In addition to performing Daniel is a dedicated educator, with over 15 years of musical teaching experience. He also has a passion for helping his community and currently serves as the Director of Music for the IDEA Center in Camden NJ.

RaiSan Sings is a first-generation Angolan-American contemporary jazz vocalist and composer. RaiSan’s repertoire includes Arrangements from the American Songbook and his own compositions. RaiSan Sings graduated from Temple University as a Jazz vocal major, He received his Master of Music in Jazz Studies degree from the University Of The Arts. He Travelled to Angola, Africa where he spent many years to connect with his roots. 

Now in the USA. 

RaiSan Sings can be seen performing with his trio regularly five nights weekly at an Eddie V's Restaurant in King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Cherry Hill, NJ, Princeton, NJ, and Paramus, NJ. He also does private and public events.

Nasir Dickerson, BA, MA, Saxophonist, Kora player, African Flutist, composer, producer and recording artist. Emmy Award winning music educator. A student of the late greats, Charles Bowen, Robert Bootsie Barnes and Leon Mitchell; and Presently Cullen Knight. Nasir is the Leader of the jazz sextet, “The Renaissance Messengers” & “Life Light Empower”. He is also the Artistic/music director of “The Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble.”

He has performed with artist such as, Lauryn Hill, Doechii, Daniel Caeser, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, YG Marley, Zion Marley, Eric Roberson, Flow, FoggieRaw, Mannywellz, Angie Stone, The Legendary Roots Crew, Vocalist Bilal, Quest Love, Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Samara Cyn, Vocalist Maysa, Akua Naru, Miki Howard, Jeff Bradshaw, Rappers Beanie Sigel, State Property, Stalley, The legendary Stylistics, The Intruders, the Philadelphia Eagles and more. He has opened for legendary jazz greats, such as Dr. Donald Byrd, Robert “Bootsie” Barnes, Wallace Roney, Jimmy Heath, Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Duane Eubanks, Jymie Merritt, Mickey Roker, Stanley Wilson, Sid Simmons and more. In 2011, Nasir along with his family’s organization, The Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, performed in the movie “WARRIOR” by LIONSGATE starring Nick Nolte.

Saxophonist, composer, producer, educator and curator Greg Osby has been a formidable presence on the international music scene as a leader of his own ensembles and as a guest artist with other acclaimed groups for the past 39 years. Highly regarded for his insightful and innovative approach to composition and performance, Osby is an inspired voice among the ranks of improvising musicians. He has earned numerous awards and critical acclaim for his recorded works and passionate live appearances and has been recognized by The New York Times as one of the "most provocative musical thinkers of his generation".

Born and reared in St. Louis, Greg Osby began his professional music career in 1975, after three years of private studies on clarinet, flute and alto saxophone. In 1978 Osby furthered his musical education at Howard University (Washington, D.C.) where he majored in Jazz Studies. He continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) from 1980 to 1982. Upon relocating to New York in late 1982, Osby quickly established himself as a notable and in demand sideman for artists as varied as Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Freddie Hubbard, Muhal Richard Abrams, Woody Shaw, Jim Hall, Chick Corea, The Grateful Dead as well as with many other international new music ensembles. In addition to his rigorous performance schedule, Osby devotes a generous amount of his time to educational activities. Mr. Osby is also a founding member of the innovative M-BASE music collective.