Lissy Abraham is a Bay Area singer/songwriter and a CCMC founder. She was the lead vocalist and bass player in the Ballistic Cats, a roots rock band.

Kathy Barwick has been a performing and recording artist in the bluegrass, traditional Irish, and folk music fields for 40 years. She’s also taught private and group lessons on guitar, banjo, dobro, and acoustic bass, and is a sought-after music camp instructor. Kathy was a regular columnist for Flatpicking Guitar magazine, making her an in-demand instructor. Music camp credits include two stints at Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp, the California Bluegrass Association and the American River Acoustic Music camps on both dobro and guitar, CCMC, and many others. Kathy’s unique approach to crosspicking was featured in Acoustic Guitar magazine in January 2012. Kathy’s approach to teaching focuses on providing students with the tools to learn melodies by ear, create their own arrangements, and, ultimately, improvise. Kathy’s ability to break down both technique and theory in the service of playing traditional music has resulted in many “aha” moments for her students.

Caitlin Belém grew up in a house full of music in northern Wyoming. She fell in love with the fiddle at a young age and and continued to learn, playing saxophone and guitar, and singing through private lessons, school groups, and with her parents. She’s explored many genres, from Brazilian bossa nova and samba to Cuban son, to American jazz, blues, and swing. She’s performed in diverse venues, from thousand-seat concert halls to living rooms to TV and radio. Caitlin plays regularly with the Brazilian/Latin band Maracujá, the swing/folk duo Modern Bygones, the Basque ensemble Ospa, and The Fireants. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Tim Connell has created a sophisticated and original global style on the mandolin. Widely regarded as one of the top North American interpreters of the Brazilian choro style on the mandolin, Tim has his own unique voice on the instrument, described in a Mandolin magazine cover story as “fiery and energetic, soulful and evocative.” Tim’s latest releases include June Apple, a nationally noted album of bluegrass fiddle tunes with guitarist Eric Skye, and MandAlone, a collection of original solo mandolin arrangements including his popular arrangement of “Here Comes the Sun.”

Paul Elliott is an extremely versatile and respected West Coast fiddle player. He’s performed with The Good Old Persons, John Reischman, Michelle Shocked, Alison Brown, Buell Neidlinger, and many others. His recording credits span film, television, and radio, and a long list of recordings including Scott Nygaard’s No Hurry on the Rounder label.

Patrice Haan is a harper, singer, songwriter, composer, and wordsmith, devoted to the healing presence of listening. She’s most familiar in the camp community for romantic and complex harmonization of jazz standards with Tony Marcus in the Oakland-based duo Leftover Dreams, as well as playing therapeutic music with Healing Muses, a Bay Area nonprofit that provides music for healing in local hospitals. She’s recorded three albums of original music—lush, melodic collections for harp, piano, and voice.

Sylvia Herold brings to CCMC a deep enthusiasm and knowledge of jazz, swing, and folk songs. Researching songs and developing guitar arrangements fuels her artistic passion. Her performing credits include the popular swing trio Cats & Jammers, Euphonia, Hot Club of San Francisco, and Sylvia Herold & the Rhythm Bugs. Sylvia currently performs with the Celtic Grateful Dead band, Wake the Dead, and her jazz combo, the Sylvia Herold Ensemble. She is a popular guitar and repertoire teacher at Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, California Coast Music Camp, British Columbia Swing Camp, Colorado Roots Music Camp, Lark in the Morning, and the Ashokan Center.

Classical. Brazilian. R&B. Jazz. Afro-Cuban. Pop. Rock and Roll. Funk. Folk. Ed Johnson’s mastery of so many different styles, coupled with a passion for harmony vocal and horn arrangements, all factor into a magical blend of vibrant, original contemporary jazz that has won fans and airplay worldwide. As a vocalist, Ed is frequently compared to Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Kenny Rankin, and Michael Franks. As a guitarist and bandleader, critics often cite the sounds of Airto and Flora Purim. Ed has seven recording projects to his credit, in addition to producer credits for numerous artists. He currently performs and records with his Brazilian jazz ensemble Novo Tempo, as well as with the Americana roots band Cabin Fever NW.

Bay Area music veteran Steve Kritzer is an award-winning singer-songwriter, entertainer, multi-instrumentalist, instructor, and jam leader. A “man of many musics," Steve moves effortlessly between originals, Irish, bluegrass, country, classic rock, big band swing, and traditional folk. He's an accomplished guitar, ukulele, banjo, and mandolin player, and has taught at CCMC many times. Steve’s relaxed, personable style on stage and in the classroom makes him a popular callback at festivals, concerts, coffeehouses, and teaching camps from California to Ireland. When not teaching, recording, or performing, he’s his “own grandpa” to his 13-year-old daughter.

With her mom as her harmonizing music partner, Janet Lenore became a performing singer/songwriter by the age of 15. It wasn’t long before she started expanding her skills with the mandolin, banjo and ukulele. Janet taught her first guitar classes while still in high school and now teaches ukulele as well. She has twice taught guitar and ukulele classes at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop (PSGW) and has presented workshops at the Napa Valley Ukulele Festival (St. Helena), the Ukiah Uke-Fest, the Mendocino Ukulele Festival (Fort Bragg), Smoldering Uke (Carmel), Burning Uke (Felton), and Ukes On the Loose (Healdsburg). Janet regularly co-leads the Alameda Uke Club and the Bronco Billy’s Jam (Fremont), and has lead jams at the Berkeley Uke Club and at the Kate Wolf Festival. Janet served on the California Coast Music Camp (CCMC) Board of Directors for about 15 years, and she continues to manage CCMC’s annual Winter Retreat and the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts Webster Street stage. Her most recent recording is the ukulele-based “Pie and Other Tasty Treats.” Janet is a patient and supportive music instructor who keeps in mind how hard it can be to learn new stuff.

Tony Marcus has found joy playing many styles of music. He’s played bluegrass with mandolin legend Frank Wakefield, jug band music and blues with Geoff Muldaur, fiddle tunes with the Arkansas Sheiks, string swing with Cats & Jammers, big band jazz with the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, weird old Hawaiian and hokum with R. Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders, and honky tonk country with Rose Maddox, to name a few. Playing music has taken him from Japan to Ireland, and from Alaska to Florida in the USA. He currently performs with Patrice Haan in the vocal duo Leftover Dreams and with the country band Crying Time.

Peter McLaughlin is an acclaimed acoustic guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, performer, recording artist, and music instructor in Tucson, AZ. He plays many genres and styles, specializing in acoustic flatpicking and fingerpicking techniques. He’s toured and recorded with Chris Brashear, Todd Phillips, Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Jody Stecher, Perfect Strangers, The Sonoran Dogs, Junior Brown, Flying South, Titan Valley Warheads, and The John Coinman Band. In 2013 Peter was inducted into the Tucson Musician’s Museum. He is the 1988 National Flatpicking Guitar Champion.

Brian Rice began his orchestral career at age 15, playing percussion with the Northwest Michigan Symphony. After attending Interlochen Arts Academy and heading to Oberlin Conservatory, Brian had an epiphany: There's a whole world of music beyond the classical and jazz of his youth! Brian has since established himself as an expert on Brazilian music as well as other worldly genres. Brian recently performed with Brazilian master Danilo Brito at the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Savannah Music Festival, and has guest taught at universities across the U.S. and in Brazil. Currently Brian teaches the samba and Afro-Cuban ensembles at UC Davis, co-chairs the Brazilian focus at the California Jazz Conservatory, and is co-founder and Artistic Director of the Berkeley Festival of Choro. Brian’s percussion is heard on over 70 recordings. He regularly performs around the Bay Area with Wake the Dead, Cascada de Flores, and the Berkeley Choro Ensemble.

Jennifer Scott is a Vancouver-born vocalist and jazz pianist specializing in jazz, blues, and world music. She is considered one of the most important jazz artists working in Canada and the United States today. From sold-out concerts in San Francisco to exclusive local club performances, Jennifer’s performance experiences have been varied. Jennifer has appeared at jazz festivals all across Canada and the U.S., appearing with such jazz luminaries as: Tommy Banks, Don Thompson, Jon Batiste, Kenny Wheeler, Skywalk, and Hugh Fraser, to name a few. She has numerous ongoing musical projects, including performing as the pianist/vocalist for San Francisco–based Novo Tempo, a Brazilian/jazz fusion group, and is a founding member of Crossing Borders, an international jazz group that performs and records music from the heart. Crossing Borders has released two CDs and performed at Kuumbwa and the Monterey Jazz Festival. Jennifer continues to perform at festivals worldwide and has two new recordings: Live at Samson Winery and Music for Bigs and Smalls. Her duo recordings and concerts with bassist/husband René Worst are critically acclaimed. Jennifer is in demand as an educator and clinician in the U.S. and Canada, and has taught and created many workshops and college courses.

Cosy Sheridan first appeared on the national folk scene in 1992 when she won the songwriting contests at the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. She has been on the road ever since, playing clubs, concert halls and coffeehouses across the country. Her song “My Fence and My Neighbor” listed at #4 on the folk radio chart in 2018, her 2014 release “Pretty Bird” was listed in Sing Out! magazine’s Great CDs of 2014. Cosy was a guitar student of legendary fingerstyle players Eric Schoenberg and Guy Van Duser. She teaches classes in songwriting, performance, and guitar at workshops and adult music camps across the country, and is the founder of Moab Folk Camp in Utah.

Daniel Ward grew up in New Mexico, exposed to a wide variety of musical styles, including Mexican mariachi, Spanish flamenco, world music, and jazz. By the time he completed a degree in classical guitar and composition, Daniel was also playing electric jazz, flamenco guitar with dancers, percussion, trumpet, lute, and world beat music. As a guitarist, he toured with Dance España, Maria Benitez, Yjastros, and Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra In 2009 he moved to Hollywood, and fell in love with the ukulele. He has become a premier ukulele performer known for his command of Latin and world styles, and performs and teaches at festivals across the U.S. and abroad. Daniel contributes lessons to both Ukulele and Acoustic Guitar.

René Worst, an internationally known bass player, has established himself as one of the most influential and leading jazz voices in North America for several decades. He attended the UBC School of Music and Douglas College jazz program, and was voted Bassist of the Year by the BC CARAS Tribute to West Coast Music for the four years that the awards were given. René was co-leader of the now-legendary fusion band Skywalk, which has six CDs to their credit. He has toured Canada with jazz legends Chet Baker, Gene Bertoncini, and Joe Pass. On the international scene, he has toured the former Soviet Union with Paul Horn. He is also the bassist with Brazilian band Novo Tempo and multi-disciplinary ensemble Crossing Borders; both bands have toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada. He is a virtuoso on both string and electric bass. René has recorded and performed with numerous jazz greats, including Jack Sheldon, Tommy Banks, Herb Ellis, Freddie Hubbard, Ernestine Anderson, John Faddis, and Don Thompson, to name a few, and has recorded and produced seven CDs for musical partner Jennifer Scott, one of the top jazz artists in Canada, including the highly acclaimed Emotional Girl. He has also been featured as a session player on recordings by Jennifer Love Hewitt, David Bowie, Aerosmith, and Poison, to name a few. René has released a duo album with pianist Miles Black called Two; it has received much critical acclaim. René’s studio work include jingles, album projects, and movie scores. As a noted producer, René has helmed recordings for Sandy Foster, Megan Fanning, Skywalk, and Crossing Borders. This year, René released the Jennifer Scott CDs Live at Samson Winery and Music for Bigs and Smalls as bassist and producer, and was featured on new releases by Ed Johnson and Hans Staymer. He also released a second duo CD, El Escorial, with pianist Miles Black.