Artists | The #CreativeSummit Community!

Home
Artists
Search

Gwyll Abraham

Performing Arts: Music, Vocal

Gwyll is a singer, songwriter, and future music educator. He is currently in his undergraduate study of Choral/General Music Education at Kent State University with a minor in Jazz Studies. Gwyll is one-half of the renowned folk duo, Acoustic Love that have recently been featured as one of the top rated local wedding bands for hire on Entertainers Worldwide. He looks forward to finishing his degree in Music Education and his duo plan to pursue a career as wedding musicians whilst song writing with Recipe of Life full-time upon graduation.

Kofi Boakye

Artist for Hire: Commissions, Education, Private Events, Programming; Performing Arts: Actor/Actress, Director, Music, Performance Art, Radio/Television, Spoken Word, Theatre

Kofi R. Boakye is a 20-year-old Emmy-Nominated pianist born in Akron, Ohio. Kofi has gathered musical experience from myriad venues across the United States. At the age of 15, Kofi was accepted into the University of Akron School of Music’s Jazz Program, making him the youngest African-American pianist to ever be accepted into a collegiate-level jazz program at the UA. While music remains at the core, Kofi’s accolade extends beyond the big stage. In 2014, President Barack Obama and the White House awarded Kofi with the “President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence”. In 2018, Kofi joined the ranks of Black-ish star Anthony Anderson, R&B songstresses Lauryn Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and American Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith in winning the Silver medal in the NAACP ACT-SO National Competition; making him the first person from Akron to ever win. In 2019, Kofi received an Emmy Nomination for his film “Kofi: Made In Akron”, a short-film documentary created in co-production with Pritt Entertainment Group. Currently, Kofi is a newly minted graduate of the University of Akron and will now attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA in the Fall of 2019.

Karlise Starr Brown

Artist for Hire: Private Events, Programming; Multi Arts; Performing Arts: Actor/Actress, Director, Music, Performance Art, Radio/Television, Theatre, Vocal; Visual Arts: Performers and Writers

The dynamic duo of the Josh & Starr Project is the fusion of two artists with unique vocal abilities providing a listening experience of the best of both worlds from a male female perspective both bringing their creative, vocal, and blended versitility to light with the launch of this project. Joshua Evans former American Idol Alternate delivers a smooth soul, country, and R&B style as Starr combines the provides the a classically trained / gospel background creating the classic duet group with an amazing chemistry. Joshua has performed and dominated many local competitions and Starr has been chosen to judge many,in addition to their separate memberships Joshua formerly of Smooth Approach and Next Level; Starr formerly of Soul Purpose their departures were obviously a part of their destiny to give a fresh sound to every song they vocally grace.

JT Buck

Artist for Hire: Commissions, Education, Private Events, Programming; Arts Administration: Curator, Grant Writer; Literary Arts; Multi Arts; Performing Arts: Actor/Actress, Director, Music, Performance Art, Spoken Word, Storytelling, Theatre, Vocal; Visual Arts: Mixed Media, Performance Art, Performers and Writers, Photography

JT Buck is a music and theatre ‘jack of all trades’, with 20 years’ professional experience as a director, playwright, composer, lyricist, music director, producer, teacher and cross-discipline collaborator. His latest musical is ‘The Devil’s Milk Part 2: Goosetown”, currently running in rep at the Balch St. Theatre. He will serve as music director for the Rocky Horror Show at the Civic this August. His passion for authentic community conversation led him to study the ‘Art of Hosting’ suite of group conversation/decision-making tools. A committed meditator, he’s passionate about teaching mindfulness-based applications to the creative process in the form of piano lessons, professional coaching and group classes. He’s available for private coachings and will be offering a series of public workshops in the coming year. Another major thread in his work is the ‘Akron story’…history, present and future. He often serves as a historical consultant across disciplines. When not doing the above things, he sleeps. Mostly on Monday.

Allen Cruz

Artist for Hire: Private Events; Performing Arts: Music

Singing and performing was always the plan for Chicago native, Allen Cruz. Songwriting became a focal point while he dabbled in different bands through-out high school. After going to college for musical theatre, Allen set his sights on creating high energy pop rock in Canton, Ohio. In his adventures navigating through his new environment, Allen found Josh Huddleston, Ben Stover, and Andy Cernava to breathe new life and style into his solo acoustic songs. Josh is an incredibly smooth electric blues guitarist with a sultry voice inspired by the famous John Mayer. Ben adds energized room filling drums with a passion for rock and country. Andy completes the band with creative skill and knowledge of the bass guitar, and a non stop smile on stage. A year of playing wineries, rock clubs, dive bars, birthday parties and weddings led The Galaxy to record their first album in 2014 called, “Talk About the Moon.” With big-band jazz inspired songs like, “Hugs n’ Kisses” to the angry Latin rock tune called, “Mirrors” The album has received high praise online, “Overall, this is an album that is enjoyable for multiple generations. It’s very mood-lifting and fun with a wide variety of genres blended together to give you something new and interesting.” (Bronlyn Thurman via teatimewiththemadartist.com) Named after a popular comic book movie, Allen Cruz & The Galaxy have become the band to dance along with in 2015 into 2016. Their tight musicality, soaring vocals, catchy songwriting, impressive guitar solos, and exciting energy on stage has infectiously captivated audiences. Plans for a second album are on the way, along with a consistent schedule of live public and private events. Make sure to catch their awesome dance moves at a local show, replay their videos on Youtube, and follow this growing band as they show you their side of the pop rock universe.

Timi Funk

Artist for Hire: Commissions, Private Events; Performing Arts: Actor/Actress, Music, Performance Art, Theatre, Vocal

Timi Funk delivers a high quality and customized performance you can enjoy at any event. With offers ranging from an intimate acoustic or piano service to a larger 8-10 piece big band, Timi will provide the perfect entertainment option that will dazzle your clients, patrons, or guests. Timi’s sultry stage presence, humor, and vocal range has the power to rock the house or set a mood. Whether you’re laughing, falling in love, or in tears, you will be funkafized!

Jeff Klemm

Performing Arts: Actor/Actress, Music, Vocal

Dubbed the “Hardest Working Man In Akron Show Business” American singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jeff Klemm is best known as frontman for the nationally touring MAID MYRIAD, the voice behind DIAMOND KITES (formerly known as JEFF KLEMM & THE LETTERS ) and guitarist in the now defunct VIA LOTUS. Klemm splits his time between his SOLO ACOUSTIC project and his Rock Bands. Jeff Klemm’s solo acoustic set showcases his craft of songwriting and versatility switching between original music and a highly refined reimagined cover song collection. A highly prolific songwriter, Klemm has released multiple albums with several different bands and has spent many years on the road touring America playing 41 states. Jeff Klemm is currently working on his second full length solo album, a full length with Diamond Kites and the follow up to the critically acclaimed Maid Myriad album “With Haste On Its Breath” all while frequenting the NorthEast Ohio acoustic music circuit.

Andrew Paa

Artist for Hire: Education, Private Events, Programming; Arts Administration: Grant Writer; Performing Arts: Music; Marketing and Public Relations

Akron-based Violinist Andrew Paa enjoys a varied career as an educator, performer, and arts advocate. A dedicated teacher, Andrew has worked with students privately and in music schools in South Dakota, Iowa, and Ohio. He maintains a private studio and has previously taught at the Fairlawn and Hudson Schools of Music, and Firestone High School. His students have achieved a high degree of success, earning college scholarships and assuming leadership roles in their ensembles. Andrew has performed across the United States and internationally in venues such as Cleveland’s Playhouse Square and the Vienna Konzerthaus. Professionally, he performed, for three seasons, in the first violin section of the Sioux City Symphony. He has played with and assumed principle positions with several collegiate ensembles including the Luther College Symphony Orchestra, the University of South Dakota Symphony, the Kent State University Orchestra and the University of Akron Symphony Orchestra. Dedicated to performing chamber music, he previously founded several groups including the Cuyahoga String Quartet, Enigma String Quartet, the Rosen String Quartet, and several piano trios. Andrew earned a MM in Chamber Music and Violin Performance from Kent State University where he studied with Cathy Meng Robinson (Miami String Quartet) and Jung-Min Amy Lee (Assistant Concertmaster with The Cleveland Orchestra). He studied chamber music with members of the Miami String Quartet and the Verve Chamber Players. Prior to Kent, he earned a MM in Violin Performance from the University of South Dakota studying violin with Dr. Eunho Kim and chamber music with members of the Rawlins Piano Trio. He earned his BA in Music from Luther College where he studied with Drs. Virginia Strauss and Jubal Fulks. Additional studies were undertaken with Frederick Halgedahl, Dan Auberbach and Maria Peters.

Infinite Soul

Artist for Hire: Private Events; Performing Arts: Music, Vocal

INFINITE SOUL, COMPOSED OF TIMI FUNK AND DARLA DOLL( AKA THE DYNAMIC DUO ),BRINGS YOU ALL GENRES OF MUSIC UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF SOUL. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF DANCING TO ANYTHING FROM CLASSIC RHYTHM AND BLUES, ROCK, FUNK TO CONTEMPORARY JAZZ, SOUL, AND POP. THESE WOMEN WILL TAKE YOU ON A JOURNEY OF LOVE, LIFE, AND MUSIC.

Find An Artist

Search by Keyword

Search by last name:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Featured Artist

Apply Now for The National Center for Choreography-Akron's Creative Administration Research Program

Click here for more information and to apply!

Summit Artspace is interested in the many ways in which BIPOC+ artists impact our communities through their art. One artist will be selected to receive a $1,000 stipend to support the creation of a solo exhibition in Summit Artspace’s Horizon Gallery. Click here to apply.

Need help with your SL365 profile? Don't know how to add an event? Check out these how-to videos.

Twitter

Tweets by @SummitArtsNow