Medium: Violin, viola, voice, piano, producer
Location: Duffy Square, 47th and 7th MUNY
Email: Raycurt.mc@googlemail.com
Phone: 917-370-9094
Website: www.raycurt.com
Bio:Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, N.Y. Vocal Studies.(1977- 1979)
Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC Classical and Jazz. (1984)

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NEW YORK CITY:
Chevalier de Saint Georges Trio and Quartet. 1984-89
United Nations Conference Concerts
C.B.S. Morning News Television Broadcast. 1984
WQXR Classical Radio Broadcast, New York City. 1983
Avery Fisher Hall, St Georges Trio Performance, introduced by Dame Grace Bumbry.
Carnegie Hall, Leontyne Price, Lyric-Soprano. “Farewell Recital” Concert.
BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music, John Threadgil Concert.

CALIFORNIA:
Hawthorne Symphony Orchestra, California.
Stevie Wonder Concert String Orchestra, (1983) Secret Life of Plants
Natalie Cole music video “Unforgettable”.
Warner Brothers Studio Orchestra.
Background music for “Matlock”, TV Series

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GERMANY:
Akademisches Orchester aus Leipzig (eine Tournee), Hamilton Kanada und Houston Texas.
Kammerorchester de St. Laurentius, Dessau. 1999
“XTRA KLASSE” hip-hop Komadie. Auftritte an Leipzig und Berlin.
Produzent und Komponist im Anker Theater. 2000
Collegium; Live Performances beim Offenen Kanal, 1999-2008
Krystallpalast Variete Theater, Leipzig. Neujahr 2001
“SOOSHEE” Live Jazz Iprovisation Sessions, Moritzbastei, Leipzig. 1999-2004

UNITED STATES:
National Gallery of Art Orchestra, and the American University Symphony
D.C. Commission of the Arts, Recipient “Special Project Grants” 2003
D.C. Cable Production of the “Heritage Festival Concerts” 2004
La Fete Musique Washington, D.C. 2003

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Activist for “LIVE” music in public access spaces D.C. Troubadours and founder of C.A.T.S. (Capitol Area Troubadour Society), Washington, D.C. 1986
“Music Under New York” Subway Program. 1989
“Sounds of the Underground”, London England. 2006
Strassen Musikers des U-Bahn, Berlin, Germany.

Triumphing civil and constitutional rights for performing Artists. *WORLDWIDE*
City Paper, Wash, D.C. “Arti Facts, Buskers don’t, Liza Mundy.
Washington Post -Metro cover story April 13, 2002
“Can the subway carry a tune?” Metro section, September 27, 2002 “Making a Movement For a Little Metro Music”,
Washington Magazine, February 2003 issue.
Gewandhaus Magazin. Nr.55 Summer 2007

Medium: Vocals, Violin, Foot Percussion, Dance, and Theater duets
Location: MUNY, Bethesda Terrace
Email: thoth@skthoth.com
Phone: 917-826-8190
Website: www.skthoth.com, myspace, cdbaby, youtube, yahoo, facebook, twitter
Address: P.O. Box 670232 Flushing, NY 11367

Lila’Angelique bio:

Thoth Bio: For the most part, my ancestry is lost in the past because of slavery and other interruptive influences. However, I’ve been able to deduce a bit of what it is: African, Scottish/Irish, Carib Indian (Mayan) from my mother whose family comes from Barbados; and Russian, Rumanian, Roma (Gypsy), Hebrew (Jewish) from my father. In the end, or the beginning, depending on how you look at it, I have been able to trace myself back to all peoples. I have a part of everyone in me.

How did I start doing this? I got hit by lightning! No – I studied, practiced and dreamed while maintaining an unquenchable desire to become fully who I am despite all the illusory boundaries. Plus, timely synchronous assistance from many special teachers (most who didn’t even know they were teaching) who have come into my life at the perfect time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Some people recognize aspects of ancient pre-Egyptian and Mayan in my costume, but the costume is from the country of my dreams – the Festad. Through experimentation, improvisation, and exploration of clothing, I was led to this costume. It is in the colors of my spirit: active red for the passion of my expression; neutral gold for spiritual and physical prosperity; and passive black for the resting of all colors. My chakras are circled and focused. I am in chains and yet free.

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My namesake, Thoth, was a high priest of ancient Egypt and the diety of scribes, wisdom, communication and mathematics. I took the name because it symbolizes an important point in my spiritual development when I transited from Greece (Hermes) to Africa (Thoth).

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I know this site is supposed to be “Undercover” and about the people who people. But this week I went to one of the latest free things to do in New York — to spend 30 minutes scoping out perhaps the latest and greatest public space in which to perform. Within the last month or so another park has opened in Manhattan — The High Line.

Sitting between Gansevoort and 20th Street, the High Line is a green snake winding through Manhattan’s ugliest district. It’s all in the name, really – the Meatpacking District. Yukky. However, once the site of mutilated animals, now that section of town is frequented by other types of meat, namely the rich young boys and girls who go there to get wasted and hook up on a Saturday night.

Thankfully, this city has a way of adapting for the better, and the High Line is just that, a 500 meter length of calming beauty in a concrete ditch. With over 200 hundred flowers, grass as far as the eye can see (as long as you are looking north or south), and raised high enough to avoid much of the grey, bleak… Sorry, actually I love New York’s edginess, but it’s quite usurped by this half kilometer garden. They are extending it too, to about 2km. What pleasure!

And what could make it better than some pleasant, relaxing music? Really, I think that would be just grand. However, I’d also say that any street performer hoping to go up there and make a noise, remember the intention of the park (to give people a chill out space), and play accordingly. This isn’t the right place for drummers. Perhaps a violinist, or some other socially acceptable art form.

I saw park police up there, by the way, scoping out the High Line’s many visitors. I’m sure they’ll kick anyone out without one of those ghost-licenses they say you need (which, by the way, I asked NYC.gov about, who they said that on the whole, no street performer needed a license). And I doubt they’ll accept the argument that you are just another one of the many free things to do in New York. Keep whatever you’re doing low-key, and pick a spot that’s in open space (not that there is much). Good luck!

(These are the flowers I saw there, of which there are over 200 varieties)

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Medium: Percussionist/Master log drummer/Drumset
Location: MUNY
Email: percussionistwilliamruiz@gmail.com
Phone: 917-388-7755
Website: www.williamruiz.com, CD Baby, youtube, all about jazz, myspace
Bio: William Ruiz (bandleader, Taino percussionist, master log drummer, hand drummer and on Tribal drumset), is one of today’s most talented modern improvisational world music artists. Based in NYC, this young spirited Native American Taino Puerto Rican artist is the creative force behind a unique blend of improvisational world tribal percussion sounds.

Ruiz was born in Elizabeth, NJ. Since December 2000, Ruiz has been documented for presenting the Taino Mayohuacan, the 12 tongue modern Log drum and Tribal drum set along with various percussion instruments to the people of NYC, nationally and internationally. His Log drum is a modern version of the Taino – Mayohuacan. It is known by many different Indigenous tribes worldwide by various other names. With his tribal drum set and the 12 tongue modern Log drum as his main instrument he entrances his audiences.

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Constantly provoking people to dance, Ruiz is a crowd pleaser. Influenced by Jazz Masters especially master acoustic bassist / Educator Reggie Workman, “I’ve taken my work into a chosen circle of talented musicians.” William comments. The talented drummer is behind the music for different dancers and dance companies. His music can be found on many film soundtracks and commercials. In November 2003, Documentary Film ” Pieces of Courage / In search of my cultural heroes” featuring John Leguizamo & NBC Star Judy Reyes.

Music by William Ruiz and featured as a guest artist-.was nominted and received award for best Narrative in The Latin Film Festival Madison Square Garden. Other movies and films on his repertoire are “Bloody Streetz”, “My Garden State”, etc. Ruiz teaches Log drum at workshops and teaches individually as well. William performed live at Hot 97.1 Radio Station, Live at WBAI in New York. FEEL FREE TO CALL AND REQUEST HIS MUSIC FOR AIRPLAY.

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Ruiz’s first record debut was on Jay Rodriguez’s “Olajope” recording featuring Jay’s group ¬≥Batidos¬≤, Cuban Pianist Chucho Valdez, percussionist Eddie Bobe, vibrophonist Bill Ware, electric bassist Yossi Fine and others. The second was his own “In New York”. A fast moving CD that has sold more than 200,000 copies individually. The third is the live CD “Cipriani” with Abdou Mboup & Jay Rodriquez. His own Solo album “Intayesha – It will Rain” is a tribute to forest people worldwide. It allows the listener to travel into the rainforest mentally and live, if just for the moment, in true organic purity.

“My goal is to revive music of indigenous peoples and introduce this music to all audiences in a digestable way without sacrificing the integrity or the spirit of the music” says William. ” I bring to my audiences positive music that is grooving, steady flowing, and at times meditational.” William added. Upcoming Projects: William is currently working on a heavy percussive quartet recording with Jojo Kuo (Afrobeat & Jazz Drumset), Abdou Mboup (Talking Drums and Djembe), and Robert Ogarro (Bongos, Percussions) “The goal is to continue to distribute my first three recordings, continue to perform nationally / internationally and to make more records. My vision is to create forms of music that are filled with good spirits and energy always remembering to think independently in my journey of music.”

Medium: Music of the Andes
Location: MUNY
Email: espirituandino@aol.com
Phone: 917-903-4315
Website: www.espirituandino.com

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Bio: Espiritu Andino was created in the summer of 2005 as a response to the vital necessity to keep alive, share, spread and transmit to our new generations, the philosophy of the inca culture so as to show the world the different mystical places of the millenary andean civilization.

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Every band member of Andean Spirit has had enriching musical experiences that have helped sustain his career in South America, the United Stated and Canada for over a decade.

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