Sachi Oasis Rodriguez almost too literally found her “voice” in music at a young age, having to undergo intense speech therapy due to a speech impediment and being unable to communicate as a child. Because of this, Sachi became a listener; hearing everyone and everything around her. Realizing people speak way more than they should, she chooses her words carefully and often doesn't say more than is necessary. Due to this experience, she constantly tries to help others consolidate their intentions and words by co writing and producing other artists.Sachi attended Berklee College of Music where she studied Songwriting and Music Production. Some notable professors include Pat Pattison(John Mayer, Amy Allen), Kara Dioguardi(Jon Bellion, Ingrid Andress), Swagg Harris(H.E.R, Kehlani), Bonnie Hayes(Bonnie Raitt), and Paula Cole. Whilst living in Boston, she also interned and became assistant engineer at the legendary Q Division Studios. Here she worked with the likes of Dropkick Murphys, Don Was, Yo-yo Ma, and many more.She is currently an AWAL artist based out of NYC, where she is studying for her Masters in Songwriting and Production at BerkleeNYC. She also frequents to LA where she consistently collaborates with creatives like those from Kobalt, Universal, and Warner. Although she mainly works in the commercial pop area of the industry, she also writes for film/tv with multiple production companies and sync reps. Sachi is also faculty for Berklee Online and intermittently at the Berklee campus in Boston.
After years in the making, singer-songwriter Conner Cherland is releasing his first full-length album, LAKE, in October of this year.
Cherland’s newest project is equal parts rapturous and refined, its main objective being to plumb the depths of human feeling while showcasing how he’s honed his craft. “I want music to be more of an unconscious act. I don’t just want to be a clever writer — I want these songs to cost me something,” he admits.
And certainly, this album is proof of the lengths Cherland has traveled for his music career. After quitting his tech job to go all-in, he released his first independent, self-funded EP and moved to Los Angeles in 2022. When contemplating what would come next, he kept returning to one of his biggest sources of inspiration: the score of the cartoon series Over the Garden Wall. He casually shot a message to the show’s team, not expecting an answer. Since then, they’ve offered him their mentorship by teaching him music theory and song composition, and their band, The Blasting Company, will be featured on LAKE.
Cherland spent four months taking the concepts he learned from The Blasting Company and tucking them into the folds of fifty songs, an experience he described as borderline religious: “The routine did feel special, because I called the process what it was: writing an entire album. Having a vision helped me settle into the act day after day, and the whole time I just believed there was going to be something there.”
At the same time, he was facing the extensive costs that go into recording and producing an album. Cherland made a case to his fanbase for crowdfunding, and the response blew him away. Within a matter of weeks, he was able to meet his funding goal.
What resulted is an album that honors the playfulness of Cherland’s signature acoustic style, while incorporating refined technical music components that create rich sonic landscapes. He decided to release three singles prior to the entire album: “Drugs,” “Rocket,” and “Happy.” Each of these songs explore the power of dreams, the journey of personal loss, and the weighty, ever-present souvenirs of love.
When asked how he approached this project, Cherland thoughtfully muses, “You don’t really get to pick what an album is about, do you?” After experiencing the death of a close family friend, much of his music composition was informed by the process of navigating grief, faith dynamics, and human intimacy. “People almost get to that point of sharing their burden and then won’t let it out. They don’t understand that it’s an honor to bear their pain with them. That’s what life is about — being in it together.”
That’s the ultimate project of LAKE. To give listeners brief moments of presence. To help them break through barriers. To share the weight.
A self-described former volleyball jock, Cherland began writing songs while still studying at UCSB. Early inspirations included Sufjan Stevens, City and Colour, Ed Sheeran, and something of an epiphany while watching his favorite movie, High School Musical. “I felt like I was seeing myself for the first time,” Cherland said. “I still love being athletic, but I’m very artistic as well. I really enjoy being a blend of the two.”
Megan Graney launched her musical career in 2021 with debut single “Borrowed Time". The Bay Area native is known for her stylistic approach using healing lyrics and colorful production to create masterful sounds. Her ability of bringing sonically-rich melodies to the listener shines through, bringing nostalgic memories and lived experiences that champion mental health stigmas and overcoming addiction. Her latest release, “So It Goes” was recently heard on KCRW! It also landed her very first sync on BET’s second season of, Sacrifice. She is often compared to Sade and Diana Krall with clear influences of jazz and soul. Her music evokes different themes of healing, and how that process is a nonlinear journey.
Previous performances include The Mint, Hotel Cafe, Feinstein's at the Nikko (San Francisco), and the Durango Songwriters Expo. Prior to her artist career, Megan earned credits on major films including Despicable Me 3 and The Nut Job 2 for composer Heitor Pereira, located at Hans Zimmer’s company - Remote Control Productions. She continued to further earn credits assisting Canadian-based composer, Andrew Lockington for the last 4 years. Credits include the Emmy Award-winning series Delhi Crime, Mayor of Kingstown, Daybreak, American Gods, V-Wars, Frontier, & The Kindness of Strangers.
Her versatility in performing a variety of genres from jazz, gospel, neo soul, and choral music has earned her the opportunity to gain accolades including the following:
Sang background vocals for Rita Ora (VH-1’s Trailblazer Honors)
Performed choral originals at Capitol Studios, and singer-songwriter originals at The Village Studios.
Performed the National Anthem for the LA Rams in 2018 with Angel City Chorale.
Performed with Broadway veterans - Andy Mientus & Shoshana Bean for his tribute to Joni Mitchell.
Calvin Rezen (artist/comedian/writer/bad website designer) plays guitar and sings the vocals. He rites the songs and sings the songs. These songs have been called "witty and clever" by everyone from our biggest fans to our smallest enemies. He said "I started Thesaurus Rex so that it would exist and it would stop not existing. It might be too soon to say it but, "the plan is to keep existing but in a big way. A way that makes many people smile and dance at the music made by urs trueLy""
FORMED BY NYC MUSICIAN ADAM BONOMO, INDIE ACOUSTIC OUTFIT BONOMO IS A PROJECT THAT PULLS AT THE HEART STRINGS WITH SYMPHONIC RESONANCE AND A DISTINCT TAKE ON INDIE-FOLK MUSIC. INFLUENCED BY THE SOUNDS OF FOLK, JAZZ, GOSPEL, AND CLASSICAL MUSIC, BONOMO IS A MELTING POT OF TRUE ARTISTRY AND THE FINEST PIONEERING GENRES OF ALL TIME. ON A MISSION TO UNIFY MUSICAL TRADITIONS AND AUDIENCES ALIKE, THE ENSEMBLE IS SET OF VISIONARIES INSPIRED BY THE SOUNDS OF YESTERDAY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CRAFTING A RESONANCE ALL THEIR OWN. BONOMO IS A WINNER OF THE JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING COMPETITION AND THE CASC SONGWRITING COMPETITION. BONOMO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR THEIR VIDEO “WATER” BY DIRECTOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER MARIAN SELL. THEY HAVE ALSO WON SPOTS IN THE TOP 5 AT THE INDIE INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION, THE TOP 3 AT THE NEW SONG MUSIC COMPETITION, AND THIRD PLACE IN THE NASHVILLE FILM FESTIVAL.
Matt Goldstein (he/him) is an award-winning vocal arranger, facilitator, singer/songwriter, music director, and educator who is dedicated to building community through collaborative musical creation.
After earning acclaim for the emotive, innovative arrangements he crafted for The Vassar Devils and Hyannis Sound, Matt has gone on craft over 200 custom vocal arrangements for ensembles around the world. He has earned numerous CARA awards, and his arranging work has garnered him accolades at a cappella festivals such as the ICCA, BOSS, and SoJam.
Most recently, Matt founded Gaia Music Collective, a community arts organization and performance collective that emerged in New York City in 2021. Through Gaia, Matt leads weekly circle singing sessions, open mic nights, drop-in choirs, and house shows that seek to break down the barriers between performer & audience. Matt’s mission with Gaia is to facilitate experiences that allow singers to express themselves freely, build community with artistic peers, and connect with the powerful currents of music that flow in and around us all.
Tariqh Akoni has managed to pack an impressive and diverse array of experiences in his 25 years in the music industry. A perpetual student of the art, Tariqh has been a composer, producer, songwriter, studio musician, educator, musical director, multi-instrumentalist and clinician.
A native of Santa Barbara, Tariqh studied contemporary classical composition at the University of California at San Diego before pursuing a performance degree at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. A highlight of his experience at Berklee was his private studies with Jazz luminaries Jerry Bergonzi and Rick Peckham.
While Berklee occupied Tariqh’s days, his nights were spent earning his “10,000 hours” playing in the jazz clubs typically four sets a night, five days a week. During this period Tariqh first began touring internationally, living in Thailand, Indonesia and Korea before being introduced to legendary saxophonist Walter Beasley. Walter no only mentored Tariqh but encouraged him to expand his horizons and move out West to pursue his career.
Since moving to Los Angeles in 1997, Tariqh has amassed an extensive and eclectic resume. He has worked with such distinguished artists as: country singers LeAnn Rimes and Lee Ann Womack; jazz icons George Duke, Tom Scott, and Bobby Watson; pop artists Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys; and classical artist Josh Groban. He has also appeared with a host of greats including Babyface, Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock, Luther Vandross, Patti Labelle, Natalie Cole, Huey Lewis and the News, Nick Lachey, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire and many others. Most recently, Tariqh worked as Musical Director for Rock Superstars Weezer and Josh Groban and completed highly successful tours with Bette Midler, Stevie Wonder (including a performance at the Silver Jubilee concert for the Queen of England) and super producer David Foster (appearing in his DVD “Hit Man Returns”).
As an educator and clinician, Tariqh served as Chairman of the Guitar Department at the LA College of Music for 5 years where he wrote 10 books including their pedagogical series ‘String Theory’. In addition, he has conducted master classes and clinics internationally at the Guildhall Academy in London, Fermatta Music Academy in Mexico, USC, CSUN and the Berklee College of Music.
After living in Pasadena for 15 years, Tariqh returned to Santa Barbara in 2011 and while still a sought after Musical Director, studio musician and accompanist Tariqh has began focusing his energy on production, composition and artist development.