Texas native Ed Kelly has been a mainstay of the Bay Area's jazz scene ever since he settled in Oakland in 1960, where he regularly played with saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, drummer Smiley Winters, and others. Although his recordings, including "Music from the Black Museum" and "Ed Kelly and Friend," have been few and far between, his impact on subsequent generations, especially through his teaching at Laney College, has been immeasurable. Ed's son Terrence Kelly has been directing the Oakland Interfaith Choir, a 40-member, racially, culturally, and religiously integrated vocal ensemble for most of its 10 year existence.

Pete Escovedo soared to the forefront of the Bay Area's popular music scene in the early 1970s when he and his brother Coke founded the powerful Latin-rock band Azteca. His daughter, known as Sheila E. ever since her pop career skyrocketed alongside that of Prince, was raised under his tutelage to be an ace percussionist and singer, honing her skills in the seminal Escovedo bands of the '70s and '80s. His current Orchestra continues to be not only a breeding ground for stellar talent, but one of the hardest-grooving, explosive big bands around.