Zach Friedhof

Zach Friedhof is a Troubadour of Peace from Akron Ohio. His music is an uplifting blend of folk & soul immersed in love.

20 years ago after a nearly fatal appendix rupture, Zach began writing and performing music in Northeast Ohio, releasing his first CD and making his way onto stages across the country, sometimes with the likes of Neil Young, Richard Thompson, Gin Blossoms, Bo Diddley, Trevor Hall, Steve Poltz, and Brett Dennon. Since then he has performed across North America in diverse venues from living rooms and yoga classes to clubs to theatres, to festivals. Recently he was awarded the John T Looney Justice and Peace Award. Other accolades include Humanitarian of the Year, Local Band of the Year, Best Singer/Songwriter, and the he was invited to perform in Toronto in 2018 at the Parliament of World’s Religions.

In addition, Zach has released two Kirtan records (Jai Ma and Jai Ma Vol 2), which he leads weekly in person and through Facebook Live. He is a yogi, leads meditation and is a co-director of the Yoga Summit of Ohio. He also co-created and is the Executive Director of the Big Love Network, which seeks community uplift and engagement though neighbor-led neighborhood initiatives involving arts, skills, and gatherings. As a photographer, his first book of meditations and photography, Tiny Meditations, was released 2016, and the follow up was released in the Fall of 2019.

Zach performs a variety of shows, from solo to an 11 piece band! Performances with his high energy band Zach & the Bright Lights (Neil Keating, Charlie Trenta, Michael Marotta and Drew Thornberry) get the body and soul moving!

Samuel Salsbury

Samuel Salsbury is well-known in the American kirtan scene. Performing on violin and Indian sarangi, his musical adaptability, sacred intention, and soaring, soulful solos have earned the respect of some of the world’s finest musicians and inspired a dedicated fan base.

Samuel received classical training at the Cleveland Institute of Music and, over the past decade, made annual trips to study classical Indian music on sarangi with master, Pandit Santosh Mishra. His spiritual journey dates to early childhood and has taken him to such countries as Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Japan and, of course, India.

https://www.samuelsalsburymusic.com

Mark Nathanson

Mark Nathanson is a multi-instrumentalist having studied drums/percussion at The Cleveland Institute of Music, w/ Mike Clarke (Herbie Hancock), Percy Jones (Brand-X,Phil Collins), Bobby Wiener & Bob Moses at The Drummers Collective in NYC. Graduate from Berklee College of Music studying w/ Skip Hadden (Weather Report) & Ian Froman.

He has performed in Boston w/ world ensemble The Cast of Characters, Trio Bangalore, Gary Burton, James Meranda’s Mingus 3 trio, The Mallards & Kirton group East Coast Chant. He’s played in many theater shows including Menopause the Musical, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris & was music director for an original production of The Beatle’s Yellow Submarine.

He has accompanied dance performances, classes & workshops at Harvard, Boston Conservatory, w/ Paul Taylor & Mark Morris Dance Company, Gabriel Roth’s 5-Rhythms and played w/ Boston Improv Comedy Troupe for many years.

Tours include Broadway Production of The King & I, Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros Circus (music boot camp! and an appearance on the Mr. Rogers Show) Jump Blues legend Big J. McNealy & the John Denver Tribute Band.

These days he is studying the Kiloby Inquiries to facilitate those w/ trauma in the framework of conscious awareness. He listens mostly to the sound of nature and home records. He is excited to be onboard at Elevate Akron!

James Kellerman

James Kellerman is a composer, woodwind freelance performer, yoga teacher and workshop facilitator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Creating, inspiring and leading inner healing through empowering transformation he is passionate about the intersection of music, yoga, meditation and neurophysiology. Certifications include Add Heart Facilitator through the Heartmath Institute; Brain Longevity Specialist through the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation; and RYT 200, Yoga Alliance.

Placing an emphasis on working with elders, he developed a nationwide touring business in 2003, sharing music and workshops in residential senior communities, engaging audiences across 36 states and 6,000 concerts. His self-produced cd “A Christmas Prayer” won the 2001 Minnesota Music Award as Best Classical Ensemble Recording and has sold 7,000 copies.

Whether hiking, swimming, biking or x/c skiing James is outside every day. He connected with the ELEVATE community after relocating to Akron for 18 months in 2018 -2019 to care for his mother.

Super excited and feeling blessed to be part of Elevate

https://www.jameskellermanmusic.com

Matthew DeRubertis

Learn more about Matthew’s work at https://www.matthewderubertis.com/about

Kevin Karas

Kevin serves as Executive Director of Elevate Akron, a yoga nonprofit in Akron, Ohio that has partnered with over 200 local businesses, nonprofits and artists to bring Yoga to 16,500+ people through their community programming such as the annual Elevate Akron Yoga Festival.

Kevin is the Community Engagement Consultant for Yoga Alliance, the world’s largest yoga nonprofit association which sets global standards for over 110,000 members.

Kevin is an E-RYT 500 who certifies yoga teachers at the 200-hour level, leads yoga retreats locally & internationally, and offers guided meditations with SEER music at guidedsoundjourney.com.

His lineage is inspired from Sivananda, Integral, Sampoorna, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Restorative, and Mindfulness roots. Further, his graduate studies included conducting a 4-year research project on the contemplative practices and teaching methods of master yoga and meditation teachers.