Christopher Payne is a multi-faceted drummer and percussionist, whose breadth of musicianship fuses ethnic hand percussion, classical batterie and drum set repertoire. His expertise, versatility, and innovation enhances a multitude of musical genres that contribute to his active performing, recording and teaching career. Christopher has toured extensively, performing at prestigious concert halls and festivals worldwide, including the Hollywood Bowl (2013), the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman, (2014, 2016) the Walt Disney Concert Hall (2007), the Vancouver Music Festival (2013), The Beacon Theater (2018), The Orpheum Theater (2018), Radio City Music Hall (2019), and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts Concert Hall (2013).Among the many artists, ensembles, and orchestras, Christopher has toured with the Grammy nominated band DeVotchka, performed with jazz luminaries Charlie Haden, Bob Sheppard, Joe LaBarbara, Larry Koonse, Derek Oles, and Slide Hampton, as well as, rock legend Mike Garson (David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins), and Palestinian Pop star and 2013 Arab Idol winner, Mohammad Assaf. He was selected by Mike Garson, among others, to perform his Symphonic Jazz world premier entitled “Symphonic Suite for Healing.” In 2017, Christopher performed with the Jon Armstrong Jazz Orchestra at the Angel City Jazz Festival in Los Angeles debuting a seven-song suite entitled “Burnt Hibiscus.” This year, Christopher performed sold out shows with Streetlight Manifesto at the legendary Beacon Theater in New York City and The Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. Christopher is a member of the internationally recognized orchestra, MESTO, specializing in Middle Eastern Classical music, and the Indian/Jazz fusion group Mahadev. He is an active free-lance musician performing and recording drums and percussion for independent films, commercials, jazz ensembles, various bands, and singer-songwriters. He earned his MFA degree in drum set/world percussion from the California Institute of the Arts and a B.M. in classical percussion and drum set from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Christopher resides in Los Angeles and is an adjunct faculty member at Pierce College, Loyola Marymount, and Los Angeles City College. drummercpayne.com
Dave Cipriani Award-winning 7-string and Indian Slide Guitarist/composer/singer-songwriter Dave Cipriani touches the mystic, the ethereal and the earthy; bringing intense studies of Indian music, african, jazz, balkan, classical, rock and more into his unique world-music and heart embracing style of improvisation, compositions, and songs. He has been featured in the soundtracks for “Basmati Blues,” “Jaya,” and “The Tiger Hunter” as well as the live DisneyWorld show “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic.” Dave has self-produced 5 CD’s and has received awards from the Maryland State and Baltimore City Arts Councils for his unique guitar style. Dave's diverse background include studies with jazz great Charlie Byrd, classical guitarist Christopher Parkening, sitar master Jai Kishor, and Indian Slide guitar pioneer Pandit Barun Kumar Pal, a senior disciple of Ravi Shankar. Dave completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in North Indian Music at California Institute of the Arts, including studies with Balkan/classical/world pioneer guitarist Miroslav Tadic, Indian sarod maestro Aashish Khan and numerous others. Dave is now based in Ojai and leads the group Mahadev as well as performing with solo and with various groups in the area.