Dreaming Zenzile

Aaron Marcellus, a singer, vocal coach, writer, musician, dancer and actor from Atlanta, got his start in gospel music and has performed around the world. He has recorded albums and was voted to the top 24 on American Idol in 2011. After a world tour, Marcellus was featured in a ChapStick commercial, NBC’s Next Caller and STOMP. Marcellus also hosts a burlesque show at Duane Park. He founded Surrender to Love, LLC, a foundation that supports arts programs and seeks to feed the hungry, and Adventure Voice, a training program offering vocal classes for groups and individuals.

Naledi Masilo is a zesty vocalist, composer and arts practitioner from Johannesburg, South Africa. She cultivated her love for music through backyard jam sessions and endless artistic curiosity. Deeply passionate about music and women, Masilo graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Cape Town and a Jazz Performance degree from The New England Conservatory in Boston. Masilo has been a resident at the Kennedy Center (DC) through Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead Program, where she was mentored by the likes of Dee Dee Bridgewater and Jason Moran. She has also been selected as part of the prestigious South African Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band and has been invited to participate in the Banff International Jazz and Creative Music workshop in Calgary, Canada. Masilo is due to make prolific strides in the arts industry—a young artist with a voice and story to remember! 

Phindi Wilson, a native of South Africa, is an amazing song writer/music producer who began her career early on in SA performing in theatrical productions all around the world. She performed with Michael Jackson at Nelson Mandela’s 80th birthday, performed In Mbongeni Ngema’s productions Mama (as a main character) and Sarafina 2 in Europe and Australia. She was in a movie soundtrack of The Lion King in 1994 at Sun City, SA. Most notable credits include the role of Rafiki in the US tour, LasVegas, Madrid and Brazil productions of Disney’s The Lion King to The Festival of The Lion King in Hong Kong. Most recently, Mrs. Wilson worked on the developmental lab of Mandela, The Wildflower and Dreaming Zenzile. Television credits include We Are New York short film, Orange Is the New Black, Law & Order and Flatbush. Phindi is was nominated as an outstanding best actor at The Helen Hayes Awards in Washington DC. She is honored to be part of Dreaming Zenzile. 

Hervé Samb is a virtuoso guitarist, original composer, arranger and respected producer. He has established himself as an outstanding musician worldwide, with many famous artists such as Marcus Miller, Oumou Sangaré, Salif Keïta and so many others. He is occasionally an artistic director for renowned artists such as Kellylee Evans, Somi and Lisa Simone, to name a few. His four previous albums as a leader have all been acclaimed by the public and international critics, through which he confirms a unique style, the “Jazz Sabar,” born from the rhythms of the sabar—traditional Senegalese percussion, crossing original melodies inspired by both traditional Senegalese tunes and contemporary jazz. In 2020, he recorded two new albums: Benn, a much-awaited first solo opus, and Jolof, in which he finds the “Teranga Band” to take the “Jazz Sabar” of which he is both the pioneer and ambassador, even further. 

Pathé Jassi has collaborated with a diverse group of accomplished musicians in a career that has spanned over three decades. Originally from Dakar, Senegal, Jassi has traveled the globe performing and recording alongside legendary West African vocalists Youssou N’Dour, Cheikh Lo, Monsour Seck, Baba Maal and guitarist Hervé Samb. In addition, he has lent his artistry to Detroit artists such as Luis Resto, Marcus Belgrave, Wendell Harrison, John Arnold and Mike E. He also worked closely with Sam Sanders, one of Detroit’s jazz legends. Pathe’s rare ability to combine bebop with a polyrhythmic African sound has made him one of Detroit’s most revered jazz musicians. 

Sheldon Thwaites is an award-winning International Caribbean-American percussionist, specializing in drum set and steel pan. Drums were his first love, but after pursuing music at the high school level, he transitioned into composition, arranging and production. He has worked with such artists as Chris Daughtry, Lauryn Hill, Amel Larrieux, Cobi and Marina Satti. Sheldon has played drums internationally for world-renowned steel bands Witco Desperadoes, Phase II Pan Groove and Skiffle Bunch. He has studied drum set with Terri Lynn Carrington, John Blackwell and Dave Dicenso. Sheldon is a graduate of Boston Arts Academy and Berklee College of Music. He currently resides in Washington, DC. 

Toru Dodo was born in Tokyo and is an alumnus of Berklee College of Music currently living in New York. A pianist, composer, arranger, producer, author and Grammy nominee, he has released five solo albums. Also one of New York’s most in-demand sidemen, Dodo has worked with jazz luminaries including Kenny Garrett, Benny Golson and Curtis Fuller. Most recently, he has been frequently performing and traveling worldwide with notable singers such as Somi, Nicole Henry, Alicia Olatuja and Laurin Talese. He also has been one of the regular pianists for the Off-Broadway hit show Sleep No More since 2011. His book Excellent Jazz Piano, which features his solo piano arrangements, was published by Rittor Music in Japan in 2008. He performed on Somi’s Holy Room: Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band that was nominated for a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album. He has been involved in the creation of Dreaming Zenzile from the beginning and is excited about the world premiere at The Rep.