Juan Araneda has played a wide range of styles on guitar since the age of 12. Today he specializes in Jazz, Latin Jazz, Fusion, Brazilian Jazz, looping and original music all featuring the nylon-stringed guitar. He's played solo and with Nectar, and recorded and performed lead nylon-stringed guitar for singer songwriter friends. 

Nick Shaw has taught Afro-Puerto Rican drum and dance at Amherst Regional High School for over 20 years. In that time he has studied with several of the island's masters including members of the Cepeda and Ayala families. He and his partner have also guided several instructional trips for students to Puerto Rico in addition to supporting Afro-Puerto Rican cultural expression in Western MA.

Yasuaki Suzuki is a double bassist, composer, and educator whose music blends the groove of Latin music with the spontaneity of jazz. A graduate of UMass Amherst’s Master’s program in Bass Performance, Yasu serves as Director of the Amherst Regional High School Orchestra and performs throughout the Pioneer Valley. As the organizer of many benefits, he is also dedicated to supporting young musicians and strengthening the Amherst community through annual fundraising for the entirety of its music programs.