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Nelson Baez

Dancer; Entertainer; Music

Pronounced “BOAM-ba,” this Afro-Puerto Rican genre of music and dance is lively, full of movement and rhythm, and best described, in the words of Bomba Master Nelson Baez, as a conversation between a drummer and a dancer: “The dancer is literally playing that drum through their body.” Bomba is completely unchoreographed – the drummer must predict intuitively what the dancer will do. Nowadays, drummers and dancers often perform onstage, but Nelson prefers to think of the experience of Bomba in its traditional setting: a circle amongst actively participating spectators. “As the people get inspired,” he says, “one would come into the center of the circle.” This intricate relationship between the dancer and the lead drum, or subidor, is enveloped by other drummers, singing voices, and the movements of the spectators, resulting in a beautiful and impressive artistic experience.

Olga Mercedes Bautista

Visual Artist; Sculptor

Colombian-American sculptor Olga Mercedes Bautista has been awarded several certificates of appreciation from the mayors of Newark, Jersey City, and Perth Amboy. She worked for the city of Perth Amboy as a Founder-Director of the Perth Amboy Gallery, as a curator of art exhibitions, organizer of the Festival of the Andes, and art shows in the city for which she was in charge in securing grants. After receiving a Master in Fine Arts Education from Kean University, she became an art teacher at the Perth Amboy High School. Bautista has held this position for the past 19 years. Bautista holds a Studio Art, with a specialization in Fine Arts Master’s degree from New Jersey City University.

Edward Biegaj

Music: Instrumentalist, Vocalist

Eddie is a trained opera tenor by University of Toledo Professor Tom East. He is also a trained drummer and self-taught accordionist and concertina player. He has been in several short operas. He has also played the role of Moonface Martin in the musical Anything Goes and the Zigfield Tenor in Funny Girl. He currently lives in Belvidere, NJ with his son “Edziu”. His daughter Krystal Rose Biegaj-Romanowski is married to Danny and they have a baby girl Sadie, while 2nd daughter Keszia Lorraine Biegaj-Perez lives with her husband JJ, daughter Jaiden, with one on the way, in Hawaii. Eddie has spent almost 40 years performing polka and a large variety of music styles. His voice led two Toledo based groups, Crusade and Toledo’s Polka Motion, to the pinnacle of polka music. A trained opera tenor, Eddie has been called upon to utilize his powerful voice in musicals, jazz combos, operas, rock, pop, church cantor and, of course, polka. Starting on drums, Eddie won his school’s talent contest in the 4th grade. His professional career began the following year in his home town of Toledo, Ohio. As his love for polka grew, so too did his musical tastes. In the 8th grade, he asked his father for an accordion (the Giulietti he still plays on stage) for Christmas. Concertina followed. Performing with several bands he eventually landed his first recording gig at the age of 18 with the Troubadours. Next it was move to accordion and two years with The Holy Toledo Polka Stars. Eddie was a founding member of TPM. His voice and arrangement on “Red Berries” helped TPM receive a Grammy nomination. In 1996, Eddie joined forces with his long time friend, Randy Krajewski, and Crusade was born. Eddie turned down an opportunity to sing opera in Germany to stay with his first love…..polka. He has won Male Vocalist of the Year from both the USPA and IPA and has received numerous other band award. In 2007, Eddie left Toledo and moved to Belvidere, New Jersey for steady employment. He folded Crusade that same year. Currently, Eddie is a cantor at two churches in Northwest New Jersey and is an active member at the Bayway Polish Club in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He has two daughters, Krystal and Keszia and one son, Edziu

Noreen Braman

Author; Designer; Lecturer; Literature: Childrens, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry; photographer, digital photography artist

I am the author of “Treading Water,” a collection of my humor columns and essays, and “A Bouquet of Roses” a collection of shorts stories previously published in other places.. My poetry, fiction and non-fiction have appeared in print and online and also produced as stage readings and a radio play. I admires Shirley Jackson, sharing her penchant for both humor and horror. Links to some of my online writing, online portfolio and books can be found at www.noreenbraman.com As a photographer and a poet, capturing the essence a moment is paramount, whether by painting a picture with words, or creating digital art from a photograph. Photography and poetry have much in common and form, the line is often blurred; poetry conjuring an image, and photography inspiring lyrical words. In my digital art as well as my writing, I look to capture and preserve both real and imagined moments in time. My photography has been featured in several online magazines, and the NJ Law Center Art Show. As a lifelong storyteller I use that concept in artistic pursuits, professional work as a graphic designer and in keynote presentations and workshops centered on the importance of enhancing well being, whether that is through writing, artistic expression, or laughter. My graphic design work reflects an interest in posters as both art and cultural statement.

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