Rafi Levy wrote, arranged, and produced all the songs on "Desert Cruising in a Dub State of Mind" and played guitar on all the songs. He has also been writing, performing, and recording music in a band called Hypnology (formerly known as Poopan) since 1997. Hypnology is a mix of Funk, Reggae, Drum N Bass, Acid Jazz, and World Grooves. They have shared the stage with top national acts such as Black Eye Peas, Mix Master Mike (DJ from the Beastie Boys), Xzibit, Pennywise, and Alkaholiks. They have performed all over California and have also played in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Rafi has also performed and recorded with various other Reggae, Hip Hop, Funk, and World Music bands and producers.

Rafi is currently getting ready to release his third album with Hypnology and continues to write and explore new music in different styles.

John has been playing music for 52 years. He has written and performed music for over 50 feature films, such as Mummy, Anastasia, Schindler’s List, Scorpion King, Prince of Egypt, just to name a few! He toured the world with Leonard Cohen from 1979-1989 and has also recorded with him. John also played and recorded with Ofra Haza on her album, Kirya, and has over 20 solo CDs of his own.

He will be appearing as a soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall (in Boston) on June 11, 2005. This will be the first time in history that the Oud will debut with a major symphony orchestra playing classical music. This is 2500-year-old history for the Oud! John has his Master’s Degree in Music from San Fernando Valley State, now known as CSUN.

These are just a few of the many things John Bilezikjian has done. He is an inspiration to us all.

• Fouad Jarcheh Abdelal—violins on tracks 7 and 11

Born into the “First Family” of Middle Eastern music, Fouad Jarcheh Abdelal is a master violinist, specializing in the classical form of Middle Eastern music and traditional Arabic scales and rhythms. He was the musical director for Farid El Atrache in Beirut, Lebanon, and for Desert Passage in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fouad has recorded for numerous legendary composers, including Mohamed Abdel Wahab and the Rahbani Brothers, and has performed with revered performers such as Abdel Halim Hafiz, Feiruz, Saba, Um Kolthum, and Wardi.

Along with his family’s orchestra, the “Golden Strings,” Fouad has held private performances for the late King Hussein of Jordan and other leaders of the Arab world. He currently resides in Orange county and teaches and performs throughout southern California.

• John Wakefield—percussion (cajon, udu, congas, doumbek, shakers, bells, and more) on all tracks

John has been playing music for 24 years. He is currently playing in the L.A. Opera and Santa Barbara Symphony. He is also playing, writing, and producing music with Omar Torrez (Latin, Soul, and Groove music). John received his degree from the University of Maryland in Music Performance (Percussion) and did graduate work at USC for his Master’s Degree in Music.

• Jonathan Dimond—tablas on tracks 4, 5, and 8

Jonathan is involved in various projects, including his band, Loops, an eclectic ensemble which performs original compositions fusing jazz, classical, and world music. They have performed in festivals, concerts, clubs, and theaters around Australia. Since moving to Los Angeles in 2002, he has been a free-lance musician, performing and recording various styles of music and continues to release his own music as a leader. Jonathan has been university educated in classical music and jazz improvisation, with Bachelor and Graduate Degrees from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Brisbane, Australia) and the New England Conservatory (Boston, U.S.A.) in 1992 and 1995, respectively. Jonathan also studied tabla in Pune, India, in 1996 and 1999 with his guru-ji, Sri Bharat Jangam.

• Fella Ferradj—darbouka (doumbek) on tracks 7 and 9; back-up vocals on 7

Fella has been playing percussion and singing for 20 years. She is a specialist in Rai music (style of music from West Algeria and North Africa) and in Moroccan, French, and Arabic music, as well as other styles from around the world. Fella has recorded with Cheb Nasro (a well-known singer from Algeria). She is currently recording her solo album (Chaba Fella Rai Music) and performs and records with various musicians in different styles.

• Kfir Levy—electric bass on tracks 1 and 9

Kfir has been playing bass for 12 years. He is a master at creating groovy Reggae, Funk, Hip Hop, and soulful bass lines. Kfir has been playing, writing, and recording with his band, Hypnology (formerly known as Poopan) since 1997. He has played and recorded with various Reggae, Hip Hop, Funk, and Electronic Music producers and bands. He is currently getting ready to release his third album with Hypnology and continues to perform and play in various projects.

• Gregg Levinson—drums on tracks 1 and 4

Greg has been playing the drums for 16 years. He did his first tour around South America at the age of 17 with a band called Radio Free Europe. He played in a band called Gumbo Bus, featuring Jesse Krakow who plays with Captain Beef Heart. Greg has played in various Rock, Reggae, and Experimental Music projects and continues to play and record music.

• Danit Levy—electric bass on track 4

Danit has been playing the bass for 12 years. She is an awesome Funk, Reggae, and Rock bassist! She has written, performed, and recorded music with various Funk, Hip Hop, Reggae, Jazz, and Rock bands. She is currently playing, writing, recording, and singing back-up vocals in a three-piece Rock band called Modicum. They are getting ready to release their first album. Coming soon! By the way, she is Rafi’s sister!

• Matthew Mueller—upright bass (fingers and bow) on track 11

Matthew has been playing acoustic bass for 21 years. He played bass and was the music director for a ten-piece Latin Jazz band in Detroit that won an award at the Motor City Music Awards. He has played in various Jazz, Rock, and World Music groups and is currently a free-lance musician, playing, writing, and recording music in different styles, such as Jazz, Rock, World Music, and more. Matthew is also currently teaching music full time. He graduated and received his degree in Jazz Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory.

• Laura Osborn—flute on tracks 1, 4, and 11

Laura has been playing the flute for 27 years. She currently performs and records with various artists as a free-lance musician, playing Jazz, Classical, World Music, and more. Laura received her B.M. in Flute Performance from the University of Southern California and M.M. in Improvisation from the New England Conservatory of Music. She also studied Ethno-Musicology at UCLA. All in all, she’s one soulful flute player!

• Chad Travis—recording engineer

Chad was the recording engineer for Desert Cruising in a Dub State of Mind and also co-produced the album. Chad received his degree as a Recording Engineer from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, Arizona, and has been recording various artists ever since. He has recorded and worked on albums with Delaney Bramlett, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Alexi Murdoch, and many more. Chad is currently working as a recording engineer full time at Sonora Recorders, recording, mixing, and mastering music for various artists. He also does free-lance work and records his own music.