DAVID NEPTUNE

David is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, musician and instrument producer based in Los Angeles. 

Born and raised in Japan, David was influenced from a young age by his father John Kaizan Neptune who is a renowned shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) player. 

Inspired by the deep nature of Japan and his father’s music, David takes a heart-centered, joyful approach to music and improvised collaboration. He is currently producing the ‘Takeda,” an entirely new bamboo drum invented by his father. 

David’s documentary work as a story producer includes “Street Food” on Netflix, “Marvel’s 616” on Disney+, and a current Hulu original series, “Mastermind” set to release in 2024. 

His debut feature film, “Words Can’t Go There” released in 2019, is a personal look at his father’s life and the dynamics between passion and family. 

David focuses on the same intention with his music and films – to inspire people to open their hearts and let their inner sun shine through. 

More About David Neptune and his Takeda Drum at :

Filmmaking site: www.fromneptune.com

Takeda Drum site: www.takedadrum.com

Socials:

@tunetown

@takedadrum

Trailer to “Words Can’t Go there:”

Daniel Sundahl (DanSun) is a published artist and writer and has three (3) art books 
produced of his works. Articles of his work are featured in several international publications. His art is recognized worldwide, and he travels internationally, speaking about his art and personal 
experiences with occupational stress injuries and post-traumatic growth. He is an 
advanced care paramedic, pre-hospital educator, a retired firefighter, photographer 
and photo editor.

BENKI PIYÂKO

Benki has been referred to as a leading spiritual leader from the Amazon. He comes from an Antaviari lineage in Ashaninka culture, a term meaning “a direct Messenger of God “. Benki has embraced the struggle for the rights of his community since his teens, replanting over 2.5 million trees. In 2007, as a Secretary of Environment Acre, Brazil, he inaugurated the Yorenka Ãtame agroforestry center, where he began to rehabilitate drug and alcohol addicted youth by teaching them to work with Nature.

He thus brought people and endangered animal/plant species together again. He also created the world’s first eco-market which exchanges plastic for food in Amazonia. Benki has helped many indigenous groups to recover their culture. He is a recipient of the UN Equator Prize alongside his community, Apiwtxa. More recently, he has created the Yorenka Tasorentsi Educational and Spiritual Institute to pursue his environmental and spiritual work.

RAINE PIYÂKO

Young Ashaninka leader Raine Piyãko has been accompanying his father, world-renowned spiritual and environmental leader Benki Piyãko, in his works since early childhood.

Raine began his pajé (master shaman) apprenticeship a decade ago under his father’s and grandfather’s auspices. His maternal grandfather Aricemi is also one of Benki’s teachers and one of the highest regarded Sheripiari (tobacco shaman) in the Western Amazon.

Raine is a composer of traditional Ashaninka songs and a talented musician. He is the Vice President of the healing and reforestation center, Institute Yorenka Tasorentsi, in the Brazilian Amazon. 

Coming from a lineage of ‘Antaviari’ (direct messenger of God in Ashaninka culture), Raine is steeped in the most profound shamanic traditions of the Amazon.

SONIA MARIE KAZAROVA

Sonia Marie Kazarova is a New Country Artist Singer Songwriter. Sonia is also a Grammy Nominated Opera Singer, Actress & Philanthropist.

She is Colorado native, born in WheatRidge and raised in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains on a small ranch outside Boulder. Sonia’s cross-genre ‘Country Opera’ “DESPERADO DEBUTANTE” celebrates the storytelling that she fell in love with as a kid listening to country on the radio & the sweeping stories she sang in opera. Influenced by the greats of early country music such as The Carter Family, Tom T Hall, Dolly Parton, Waylon, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Bobby Bare, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, George Straight, Clint Black, the trinity of Twitty, Twain, & Tanya Tucker. Sonia has performed worldwide as Tosca, Norma, and Salome to name a few, and is known for groundbreaking genre-bending combining her operatic vocals with polyrhythmic Afro-beats, pop, jazz, taiko drumming, blues, gospel, Regge, spoken word and hip hop.

These collaborations led her to a Grammy nomination. This honor inspired Sonia Marie to follow her dreams, and tell the stories so close to her heart. At last arriving back home where she began in Colorado. This new ‘Country Opera’ genre brings Sonia’s rich theatrical style of storytelling with full orchestration inside country music tradition. The blend of these two art forms is a beautiful alchemy offering sweet country melodies and a great big opera heart. Miss Sonia is bringing Opera back to the Opry!