MARK LAISURE

Mark Laisure is CEO of Vortex Immersion Media, Producer and Co-Host of The LIFE CHANGES Show and an award winning entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker.

His passion thrives in service of others and amongst life changing technologies and conscious immersive content. Mark spent his early career around Wall Street as principle with Firms such as UBS Paine Webber and Wellington Shields & Co.  and has been a guiding force within several start-ups, takeovers, and turn-arounds most notably; Inktomi Corporation (acquired by Yahoo!), Emmy Award winning Teranex (video processing), Mesh Networks (mobile WiFi, acquired by Motorola,) Theseus Logic (clock-less semiconductor acquired by Camgian Networks,) Skycross (award winning antenna technology,) Zeros & Ones, Inc. (digital convergence) and ONEHOPE Wine (cause centric commerce).

Mark has received numerous awards as an entrepreneur and inventor including; A Prime Time Emmy for technological innovation in film and television processing, R & D 100 award (The Oscar’s of Inventing) and Businessweek Magazine Product of the Year.

Recently, Vortex teamed with James Hood to produce “Mesmerica.”  James is renowned as a vital and versatile musical pioneer. His lengthy and varied musical resume includes playing drums in “The Pretenders,” an ongoing two-decades-plus run as mastermind of the visionary ambient/electronica act “Moodswings,” and an expansive array of production and soundtrack projects. Mesmerica is a musical journey that will take you deep into the beautiful space that is your higher self.  James will be touring “Mesmerica” globally in 2018 with performances planned at planetariums and immersive domes worldwide. 

JETT-PAUL LAISURE

MELISSA GOTLIEB

Los Angeles native Melissa Gottlieb masterfully blends country, roots, and rock.  With a rich, sultry voice, she weaves the influences of her youth into a current soulful sound. 2017 was a breakout year for Melissa. While performing shows regularly at LA’s best known showcase venue, The Hotel Cafe, Melissa worked on her debut EP with veteran producer, Steve Churchyard. Churchyard signed on after hearing one of Melissa’s live performances.  At the same time, Melissa was catching the attention of multiple major network casting producers who sought her out after seeing her unique, unplugged youtube series, The Bathroom Sessions. Currently, Melissa is back in the studio working with producer, Ned Douglas crafting a current and standout sound fitting of her voice and style.

INGEZ RAMEAU

Ingez Rameau’s passion for performing goes back to her early childhood when she was cast in an Estonian play while growing up in post-WWII Displaced Persons Camps in Germany. After emigrating with her family to Toronto, Canada and graduating from Humberside Collegiate Institute she continued her studies in the field of Radio & Television Arts at the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. Ingez subsequently moved to New York, working as an actress and a model, prior to moving to Los Angeles. Some of her credits include Birthday Girl, Stiletto, The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives, Dark Justice, and Fame.

For the past five years, Ingez has devoted her life to examining, writing and crafting her experiences growing up in those post-WWII DP Camps. Her journey of survival, discovery and empowerment ultimately formed her 90-minute, one-woman play BURN which debuted at the Actors Forum Theatre in North Hollywood for a 3-week run to standing-room-only audiences.

For Women’s History month in March 2011, a performance of BURN was featured at the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival to a standing ovation. BURN has taken on a life of its own and a book is now in development with guidance from writer/author and coach Christiane Schull. In conjunction with the theme of the play and book, Ingez is embarking on the development of workshops and seminars to break the Code of Silence — a place where men and women can begin their journey from darkness into light.

While living in Europe, Ingez was fortunate to have been exposed to countless different nationalities and languages which helped shape the woman she is today. Her life has been full of diversity, experience and travel and she continues to express her creativity through various art forms. She speaks, reads and writes German, Estonian and French.

Ingez is privileged to have had the guidance of Michael Phillip Edwards on BURN. His direction, experience, soul and sensitivity helped bring her vision to a reality and she is honored to share her story with you.

ARMANDO COMPEAN

Armando Compean, bassist/vocalist/composer and band leader, boasts a career marked with a countless number of collaborations and musical partnerships.  He has had his own voice since the late 1960s when he relocated to Los Angeles.  A native of Houston, Texas, he was born into a musical family and, as a result, was exposed to all types of music and instruments.  His musical journey began with violin lessons at the age of 5 and continued with learning the trumpet, drums and the studying of classical piano for 10 years.  At age 13, he taught himself the guitar, formed his own bands and was fortunate to play with some of the best local blues and jazz musicians in Houston.  After being asked to play the bass in a band, and after hearing bassist Ray Brown with Oscar Peterson and Scott LaFaro with the Bill Evans Trio, Armando completely fell in love with the bass and it became his choice of instrument.  The diversity of his musical background has given him a wide spectrum to draw from for his writing and composing.

Television / Film Credits: Armando has worked with Oscar/Grammy winner T-Bone Burnett playing the bass on such films as WALK THE LINE, starring Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix, ALL THE KING’S MEN, starring Sean Penn, and DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA YA SISTERHOOD, starring Sandra Bullock and Ellen Burstyn.  Other film credits include HOPE FLOATS, starring Sandra Bullock; L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, starring Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey; ULEE’S GOLD, starring Peter Fonda; and BECAUSE I SAID SO, starring Diane Keaton.  Television credits include the current TNT show MEMPHIS BEAT, THE DREW CARREY SHOW, 7THHEAVEN, ACCORDING TO JIM, THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW, and the RICHARD PRYOR SHOW.

Recording / Stage Credits:  Armando can be heard playing the bass on numerous recordings with artists Gillian Welch, A.J. Croce, producer T-Bone Burnett, Taj Mahal, Jennifer Warnes, Coco Montoya, Jon Hartman, M.A.L.T., Pete Snell, Matt Harris, Carmela Rappazzo, Jaye P. Morgan, as well as singing the vocal on jazz guitarist Joe Pass’s C.D. White Stone, to name a few.  Live performances include working with Paul Williams, Cybill Shepherd, Lowell George, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Scott Ellison, Arnette Cobb, Jimmy Ford, Lanny Morgan, Jaye P. Morgan, Texacali Horns.  Featured documentaries include writing and music supervision for the PBS series Over America and Over California.  As a producer, he has worked with a number of artists on their recordings and projects, and also produced and performed on his own C.D.s, “Texas Brown Soul Zone” and “Just For A Thrill.”