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MEET THE FACILITATORS

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CODY DOVE

Cody Dove is a sixteen-year veteran of Chicago’s famed theater The Second City. Using the underlying philosophies of improvisational comedy he has helped improve creativity and communication skills within such Fortune 500 companies as Keybank, Citigroup, and The Ford Motor Company. As a member of Actor’s Equity and the Screen Actor’s Guild he has been fortunate to perform all over the world.

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JESSICA WACHS

 Jessica Wachs is a seasoned and academically trained singer, improvisational comic, and filmmaker who went on to found Rumble Productions. She has facilitated  personal development workshops since 2014 in Los Angeles, where she learned to utilize emotional intelligence, ways of being, and heightened introspection in order to create transformational experiences for her students. Combining these tools with the power and communicative depth of the arts, she developed an array of workshops that evoke transformation through the creative paths of music and improv. As a result, not only can she take participants on the journey to enhancing ones creative crafts, but she harnesses opportunities for self-actualization that can positively impact communication, productivity and relationship with ones self.

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RENATO ESTACIO-BURDICK

Renato Estacio-Burdick is an expert in stage fright prevention and local business owner. Renato is the Artistic Director and Conductor for the Southwest Arts Group (SWAG) – a group that produces and educates audiences to enrich lives. As a member of SWAG, he is an active performer, choreographer and producer for all shows. Other musical experience includes having performed, stage managed or directed in 30+ unique shows (not including multiple nights of shows) to include musicals, operas, operettas, theater, in both the U.S. and abroad over the past 25 years. His academic background includes degrees in marketing (MBA-Honors) and vocal performance (BMus – Magna Cum Laude/MMus).

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Larry Baeder

Guitarist / Producer / Songwriter Larry Baeder is a seasoned contemporary performer and recording artist with an impressive musical history.

Larry’s list of musical accomplishments and collaborators is extensive and includes live performances or recording dates with artists ranging from blues legends Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, James Montgomery, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Albert King, Bo Diddley and Dan Akroyd (Elwood Blues of the Blues Brothers), to jazz greats like Jay McShann, Illinois Jacquet, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, flautist Jeremy Stieg, Eddie Gomez and singer Diane “Mama” Ray, as well as marquee rock, pop, R&B and soul artists, including Smokey Robinson, Ashford & Simpson, Chuck Jackson, David Ruffin of The Temptations, Eddie Kendrix, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Cher, Jimmy Miller (producer of the Rolling Stones’ greatest albums), Canadian songwriter Jane Siberry, Paul Shaffer from the Letterman Show, Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn and countless others.

Baeder has performed in Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Africa. In 1990, Baeder joined the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York City, where he played guitar for the Legends of R&B and Soul revue, including The Coasters, The Shirelles, Hank Ballard, LaVern Baker, Martha Reeves, Billy Paul, The Staples Singers, Ben E. King, Cissy Houston and Maxine Brown.

Larry Baeder grew up in the celebrated music town of Kansas City, Missouri and graduated from vaunted Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He has served as Board President for Key West’s Bahama Village Music Program which gives free music lessons to over 200 underserved children each week.

Larry is represented by New York City-based Redwood Entertainment. He currently lives in Key West, Florida where he is an active and sought-after member of the rich, vibrant local music scene. He performs regularly with duo partner Dora Gholson and is involved in several additional ongoing musical projects.

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Larry Smith

 Larry Smith has enjoyed a long and successful career in almost all aspects of performing in the music business.  Larry  resides in Key West, Florida, and is currently showcasing his musical talents at Chicago's Night Club, as well as at The Little Jazz Room. Larry Smith started playing piano in Pennsylvania at age four and played clarinet professionally in his dad’s band by  age 12. 
 

Larry wrote, performed, and recorded for Don Kirshner (Columbia) which brought him to national prominence. He later went on to write, perform, musically direct, and record with The Allen Harris Band of Woodstock, N.Y. The band inked a  record deal with Columbia’s Tappan Zee label, where Larry co-wrote and arranged many of the songs on the album “Oceans Between Us," which enjoyed wide critical acclaim.  The record was produced by industry heavyweight Bob James (presently of Fourplay) and featured guest soloists Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone) and Hubert Laws (flute). 

Larry went on to write music for CBS network television, signed a publishing, production, and record deal with Marshall Chess, played Hammond B3 on Gospel Records, and even started a jingle company.  His production company created the Larry Smith Show, and the Central New York cable TV network that carried it,  where he provided a showcase for the talents of Woodstock/NYC musicians.  Larry toured with the Don Moore Band and also worked with him in the showrooms of the Catskill Mountain Hotels. 

Larry has been living and performing in Key West for over 20 years where he continues his love of showcasing musicians by producing his weekly Larry Smith Sunday Showcase Series which has become a must-see Key West institution.  The show features musicians from throughout the United States as well as international guests, most recently from Italy, Portugal, Canada, Iceland, Sweden, Holland, Turkey, England, and Japan.  

Larry is married to singer/songwriter Christine Cordone. He also performs with his daughter, Journey Blue Heaven, a prolific singer/songwriter who currently resides in Woodstock NY.  He continues to write, arrange, produce, perform, and record original music.  His latest CD, "Four Man Vision" is a collection of his originals and features Dan Brubeck, Geoffrey Lowe, and Tim Mayer.

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Robert Hitz

Robert’s music touches the soul and creates the broad spectrum of emotions which fill our hearts with joy, love and life. It takes one to a deeper understanding of our relationship to the magnificent creative Source behind all creation.

 

Classically trained, Robert received BM and MM degrees respectively from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and Syracuse University in New York. Robert’s musical compositions of today express the eternal melodies of the musical masters combined with his own spiritually inspired improvisations.

 

Robert has performed throughout the United States and Europe for many years. His variety in playing includes venues as pianist and harpsichordist performing music from the Renaissance to his own music of today. Robert’s concerts feature music from his recordings as well as a variety of improvisations mutually and uniquely inspired by the audience.

 

Since the dawn of the new millennium, Robert has performed with New Thought luminaries such as Gary Zukav, Wayne Dyer, Mark Victor Hansen, Deepak Chopra and Barbara Marx Hubbard. He also has been a featured artist at Whole Life Expos, Religious Science International conferences, numerous spiritual centers, university concerts series and musical workshops. Robert currently gives concerts, lectures and workshops nationwide.

 

Robert’s body of work is expanding to include a variety of genres in which to create deeper and richer musical experiences.

WORKSHOP TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS

The "Yes, And" Workshop

If you're in an organization that's needing "Change" grab a cup-of-coffee with Jessica quick. We're a fast growing company (40%) working across healthcare, education, construction and DoD. At our Annual meeting, we needed something to help us all realize that 'ordinary' wasn't going to scale. We needed a kick in the pants. Jess and her team came in and gave us just what we needed when we needed it. Their brand of improv- 'Yes, And' + 'Make your Team look good' delivered in the workshops got everyone thinking outside the box.  REALLY outside.
 

- Pat McNamara, Business Consultant

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