ABOUT THE PEOPLE
The SoundSystem has HQ in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and in Bluefields Nicaragua. 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EDWIN REED-SANCHEZ grew up in a poor Chicago neighborhood, born to Black-Creole and Mexican parents. He embodies not the Melting Pot America, where cultures are blended neatly together, but rather the Stew America, where each chunk of personal history remains intact, while simmering and richening in ethnic juices. At times the stew boils over, and the flavors clash, but Edwin has always used film and art as paths to understanding himself.

Edwin's work includes a documentary short called R.J. and Leonard, comparing the lives of an ex-gang member and a crack addict, an official selection of NYU's Sight and Sound Film Festival. While travelling in Kenya he documented the tumultous elections of 2002, for Nation Media Group. He has since then directed several Spanish language commercials for Charter One Bank, EXTRA Bilingual Newspaper, and a campaign commercial for Chicago Alderman Manny Flores.
Contact EDWIN at ereedsanchez@yahoo.com.
 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

ALEXANDER SCOTT hails from Detroit, getting his start in NYC with his poetry at the famed Nuyorican Cafe. Going on to MC and produce live events all over the city, Zander has worked with a wide range of artists, including underground spoken word artist La Bruja, reggaers Uprisers, and even Japanese punks Peelander-Z. These productions, as well as working on Hip Hop Hope, a film exploring New York's underground hip hop perspective after 9-11, have built up to his own documentary short, called Time 2 Play, with many more down the line. Zander was also seen onstage recently in Rap-sody, a hiphop theatre production, alongside Roc Raida of the X-ecutioners. Contact ZANDER at universal_spectrum@yahoo.com

SOUND ENGINEER

Michael J. Gassert graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2003 where he majored in Communications, English and Film Studies. His first film out of college, “In the Neighborhood”, was a compelling documentary exploring issues of poverty and homelessness in the Twin Cities.  His film, helped expose the bare bones truth about life on the street in urban America while also raising over $160,000 dollars for a struggling day shelter in St. Paul, Minnesota.  In June of 2004, Mike moved from his native Wisconsin to New York City where he has quickly imbedded himself into the independent film scene.   In the last year, he has recorded sound on over thirty films: narratives, documentaries, shorts and features.  

The East Coast has also proven the ideal place for Mike to pursue his passion for recording music. He has worked in large multi-million dollar studios but feels most comfortable with is laptop and numerous attachments on location, capturing music as it happens spontaneously.  At various musical events like Bonnaroo and the North East Kingdom Music Festival, Mike has produced and captured live performances form artists from all over North and South America including Blues Traveler, Hieroglyphics, Israel Vibrations, the Spam All Stars, Dub is a Weapon, Oteil Burbridge, Cyro Baptista, Perpetual Groove, Grand Theft Bus, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and many more.   For the Bluefields Sound System, Mike looks to utilize the benefits of his mobile, multitrack digital recording system and create a rich sound design that will vibrantly capture Bluefields’ unique style.    
Contact MIKE at mikesound@mac.com

RESIDENT ARTISTS

MAJ is a filmmaker born in Warsaw and grew up here in the city. After making the documentary Maria: A Family Without Borders, about a Polish family's experience through WWII, she went on to do P.R. and management for local bands, including Attic's Noise and wild Japanese rockers Goro. She is also an accomplished artist and illustrator. Contact MAJ at asurasuria@yahoo.com or see her photos and art at asurasuria.4mg.com.

LEAF was born in Taiwan, raised in Israel, and currently hides out in NYC. He is an accomplished artist and musician, a jack of all trades.
Contact LEAF at leaf@graffiti.net or see his drawings at leaf.4mg.com.