About the Artists
Alexander Twum, Ray Evangelista and Jim Gutzman had been in the recording studio for more than eighteen months developing seventeen original songs: an eclectic mix of reggae, rap, R&B, rock, and pop music.
"It is our differences that tend to make our music broadly appealing," explained Jim Gutzman. Twum is from Ghana, Evangelista from the Philippines, and Gutzman is a Minnesota native. Each bring an exciting cultural spin to every song.
To bring their music to the live stage, they brought in Minnesota playwright Tom David Barna. Tom wrote the books and developed the storylines set to music and lyrics created Alexander, Ray, and Jim.
Meet the Team
AUTHOR
Tom David Barna
Tom has penned more than twenty-seven full length plays, twenty-four short plays, co-authored a 13-part radio series and authored four children’s books and several eBooks. He has been commissioned for projects as varied as episodic radio and children’s musicals.
He is the recipient of more than twenty-six regional non-equity and/or festival productions and/or staged readings since 2009 and five McKnight Foundation Artist Grants. Tom has also directed, produced and performed on stage.
Tom is a former Peace Corp volunteer and a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel. Learn more about Tom here: Minnesotaplaywright.weebly.com
COMPOSER / LYRICIST
Jim Gutzman
Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Vocalist, and Percussionist, Jim is a native Minnesotan. He began performing as a drummer at age 14. With over 20 years of live performance experience, Jim has played pop, rock, R&B, funk, jazz, and country music. His venue experience includes state fairs, outdoor festivals, community celebrations, and private corporate events.
As a composer, lyricist, and music producer, Jim has over 40 years of studio experience. He has composed four original pop music albums, and penned countless jingles, logos, and commercials. He recently built a recording studio in the twin cities and spent over two and a half years composing and producing the music for People R Ready - The Musical.
COMPOSER / LYRICIST
Ray Evangelista
Guitarist, Vocalist, Composer, and Lyricist. Born in the Philippines, Ray was considered a musical prodigy early in life. Starting at age 5, by performing on both radio and television, he then toured with the USO with music legends as a teenager. A graduate from Gamma Musical Conservatory, Ray moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to become one of the most sought after and respected studio musicians/song writers in the Midwest.
Ray passed away on December 12, 2021 after a courageous battle with Covid pneumonia. Many thanks to his children, Theresa King, Ray L. Evangelista Jr. , and Natalie R. Evangelista for allowing his musical legend to continue.
COMPOSER / LYRICIST
Alexander Twum
Alexander Twum a.k.a. “O Music”, Vocalist, Drums, Keyboard, Composer, Lyricist. “O Music” originally from Accra, Ghana and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, comes from a long line of family musicians. Playing drums by age 10 before later becoming a noteworthy keyboardist, Alex established himself within the Canadian musician community for his creativity, originality and stage performance. Moving to America in 2009, Alex has focused primarily on studio work, producing and composing original music.