Frank Bessai is an Edmonton based violinist, songwriter, linguist, actor and social activist who has been working in music, theatre, and community development for over 15 years.  Fluent in four languages, Frank has directed his career towards exploring world cultures and reflecting multiculturalism. 

Currently, Frank manages his career as co-founder of Le Fuzz with a job working as Orientation Coordinator with the Immigration and Settlement Service of Catholic Social Services in Edmonton. Working with immigrants and refugees from many different backgrounds, Frank has demonstrated a unique capacity to help newcomers understand life in Canada, while working to promote the principles and fundamentals of multiculturalism.  Drawing from this work and other experiences in Frank’s colorful career, he is able to interpret culturally diverse material with linguistic accuracy and create original and culturally diverse music with Le Fuzz.

After receiving a bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta (1990) with specializations in Drama and Russian, Frank moved to Aix-en-Provence, France where he received a French language Diploma from L’Université d’Aix Maraseille, and began writing and performing with Belgian musician Lucas Von Wunnik in a folk duo called Un Corps Une Âme, (1991).  In 1992, Frank became involved with an international consortium of actors from Russia, the USA and England.  With this consortium he collaborated as an actor musician and translator on various productions including stage versions of Gulliver’s Travels and Animal Farm which were performed in Moscow, Russia and across North America. 

In 1993, he returned to Edmonton and co-founded the popular folk/fusion band Hookahman, along with fellow Le Fuzz front man Jason Kodie, among others.  Frank toured, wrote and performed with Hookahman until 1998 when he moved to Managua, Nicaragua to live for the next four years.  During his time in Nicaragua, Frank received Spanish language training at the Universidad de Centro America, and worked teaching music and theatre to impoverished street kids. This work he accomplished through arranging a partnership between Change for Children Association (CFCA) of Edmonton, and the Nicaraguan NGO, the Institute for Human Promotion (INPRHU).

In Nicaragua, Frank was a founding member of the Latin folk band Son Tropical that was made up of a number INPRHU music teachers based in Managua.  On two occasions, Frank accompanied his Nicaraguan counterparts on tours of Western Canada. First in 1998 with the members of Son Tropical (then called the Lights of the Future), and again in 2000 with a group of his young popular theatre students called Voices form the South.  Frank returned to Canada in 2002 and co-founded Le Fuzz as well participated in the creation of a multicultural refugee singing group called the Global Voices Choir which won a RISE Award from the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers in 2004.

Le Fuzz is the latest and most culturally diverse ensemble which Frank has helped to create in his unique career.  Accompanied by the excellent musicianship and adventurous spirits of the other members of the group, Frank is committed to the continued expansion of musical borders and bringing a unique reflection of multiculturalism to music lovers of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

Jason Kodie is a writer, composer, musical director pianist and accordionist, who is very active in the Edmonton Arts Scene.  As a Franco- Albertan, Jason has participated in numerous artistic endeavors in the French community representing the French speakers of Alberta at a national level.  He is a powerful vocalist who continues to be inspired by interpreting stories into music in French, English and other languages.

Jason is an accomplished pianist and accordionist who also works as a festival director (Edmonton Chante – Edmonton’s French Music Festival, 2003 – 2007) and a music and French language teacher (B.Ed, University of Alberta 2000).  Jason is also developing a career as an arts reporter as he sits with a panel of Edmonton artists who discuss upcoming events called “ The In Crowd “ on the CBC radio show Radio Active, hosted by  Peter Brown.  Jason is the current event programmer for New Years Eve Edmonton 2007, with Edmonton Cultural Capital of Canada.

Aside from being a lead vocalist, songwriter, composer and performer with Le Fuzz, Jason collaborates with other notable Edmonton musical groups like Captain Tractor, a long standing Edmonton Based Celtic Rock band fronted by Scott Peters and Chris Wynters.  He also performs regularly with Allez Ouest, a Franco Albertan super-group which represented Alberta at the ‘Alberta at the Smithsonian’ event in Washington D. C. in 2006. 

In earlier years Jason played with renowned saxophonist Dave Babcock in the Cajun band Fat Tuesday and alongside singer songwriter and Le Fuzz guitarist Chris Smith in the Almost Leather Band. Along with his long time musical partner Frank Bessai, he co-founded the 9 piece folk – fusion band Hookahman in the 1990’s. Jason has recorded on over 50 albums in the last twelve years with artists such as Terry Morrison, the Painting Daisies, the Mcdades, Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie, Jr. Gone Wild, Bill Bourne and Shannon Johnson just to name a few.

Jason is also a renowned composer, musical director and soundscape artist in the Edmonton Theatre Community.  In 2003, he won an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes award for outstanding musical direction.  He has produced scores for Edmonton’s French Theatre L’Unitheatre, Edmonton Mayfield Dinner Theatre as well as numerous productions across the Canadian Fringe Theatre circuit.

Chris Smith is guitarist, composer, songwriter and producer from Edmonton.  His career has spanned over 20 years and in that time he has collaborated on more than 30 albums.  Chris has been a fixture on the Alberta music scene from the end if the 1980’s punk scene when he began touring nationally and internationally.  Along with playing guitar, singing and composing with Le Fuzz, Chris accompanies Edmonton Singer Songwriter Andrea House, folk rock band John Henry and fronts his own 5 piece ensemble, The Almost Leather Band. He has played with numerous acts throughout his career such as Junior Gone Wild, Uische Breathe, the Painting Daisies, Luann Kowalek, and the Piemyn.

Chris is a graduate of the Grant McEwan Music Program, and holds a BA in English and Science from the University of Alberta (where he also studied Mandarin).  He continues to bring his knowledge and spirit to the music of Le Fuzz in which he applies his craft to Le Fuzz’s globally influenced music with original Albertan flavor.

Thom Golub is an accomplished upright bass player, a composer, and an active member of the Edmonton Music Scene.  Thom has collaborated extensively with an impressive variety of professional musicians representing different styles including folk, rock, roots and jazz.  Aside from composing, arranging and performing with Le Fuzz, Thom is also the front man for a few other musical groups.  These include Alterations, an improvisation based group of different Edmonton composers and the Improvised network (TIN) with guitarist Lane Arndt, trumpeter Eric Weiden and saxophonist David Hoyle.  Recently, Thom formed a trio called Hidden Fortress, along with Calgary’s Chris Dadge on drums and the amazing Baritone Saxophone Clarinet of Shane Krause of Vancouver.  In November 2007, Thom participated in a recording session with guitarist Lane Ardnt and drummer Kevin Parkinson at the Banff Centre for the Arts.

Thom regularly performs with Robin Hunter and the Six Foot Bullies, Magilla Funk, Conduit and John Henry as well as numerous jazz artists including Brett Milles, Bob Tildeslay, Charlie Austin, Karen Porkka and Ana Beaumont just to name a few.

Thom is also a composer.  He has written and arranged music extensively with Le Fuzz as well as for his other groups.  Golub’s compositions have been performed by international and local artists including Harry Sparnaay and Sylvie Castillo of the Netherlands, the Het Rode Pomp Ensemble of Belgium and The Strathcona String Quaret, The Warszinski Tio and St Crispin’s Chamber Ensemble, all of Edmonton.

Dwayne is a multi-disciplinary percussionist whose career spans over twenty-five years.  He has a well developed understanding of many different styles of percussion.  As the multi-dimensional percussionist of Le Fuzz, Dwayne has the opportunity to demonstrate his versatility and command of many world percussion traditions.  From blues to salsa to rock to the deep rhythms of West Africa and beyond, Dwayne is able to transcend musical borders and bring mature and experienced rhythms to the mix.

Dwayne has studied with the great Cuban Bongo master Carlos Gonzales in Havana Cuba, who has worked with distinguished groups like Sierra Miestra, Afocuban Allstars and the musicians of Buena Vista Social Club.  He has received an Honors Diploma from the Musicians Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, California where he studied musical theory, Latin percussion, big band jazz and studio drumming.   He continues to study with Senagalese – Canadian Djembe and African percussion master David Thiaw.

Dwayne has performed with many international and regional recording artists representing an impressive variety of musical styles, from folk to jazz to Celtic and, of course, the blues.  Dwayne has played with such notables as Clarence “ Big “ Miller, Fenton Robinson, Morgan Davis, Lester Quitzau, Lionel Rault, Bob Tildsley, Mo Lefever, Magilla Funk Conduit, the Mcdades, John Henry and the Cam Newfeld Trio.  He has recorded twenty CD’s since 1990, toured extensively throughout North America and China and continues to bring to his performances the exotic sounds of drums and percussion form around the world.

Instruments played include Bongos, Congas, Djembe, Sabar, Dumbeks, Tama, Berimbau, Shekere, Kalimba, Canwood Drum set, Gretch Drum set, hand held percussion instruments Cymbals, Bells, Chimes and Gong.