Scott Johnson

Scott Johnson has played with several bands around the Chicagoland area for the past 12 years. He has performed on both steel pans and drum set at clubs such as Metro, Double Door, and Martyr's, festivals such as Taste o' Chicago, conventions at McCormick Place, lounges such as Windsor's Lounge at the Palmer House Hilton, and private parties.

Scott has also recorded drum set, steel pan, marimba, and Latin percussion for many other local musicians around the Chicagoland area and in addition to performing, also owns UPbeat Music, a music lesson studio located in beautiful downtown Chinatown.

Terry Peeples

Terry Peeples is currently an adjunct assistant music professor at Lewis University where he teaches all the percussion classes, History of American Music, History of American Pop Music and a music appreciation class called Music for the Listener. He is also on staff at Minooka High School where he arranges music for the marching drumline.

Mr. Peeples has a masters, bachelors and an associates degree in percussion performance and a minor in education from Western Illinois University, Illinois State University, and Joliet Junior College.

Mr. Peeples is currently a member of the Percussive Arts Society, is on the Vic Firth Education Team and the Central States Judges Association where he is an Adjudicator of Marching Percussion.

He was the winner of Chicagoland's Best Drummer Contest in 1991 sponsored by WBBZ The Blaze, and also the Drumset 2001 Individual Champion at the Senior Drum Corps Finals in Syracuse, NY.

Mr. Peeples is a freelance musician in Chicagoland in which he plays jazz, rock, blues, hand drum and steel drum gigs.

Eric Yoder

Born of an Amish heritage, Eric Yoder defied convention and chose to focus his energy on a career in music and technology. He started on piano in early childhood and drumset in early adolescence. He used these backgrounds to later expand and excel on such percussion instruments as marimba, bells and vibes. Eric got his Music Industry Percussion Degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He spent his time in college not only in the classroom, but also building his experience playing on stages and in studios all over Ohio and Chicago.

After college, Eric officially relocated to Chicago and was immediately playing sessions with some of the best musicians in town. He worked on hundreds of records and jingles that played for an international audience. Some of the television and radio spots included such clients as: Antelis Music, Budweiser, The Chicago Bulls, Disney, DuPee Productions, Gatorade, Guitar Center, Kelloggs, Kraft, Leo Burnett, McDonald’s, Midas Corp, Miller, Montgomery Ward, PetSmart, Pizza Hut, SPANK! Music, Steve Samler Music, Tommy Armour Golf, WGN, and YMCA, to name a few. In his personal time, Eric’s focus on practicing, performing, and making music was translated over time into his current professional abilities. He is quite accomplished on stage, in the studio, in church, and in the orchestra pit, with sight reading skills enabling him to pick up anything and nail it the first time. He has toured and performed all over the world, under many musical guises. He is a solid-groove player, who can match clicks and loops perfectly, as well as follow subtle to complex tempo and metric changes. He has mastered his craft in many different genres, including: rock, R&B, choral, country, gospel, popular, metal, orchestral, and multi-cultural styles of the world such as Cuban, Brazilian, African, South American, Mexican and Asian.

Yoder has studied with some of the finest musicians in the world on composition, drumset, marimba, vibes, steel drum, timpani, piano, congas, timbales, and all other percussion. His list of most influential mentors and teachers include Chris Hanning, Larry Snider, Bob Breithaupt, Eric Paton, Bob McGee, Joe Morello, Jim Babor, Rich Flores, Rocky Reuter, Stan Smith, Jeff Ciampa, Tom Frieze, Gary Ciepluch, Sarah Allen, Janet Pemberton, Shelly Irvine, Doug McComas, Gerald Carasea and William Becker.

As his expertise has grown in the areas of drumset, percussion, composition, and performance, Eric has continued to learn and take on new challenges. In 1998, Eric finished construction and opened his own recording studio, Horse-Drawn Productions. In his capacity as the owner and lead engineer / producer of this studio, he is known as a Pro Tools wizard throughout the Midwest. He can expertly polish musical recordings for clients using his impeccable rhythm and honed ear and he can do it all faster than anyone. He is charismatic with people in such a way that makes them feel instantly comfortable and ready to put forth a stellar performance. Eric also uses his knowledge in the role of a teacher and offers instruction in drums, percussion, Pro Tools, Logic, engineering, production and computer diagnostics. He is so established in the field that he has been highlighted in a published educational textbook that is being used in classrooms today, titled “Music! And Its Importance in our Lives”, under McGraw-Hill Publishing. Just a few of the artists Yoder has recorded and/or performed with include: Andreus, The Arteries, Avant, Richard Black, Black Orchard, Steve “FunkWorm” Butler, C Major Productions, CFM Chicago Symphony, Lafayette Carthon, Bexley Community Orchestra, CopperSnake, Da Odd Squad, DJ Eddie Mills, DJ Ricky Bradshaw, Eli Emily, Esmoove, Buddy Fambro, Fresh Oil, The Fugees, Giant Rockit, Ron Haynes, H2, Jack Foy Orchestra, R. Kelly, Lakeshore Symphony, Lauren “Blue Lou” Frost, Taj Mahal, Liz McComb, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, O’neil & Ween, P-1, Sanctuary, Scutter, Sharp Cookies, Skee-Lo, Linda Smith, Starr69, Strange Ranger, Urban Funk Ordinance, and Stevie Wonder.

Eric’s list of accomplishments and colleagues grows every year. His ambition and thirst for musical excellence is insatiable as is his need to constantly push himself to take on new challenges. For example, in 1999 he picked up Bass and mastered the instrument so that he could play it in several different projects. In 2004 he expanded Horse-Drawn Productions to include a second recording and mastering suite, and in 2007, Horse-Drawn Records, Inc. was created. Given his work ethic and talent, the years to come are sure to be just as successful.

Cory Tcheng

Cory Tcheng attended Fullerton College where he received an Associate of Arts degree in Music Performance. While there, he studied guitar with Dr. Joseph Jewell with an emphasis on jazz. He studied music theory with Dr. Bruce Miller and performed regularly with the school's jazz ensembles. This included a 2005 performance at Carnegie Hall. Cory has been teaching guitar since 1997. He has taught privately at the Orange County Music Academy in California, The Academy of Music and Art, and now Upbeat Music. He has performed with various jazz, rock, and funk groups, and continues to do so while maintaining a steady teaching schedule.

David Malatesta

A language teacher by day, bassist David Malatesta has spent considerable time living in other countries and being exposed to their cultures. This multi-lingual bassist's influences range from Jazz to Caribbean, and everything in between. He is excited to lay down the low end in The Pantastic 4.